Death of an Airman

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Death of an Airman - Original Writing

I crawled frantically underneath the deck, desperately hunting for

that last fuel tank, that might keep us airborne for a few more hours.

"Its too late!" screamed one of the pilots, "we'll have to make an

emergency landing"

"NO" I cried, "there must be some more fuel". More trying to repress

my own fears than anything else; only the reassuring sound of the

engine kept me straining to find some way to save us. The sound of

silence swept the plane, my heart skipped a beat as I heard the engine

expire.

All thought left me as I sat underneath the deck, hardly daring to

believe what was happening. Overhead I could hear the desperate,

panic-stricken horror of my co-pilots and friends as they struggled to

keep the plane under control, but all was lost, and our flight was cut

down as we plummeted into foreign lands. And to death.

I was brought back into consciousness by the severe pain that wracked

my body, I attempted to move and let out a cry as I felt metal sear

through my flesh. My body was all but encased, and every movement I

made would make the already intrusive metal pierce my wounds deeper,

the only light I could see was from the crevice that had split open

above my head. I don't know how long I laid there. Slowly going in and

out of consciousness until the harsh coldness of winter rain pelted my

face. It was only then that I managed to regain sense, and finally

realise what was happening. I called out to my comrades, but no reply

came. I knew they were dead but refused to believe it, although the

distinctive smell of blood, and decaying corpses was already making me

retch and vom...

... middle of paper ...

... nearly was imprisoned for it. I had lost all concept of time, but

reckoned that I must have been there for at least a day, although I

had been in and out of consciousness so I wasn't entirely certain.

As I was dreaming of my family and my homeland I heard a voice, it

sounded like one of the woman I heard earlier, this time I did not try

to move, but attempted to call for help in the small amount of the

English language I knew. I knew what I wanted to say, but all that

came through my parched lips was a faint murmur. This was insufficient

to attract the woman, and after a while, I heard her footsteps fade

away and I fell into despair again.

As the hours went the last reserves of my strength were gradually

taken away I could hear my wife's voice calling to me, until my mind

left me and I was engulfed in darkness.

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