Soot Skies
Originally written for The Weekly Knob and published on January 18, 2020. The story needed to feature a windshield wiper.
You can check out the original version here!
One of the Editor’s Picks.
The bombing siren is one of those sounds you wish you never had to hear. No matter how many times you have heard it.
“Arara Squadron!” — General João yelled. — “To the hangar! Now!”
Dodging the soldiers that were running to their posts, I went to the dressing room. As I opened the door, my eyes met Carlos’.
“Once again, right?” — He joked.
“Yeah, once again.”
“See you in the sky, Leo.” — He patted my shoulder and exited the dressing room.
I clenched my fists and punched the wall close to me. Calming down, I opened my locker and grabbed my grey helmet. Before closing the door, I looked at Helena’s photograph stuck in the inside on the locker door.
“This is for you, love.” — My lips kissed her face. — “I know you are up there and you watch for me.”
Let’s go, private!” — General João’s voice brought me back to reality. — Everybody’s waiting for you!
I rushed to the hangar, following him. Aligned, with their noses facing the opening gate, there where four P-47 Thunderbolts waiting for the take-off signal. I saluted General João and got into my aircraft. As I was adjusting my seat, the other pilots were closing their windows. From the radio, Pedro’s voice came.
“Alright, Arara Squadron! Is everybody ready?”
“Arara-2, name Carlos! I’m ready!”
“Arara-3, name Vitor. Also ready!’
I put my helmet on and turned the microphone on.
“Arara-4, name Leo. Ready!”
I looked to my right and saw Carlos’s plane. He gave me thumbs up and I ignored him, focusing on the battle ahead.
“Glad to have you here, lads!” — Captain Pedro said. — “Let’s check our machines, then!” — He cleared his throat. — “Flaps?”
“Check!” — We all replied together.
“Engines?”
The sound of the propellers infested the big hangar, making General João tap his ears.
“Lastly, windshield wipers?”
With the press of a button, mine started to wipe the crystal-clear glass that surrounded my cockpit.
“Check!” — This time, only I and Carlos replied.
“Uhm…” — ”Vitor’s voice sounded worried. — “Mine are not working, captain! But I’m sure it’ll start working soon!”
“Sorry, Vitor.” — Pedro said calmly. — “You know the rules.”
“But…”
“You will not fly, Vitor!” — The authority in his voice was evident. — “Call the mechanics and don’t take off until the wipers are working how they should. This is for your own safety, soldier!”
I could see Vitor sliding his cockpit glass open and sprinting back to the main building. Why those things never happen to Carlos?
“Let’s fly, Araras!” — Pedro shouted excited.
His aircraft taxied to the hangar door that was now fully open and headed for the airstrip. Carlos went after him and I followed.
Rio de Janeiro was not a wonderful city anymore. I really doubt that any city can be wonderful during wartime. Especially when the once sunny skies were now pitch black due to huge amounts of soot.
We took off and were flying on formation at a low altitude. We couldn’t risk being detected by the Luftwaffe first.
“Keep your eyes open. Once we find them, we can disband and fight.” — Pedro ordered. — “Fuckin’ Germans. They had to fuck up our beautiful skies.”
“Well, not only ours but the whole continent.” — I said.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to visit Florida anytime soon.” — Carlos sighed.
“To be honest, no one will. I mean, they blasted half of the United States with that Soviet bomb.” — Pedro commented. — “Do they really want to conquer the whole world?”
“They already have most of Europe and Asia… and destroyed a big chunk of America, so yeah. I think they want.” — I sighed.
I could hear both of them swear. We were flying for some minutes now and still no sign of their fleet. Looking down, the streets were empty. Fortunately, many people were inside their homes. But still, I wish Rio had anti-bombing shelters. Home wasn’t safe when the war was raging.
“There!” — Carlos shouted. — “At 3 o’clock!”
I gazed at the dark skies. Four Stukas moving fast through the soot mass.
“I see them.” — Pedro said. — “Carlos, you stay down here. You’ll be our eyes on them. Leo, go into the soot. I’ll be up there with you.” — He sighed. — “Good luck, boys. I want to see you again and that’s an order. Our force has already lost too many men.”
We broke formation and got higher. Looking back, I could see Carlos’ aircraft slowing down a bit and getting smaller and smaller as I gained altitude. Pedro was out of my sight.
Soot would have accumulated on my windshield and blinded me by now. And believe me, there’s nothing worse than a pilot that cannot see. That’s why the wipers were added 2 years ago and became a maximum priority item.
But even with the clean windshields, flying through the black air was hell. You had to pay attention to everything at once, while also focusing on where your target was supposed to be. Memory and foresight were the main things that a pilot should have.“They broke formation!” — Carlos announced.
“Shit.” — Captain Pedro sighed. — “Where did they go?”
“Two are coming down, and two went back to the soot”
“Right. Leo, go help Carlos deal with those Germans. I’ll stay up here to find the others”
“Okay, sir.” — I replied.
I couldn’t believe Pedro was sending me to help Carlos again. But orders are orders. I made the plane dive and quickly I was out of the darkness. I could see Carlos to my south and the two Stukas ahead coming in our direction.
They were flying almost side-by-side.
“The one on the left is mine.” — I said.
“Copy that.” — Carlos replied.
I pushed the thrust lever to the maximum. My target quickly made a u-turn and went in the opposite direction. He’s a good pilot, apparently.
