"We go that way," jack pointed confidently along the horizon, "well come on boys let's move," allowing a few of the younger soldiers to go ahead before looking to ember, "keep up Em and stay by me,"
"yes sir major," taking hold of the loop on his bag as they began to walk.
"How is it you became a pilot?" She asked along the way and he told her all about his dream of flying away as a kid leaving and never coming back, being free. He heard on the radio one day about tours and lessons at the local Air base and the rest was history, he was a natural airman they said and he was offered free lessons... and when the war came about he knew what he wanted to do. It was his chance to be free, to finally do something and he wasn't shy of it. She asked about the planes he'd flown and been in, he explained commercial airlines and how most people traveled by plane. she was amazed telling him that in her days, only about 4 percent of the general population had been on a plane, she'd never been on a plane though she had seen many.
"Well ember girl, if you get me off this island I'll take you to the sky for real,"
"For real? What difference than what you would do?" She asked looking to jack but it was reg slivko that answered:
"Not a damn thing, he's peacock piloting,"
Several of the group broke into laughter and remarks,
"Show off!"
"Peacock piloting!"
"I like that phrase,"
So do I, agreed mason as she snapped a photo of the group behind her, chuckling and talking as they walked unaware and candid.
"That was close to being almost funny slivko," replied cole with a tip of his chin to ember who just smiled and said:
"Let's get out of here first boys,"
She told them about ice, snow, watching sniper training, a few of the soldiers took interest in her enough and were confident enough in the snow and freeze for her not to incinerate them to give her a few shooting lessons, one was even brave enough to whisper to her that she was a wolf, 'beautiful scanning eyes; that there was something, deep, dark beautiful and dangerous in those eyes like a wolf'. He taught her about guns, ammunition and explosives and a few English phrases, she taught him how to hide his breath in the cold, to slow his heart rate, to conceal his heat and taught him a few hand signals for his group of snipers to use. He was someone she considered a friend but he had died in the war long ago, before shed gottwn away from it. She told them about her cruel tudors who would smack the children in the mouth with a stick if they spoke the wrong language or made too many mistakes but that she knew over 15 languages thanks to their 'example'. She said out loud 'the sky is calm today' in all of the languages she knew but learned that some of them the others had never heard of and ember didn't explain further once she learned that the languages may be dead or lost to time, she simply reached forward and brushed jacks arm with her finger tips,
"It's okay," he assured reaching his hand out to take hers in his, "it's been a long time in the world,"
"Apparently,"
"Don't worry Ember Grace," Marlow began as he let her pass him on the left while he watched the trees sway above, "some things do stay the same,"
"Such as?"
Cole answered, "I'd bet you were strong, even for a young girl, you were one of the best if not the best at everything you tried to do," looking to her eyes for an answer
"You may be correct," she conceded,
"That's still true," jack supported, "if you ever decide to come back to the world you'd have a place. People ... The world needs people like you,"
