The Sky Fisherman by Craig Lesley

Author:Craig Lesley [Lesley, Craig]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

17

I DON'T BELIEVE I had ever been so proud of anyone as I was of my uncle Jake. A twinge of regret came over me, too, because I wanted to be a part of it, even though I realized I couldn't have climbed that tank for love or money. Dying was one thing, but being incinerated in a fiery explosion ... that terrified me. Maybe it terrified Jake, too, but he wouldn't drop his brave disguise. I could tell Billyum and Mullins had been reluctant to drag the hose up the tank but had bent to Jake's goading.

Buzzy continued making runs with his Stearman, bombing the Union 76 and Chevron tanks. Mullins had managed to get several other volunteers to climb them and tie off nozzles. They hadn't vented fiery gases like the Shell tank, and because the first three climbers had lived, more of the young breaknecks stepped forward. Their eager faces flushed with the excitement of fighting fire, and they laughed and joked with one another as they buckled their equipment.

Older men and those with families stayed below to man the hoses and shields. Faces set, their eyes betrayed worry behind the dancing flames' reflections. Some had worked over twenty years at the plant and perhaps now suspected they were facing an uncertain future.

Mullins went from group to group patting backs and offering encouragement. "You boys will be getting medals for this," he said. "Damn right. We'll pass out boxes of medals. The price of silver's going up."

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