Read Online Winged: A Novella (Of Two Girls) by Joyce Chng - Free Book Online
Authors: Joyce Chng
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its normal beating once more. He was still the same
Eddington she had met a few years back, older now with some white
strands in his hair – he was ageing prematurely. He was in full
uniform, helmet, goggles and all. It was a surprise to see him once
more. As a full-fledged pilot, he was always on duty, delivering
cargo and passengers. To see him around at the Academy was
astonishing. Perhaps, he had delivered something to one of the
lecturers.
“Good afternoon,” Eddington bowed. “Fancy
meeting you here.” He looked up. “ Solitary ? What happened?”
Katherine could see concern writ large on his handsome face.
“I got into a fight,” Katherine grimaced at the
memory and recalled Captain Sagan’s words, her heart sinking once
more.
“A fight?” Eddington’s eyes went wide. “With
who, pray tell?”
“Thomas Von Dyke.” She knew her tone sounded
sullen and Eddington picked up on that. His face was
sympathetic.
“That lad needs a good whipping, I reckon. What made you two fight?”
Not again . She had to explain the
whole damned thing all over Eddington who listened attentively to
her sorry tale.
“It is not entirely your fault, Riley. He
made an illegal move and I have seen enough nitwits do the same
thing now as a pilot. Some of them end up injured. I think one has
his legs crushed.” Eddington concluded, nodding. “Stupid pride.
Makes one cocky and careless. And brainless. ”
“You sound just like Captain Sagan,”
Katherine had to smile.
“Pilots have to stick together. We have seen
too many acts of folly.” Eddington’s facial features softened as if
he was remembering something in his past. Suddenly, he chuckled and
grinned roguishly. “Fancy a walk in the park, my lady? You could
use some fresh air, after Solitary.”
He held his hand, like a gentleman asking a
lady for a dance in the ballroom. She laughed, her dark worries
gone for the moment.
~*~
They had a leisurely stroll in the Academy’s
park, talking about pilot things and other interesting topics. When
Eddington had to go, Katherine felt a pang of regret once more.
“Richard?” She dared use his given name. And
he turned to her, with a gentle smile on his good-looking face.
“May our paths cross once more,” Richard
Eddington said quietly and pressed a kiss on her hand. “You work
hard on being a Pilot-In-Training now.”
“And you? Off to save damsels in distress or
haul cargo?” Katherine knew her face was glowing and she did not
hide it.
“That is a pilot’s job,” Eddington grinned
once more. “Au revoir.”
~*~
Ghastly, ghastly, ghastly.
These words repeated in the inventor’s mind
as he made the finishing touches to the model in front of him.
Larger than the leo-fin and streamlined, it dominated the entire
workshop space. He had to acquire an unused warehouse for this
project.
Did Lady Calwell gasp out with horror and
remark that it was ghastly ? She had flung up her lace
kerchief with some drama, shielding her eyes decorously at the
sight of the grey monstrosity before her.
Well , the inventor thought grimly, it has the desired effect on people. Is that not the main
purpose? To inspire fear and horror?
He personally named it The Beast and come
the Great Gathering, there would be many more Beasts to terrorize
the sky and probably other nations.
So much for the New Age . Did Leonardo
Da Vinci ever go through such mental anguish, such spiritual
torment?
He added a few more strokes of glue and
stood back to examine his handiwork. The Beast was magnificent, no
doubt about it. Its function, however, was not of beauty or even of
graceful design. A Fleet of these Beasts would awe the rest of the
nations gathered. Not sure if they had something up their sleeves
as well. There was often an air of competition amongst the nations.
He had heard word that a group of
Eddington she had met a few years back, older now with some white
strands in his hair – he was ageing prematurely. He was in full
uniform, helmet, goggles and all. It was a surprise to see him once
more. As a full-fledged pilot, he was always on duty, delivering
cargo and passengers. To see him around at the Academy was
astonishing. Perhaps, he had delivered something to one of the
lecturers.
“Good afternoon,” Eddington bowed. “Fancy
meeting you here.” He looked up. “ Solitary ? What happened?”
Katherine could see concern writ large on his handsome face.
“I got into a fight,” Katherine grimaced at the
memory and recalled Captain Sagan’s words, her heart sinking once
more.
“A fight?” Eddington’s eyes went wide. “With
who, pray tell?”
“Thomas Von Dyke.” She knew her tone sounded
sullen and Eddington picked up on that. His face was
sympathetic.
“That lad needs a good whipping, I reckon. What made you two fight?”
Not again . She had to explain the
whole damned thing all over Eddington who listened attentively to
her sorry tale.
“It is not entirely your fault, Riley. He
made an illegal move and I have seen enough nitwits do the same
thing now as a pilot. Some of them end up injured. I think one has
his legs crushed.” Eddington concluded, nodding. “Stupid pride.
Makes one cocky and careless. And brainless. ”
“You sound just like Captain Sagan,”
Katherine had to smile.
“Pilots have to stick together. We have seen
too many acts of folly.” Eddington’s facial features softened as if
he was remembering something in his past. Suddenly, he chuckled and
grinned roguishly. “Fancy a walk in the park, my lady? You could
use some fresh air, after Solitary.”
He held his hand, like a gentleman asking a
lady for a dance in the ballroom. She laughed, her dark worries
gone for the moment.
~*~
They had a leisurely stroll in the Academy’s
park, talking about pilot things and other interesting topics. When
Eddington had to go, Katherine felt a pang of regret once more.
“Richard?” She dared use his given name. And
he turned to her, with a gentle smile on his good-looking face.
“May our paths cross once more,” Richard
Eddington said quietly and pressed a kiss on her hand. “You work
hard on being a Pilot-In-Training now.”
“And you? Off to save damsels in distress or
haul cargo?” Katherine knew her face was glowing and she did not
hide it.
“That is a pilot’s job,” Eddington grinned
once more. “Au revoir.”
~*~
Ghastly, ghastly, ghastly.
These words repeated in the inventor’s mind
as he made the finishing touches to the model in front of him.
Larger than the leo-fin and streamlined, it dominated the entire
workshop space. He had to acquire an unused warehouse for this
project.
Did Lady Calwell gasp out with horror and
remark that it was ghastly ? She had flung up her lace
kerchief with some drama, shielding her eyes decorously at the
sight of the grey monstrosity before her.
Well , the inventor thought grimly, it has the desired effect on people. Is that not the main
purpose? To inspire fear and horror?
He personally named it The Beast and come
the Great Gathering, there would be many more Beasts to terrorize
the sky and probably other nations.
So much for the New Age . Did Leonardo
Da Vinci ever go through such mental anguish, such spiritual
torment?
He added a few more strokes of glue and
stood back to examine his handiwork. The Beast was magnificent, no
doubt about it. Its function, however, was not of beauty or even of
graceful design. A Fleet of these Beasts would awe the rest of the
nations gathered. Not sure if they had something up their sleeves
as well. There was often an air of competition amongst the nations.
He had heard word that a group of
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