Mobius: Eyes Above The Clouds: Chapter 1

The engines of the craft rang in both my ears. They hummed with constant drone, a form of reassurance that we were aloft and moving in this strange craft. The various creaks emanating from the flying machine’s frame still worried me, but I would never allow myself to dwell on them. Richards turned back from his seat two ahead of mine to address me. I could barely hear his voice, but we had already a good deal of practice reading each other’s lips.

“Your face is flushed,” he enunciated, circling his face with a crooked finger. I had barely yet to even feel the heat on my cheeks, but obviously Richards had a sixth sense.

From behind, I felt Alice pull on my shoulder and lean forward to take a look for herself. “Indeed. You’re green, almost, Sami.”

I shook my head and pulled away from her grasp. “I’m fine,” I said my loudest, grasping my hand tight in my lap.

“The boy prob’ly wolfed down a great big breakfast, I’d reckon.” Joseph laughed loudly over the sound of the engines. “Yur momma wants to look after her boy, am I right?”

I glared back. “I can feed myself.” I mouthed slowly an deliberately.

“Well,” Richards added, “once we get back, we’ll be famous. You’ll find you a little lady who will want to cook for you… and more. Heck, I bet you’ll be the one having to turn those girls down, and not the other way around.”

I returned a smirk to the doc and leaned back in the seat. In my peripheral vision outside the window, I could see the edge of the wing dragging through wisps of a white cumulus that had ventured our way. Streaks and droplets of water caught on some of the glass and aluminum plating outside. Even under the thick lining of the flight suit, I could feel a shiver run up my spine and arms. I tucked my elbows in to my sides and leaned over my lap.

The plane began to steepen its incline skyward, likely to clear the thickest cover of the clouds, just like we had done during the practice runs. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Captain Daniels hunched over as he stepped out of the cockpit. He guided his way back down the fuselage, holding onto the upper struts of the structure. The engines roared louder as they struggled against the thin atmosphere outside. Everything was just as expected.

The Captain nodded to the others as he passed, the sound now too loud to let even a word or two by. As he stopped beside me, he shoved a heavy hand on top of my shoulder. I glanced up to catch his eyes looking into mine, the same assured look in his eyes. He proceeded to shove his self between Alice and I to peer out the window. The plane began wavered up and down as it adjusted to the altitude.

Just out of the corner of the window ahead of me, I caught a glimpse of it: Mobius. I caught Captain Daniel’s eyes looking to it the same. Drifting just above the rounded tips of a herd of cumulus was its gray carapace, floating, drifting, levitating, just the same as it always seemed to do. None had been as close to it as we were at that moment, and closer we were headed.Continue reading “On Wings | To The Sky”