Bombs Away!

Breathing heavily, I stared at the twisted man in front of me, a surprised expression on my face, a cocky one on his. "You're too sure of your power," I hissed.1

"Am I?" said the man, pretending to look interested.2

I looked deep into his black eyes, and found nothing but greed and confidence. "Do you honestly think that I'll blow up an inhabited island for you, Dolovin?"3

"Sure." Dolovin stood up sharply, his back completely straight, and began to pacing around the fortified room. "You know what I can do. Remember what happened to Rickshaw when he refused to carry out my bidding, Skinng?"4

My mind flinched away from the memory of Rickshaw's terrible fate. "I remember."5

"My power works both ways. If you refuse, your family will end up like Rickshaws - tortured and dead. He died from guilt eventually.6

"Or you could listen to me, and become rich, powerful, and get a share of my profits."7

As I heard Dolovin, my mind became overpowered with desire. Living in a two-roomed apartment with my girlfriend, this offer seemed unimaginable. I hesitated, then said, "Really?"8

"You're the best pilot we have," said Dolovin, his eyes imploring. A little voice at the back of my mind told me he waqs changing the subject, but I was too enthralled with the prospect of being rich to notice.9

***10

I flew over the sea, calm for a day like this, a day that we would make history. A little guiltily, I remembered the fight I'd had with my girlfriend before I'd left.11

----- "Robert Skinng, how could you do this? How could you bomb an entire city?"12

"Raechel, they were going to torture and murder you!"13

"Do you actually think that I couldn't have escaped? I was trained in self-defense two years ago - I can hold my own."14

Angry, I stormed out of the room, out the door, and drove to work. -----15

At the edge of the horizon I could see a faint, small blur, and I muttered into the microphone in front of me, "Aproaching target."16

There was a small buzz, and then Dolovin silky voice slid out of the mike. "Good."17

As I'd been trained to do, I stayed still and manuevered my aircraft right above the city stuck on this small, jungle-covered island. Glancing once or twice at my computer screen, I raised my hand just above the button.18

What was I doing? Think of the power. But I'm killing people! So what? These thoughts ran through my head as I hovered above the city. Just below I could see the little colored dots meandering around the streets, checking out miniature box stores and sitting at little round tables.19

I can't do this! I slammed my hand against the joystick. What to do?20

Beep! Beeeep! Alarmed, I looked at the computer screen, which said, "Malfunction!" I managed to unstrap my seatbelt just as the plane exploded in a brilliant red and orange color. I was thrown up into the air, and I yelled as my chest was hit by a jagged piece of metal from the plane.21

***22

I woke up to find myself lying on the ground in a leafy jungle. I felt my pulse beat erraticly, and I knew I was about to die. Looking around me, I forgot my greed and lust for power. The night flowers were blooming, their glowing petals casting an eery light around the forest. I looked at the beauty around me, and saw the many small animals crept towards me, their fur gleaming in the moonlight. I pictured Raechel before me, and I wished that I could say goodbye and tell her I was sorry.23

So when I died, I saw the beauty of the jungle, and had Raechel's face in my mind.