The Sleeping Army Awakes

Part 27 Familiar sounds

The promised helicopter carrying Sir Percy, laboured across the sky overhead later that morning, casting a trail of thick heavy smoke and the stench of aviation fuel behind it. Samuel could hear and smell it long before it came into sight. The ex-military Sikorsky was old, but at least the paint was new. The livery was black and yellow like a wasp. Sir Percy had certainly put the hell into the concept of a helicopter. The craft looked more intimidating in its new livery than it had ever done in its naval colours.

Katka had made Samuel and herself a second breakfast. She had finished hers and was sitting cross-legged, covered in a blanket, watching Samuel eat.

"My goodness Katka! That's the sort of helicopter that I used to service and repair when I was in the navy," Samuel said, "and they weren't exactly new then... but it looks ancient now. I didn't think it was possible that any of these particular type could still be flying. But that one's engine sounds quite rough."

"What?" Katka asked, she hadn't really noticed the helicopter. She had been mesmerised by the smooth progression of Samuel's spoon and its slow systematic disposal of the baked beans with little sausages that she had prepared. She found the rhythmic transitions from plate to mouth almost hypnotic.

"I mean the helicopter. It sounds quite rough!" Samuel said, then looking at at her. "By the way. You really do like to watch a man eat don't you?"

"Samuel get out of my head." Katka demanded. "Those thoughts are private!"

"Katka I'm not in your head!" Samuel laughed, "You're staring right at my mouth."

"Oh sorry!" Katka said, embarrassed that Samuel was right. But she was unwilling to let a man have the last word. "It's your fault you were eating too slowly. I finished mine ages ago."

"Sounds as though the helicopter is landing somewhere close." Samuel remarked. "And I have a premonition that we are about to have interesting times!"

"That's nice!" Katka said absently.

"The traditional Chinese curse for thousands of years was 'may you live in interesting times!'." Samuel commented, "I believe that we are about to experience these interesting times for ourselves."

"But surely it's more fun living in interesting times?" Katka asked.

"That all depends, whether you actually enjoy being pursued by seven ravenous wolves when you haven't eaten for days." Samuel answered.

"Good point!" Katka acknowledged. "I'm not really that keen on wolves!"

"That's a shame, because I think that they would rather like you if you gave them some respect!" Samuel said.

"How do you know this?" Katka asked.

"They didn't eat you!" Samuel said.

"Another good point!"Katka agreed.