The Journey Home by Mary Kirk

Author:Mary Kirk
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BelleBooks, Inc.
Published: 2015-07-03T04:00:00+00:00

“The Dreamer”

by

Diane Chamberlain

Saudi Arabia, 1990Brian Meyerson ran from his tent toward the chopper, adrenaline pumping. Heat rose from the Saudi Arabian desert, and he was sweating even before he pulled on his helmet.

The whomp, whomp, whomp of the chopper’s rotor was deafening by the time he reached the Huey. Standing outside its gaping door, he buckled the helmet beneath his chin.

“What is it?” he shouted into the microphone attached to his helmet.

Crazy Eddie, the Huey’s pilot, shouted back to him. “Road kill! In Kuwait.”

Brian looked toward the mess tent, where Jason McSweet stood idly near the entrance, his usual dazed expression on his face.

“Hold on, Eddie.” Brian took a few steps away from the roar of the chopper, cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted. “Hey, McSweet!” When he had the boy’s attention, he waved him over. “Into the Huey!”

Panic flashed across McSweet’s face, followed quickly by a look that said “You don’t mean me, do you?”

“Yes, you, Private,” Brian ordered, then pointed to his helmet. “Put your Kevlar on.”

McSweet stumbled toward the chopper, climbing aboard like a kid walking into a dentist’s office.

Brian followed him in, the whirring of the helicopter thundering in his ears. Only then did he realize Cindy Gold was the other medic on the flight.

She grabbed his arm and shook her head, shouting, “He shouldn’t come with us. He’s too green.”

“He’ll be fine,” Brian shouted back.

Taking a seat across from Cindy and McSweet, he snapped on his safety belt. Brian watched Cindy chew her lower lip as she eyed the pale young Private beside her, and he caught her eye, mouthing again He’ll be fine. Cindy gave a one-shouldered shrug of acceptance.

Then, as the speed of the rotor increased above their heads and the helicopter lifted into the air, her expression softened, and she smiled at him. He grinned back, holding her gaze. The night before, they had made love for the first time. That secret hour hovered in the air between them.

When Cindy shifted her gaze to the window, he turned to see what had caught her attention. In the distance, thick black smoke filled the air.

“Hey, Eddie,” he yelled into his microphone. “Are we headed near the fires?”

“Not too close,” Eddie called in reply.

Brian relaxed. The choking clouds of smoke from the oil fields could cause his MedEvac crew to miss injured soldiers lying on the sand. It had happened before. He didn’t want it to happen today, especially with rookie McSweet as part of the team.

Eddie turned from his seat at the controls to glance at McSweet. “Kid’s looking a little green around the gills,” he said into his microphone.

McSweet’s head rested against the wall of the chopper, bouncing a little from the vibration. His eyes were closed, and there was a deep crease between his eyebrows.

“Should we give him a thrill?” Eddie asked.

Brian knew the pilot—his best friend in this god-awful place—was itching to put the Huey through its paces, but this was not the time. “Chill, Eddie,” he said.

Cindy looked out the open side of the chopper.

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