The Stuka rose up in the air towards the soot skies and I followed it. Even though it is hard to have a clear vision of the enemy, if you focus on it you can have an idea of where it is. He was trying to do a loop. But I was wrong. Once he got to the top of the apparent maneuver, the plane rolled to stabilize and dove back to the city. An Immelmann turn. I should have guessed.
I chased him and, as we were diving, he was in my aim. I resisted the temptation to press the trigger. My gun is pointing down to a building. I couldn’t risk it. But I noticed that it was heading for the military base. We entered a less populated area. I held my breath.
I pulled the trigger. Some bullets hit a street and a few hit the Stuka and the plane was on fire. Rotating violently, he dropped the bomb. Fortunately, it landed on a barren terrain right to the side of our base. The plane hit the parking lot. Some collateral damage, but fortunately no casualties.
Our only protection against the Nazis was saved for now.
I slowed down, getting my air back as I was making a turn away from the base.
“I got one.” — I communicated to them.
“Good.” — Pedro congratulated. — ”No sign of the other Stukas up here.”
Looking towards the other side of the city, I could see Carlos’ plane flying slowly. But no sign of the other German.
“Carlos, any updates?” — I asked.
“Uh… I… Lost my target”
I muted myself and screamed. I punched my own leg several times. Sweat started to run across my face.
Again. He did that again. I pulled the joystick towards me, rising back into the dark skies. I didn’t want to be anywhere near Carlos. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe slowly.
“I’ll not waste my time commenting that. Once we get back to the base, we will talk, soldier.” — Pedro said.
“This won’t happen again, sir!” — Carlos said full of confidence.
You said that the last time, Carlos! You said that last time! — I exploded. “ And guess what? It happened again! What the fuck? Do you have any problem following them?!”
“Shut the fuck up, Leo” — He replied as furious as I was. — “Who do you think you are to say that to me, huh?”
“You both! Stop!” — Pedro tried to put an end to the discussion, but I barely heard his voice.
“I’m one of the few who have the right to say shit about you.” — Tears were rolling down my eyes. I was still rising up in the air. — “I was a victim of your incompetence!”
“My incompetence? MY INCOMPETENCE?” — He shouted. — “I took down the fucking German! I can’t control where the plane with the bomb will crash!”
“But if you didn’t lose it on the soot, you could have destroyed it before getting into the neighborhood!”
“Yes, I know! For fuck’s sake, I know!” — Carlos was calming down. — “Do you know how many sleepless nights I had, Leo? Did you ever think that I WANTED to do that?”
“STOP, SOLDIER!” — Pedro shouted.
I was sobbing. My fingers were almost crushing the joystick when I finally stabilized my altitude and let go of it. My face was down. I wiped my tears away and opened my eyes. Everything was so bright. It took some time to adapt to the sunlight after months. I couldn’t believe that I was above all that soot. The mass looked much bigger from down there. But the peace didn’t last that long.
Bullets were flying around my aircraft. I grabbed the joystick again and pushed the thrust lever, gaining speed. It was coming from below and the bullets didn’t stop. It couldn’t be coming from a common plane. So, I dove back to the dark mass doing several aileron rolls.
As I entered the soot following the trail of bullets that were trying to hit me and even darker mass was forming. By the shape and the amount of fire that was almost hitting me, I quickly realized what was before my eyes.
“They brought a zeppelin.” — I said. My voice was weak.
“What?” — Pedro was shocked. — “No way.”
“Shit.” — Carlos’ sincerely sighed.
My jaw dropped and I stabilized my plane so I could observe it. It was huge, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. It was like looking to the sea and watch a shadow pass by. But my thoughts were interrupted. I blinked and I saw my windshield getting hit and the wipers flying away. I heard the bullet coming but the sound abruptly ended, and an immense pain infested the right side of my head. My ear was gone.
I screamed. Pedro’s and Carlos’ voices were like ghosts. I knew they were there but I couldn’t have a clear idea of what they were saying.
As I turned my head away, trying to believe that it wasn’t happening, I saw my wing on fire. I took a deep breath, and ignoring the intense pain, I pushed the thrust lever all the way and grabbed the joystick tightly with my bloodied gloves. Blinded by the soot that couldn’t be cleaned, I was speeding up towards the shadow of the zeppelin.
“I’m sorry, sir, but I’ll not obey your order. You won’t’ see me on the ground.” — I said as calmly as I possibly could. — “ Thank you.”
“Leo! What the hell are you saying?” — Pedro desperately said. — “Are you hurt? Were you hit?”
“Leo, no!” — Carlos’ voice sounded melancholic. — “ Don’t do this! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
“I’m going in. I can’t go back, sir! My windshield wiper is gone.” — I whispered.
“If there was a way to stop that German that hit your house, I would have stopped it, Leo! I’m sorry for killing Helena. I…” — Carlos’ was crying.
I ignored his words. I closed my eyes. My time had come.
I felt a heatwave and nothing else.
I blinked. Everything was still black
I blinked again. Everything was white.
I closed my eyes for a few seconds. I filled my lungs with air. It was the purest air I have ever breathed. A sudden breeze hit my face.
“Leo?” — A familiar voice called me. — “Leo!”
I felt an embrace that could only be from one person. I wrapped my arms around her. With my eyes opened, I could see Helena’s face once again.
