A Novel by Kawika A. Stafford

Chapter 28

After the trio had finished eating dinner, Cyrus invited the two young men to the hogan. This would be the last night that the three men would share this hogan together. They had all made their pallets to sleep on. Dwayne brought enough cedar to burn for the night. It was warm and comfortable in this earthy space. Cyrus began to tire so the men settled in for the night. Dwayne closed the door of the hogan, and placed a piece of cedar into the stove.

Sonny Ray lie on his pallet between the fire, and the window. Sonny Ray could see the stars shining brightly against the black drop of night.

In the distance he could hear the drone of a C-130 cargo plane flying east into the darkened skies. The red flashing beacon lights on the wings and belly of the aircraft along with the roaring of the four turboprop engines bellowing into the dark, brought back bad memories to Sonny Ray. His eyes were heavy with sleep.

His thoughts shifted to his wife Nikko and his daughter, little Raye. He hoped they were safe. He fell into a deep sleep. The military aircraft continued on, its roar fading away into the night.

The red lights over the inside doors of the C-130 aircraft continued to burn bright as the paratrooper stood in the door. The young man from Oceanside, California was poised, ready to leap up and out into the expanse of night.

It was a rare opportunity for the young paratrooper to do a night jump. He anticipated that the red light would turn back to green shortly, indicating they were again over the drop zone. When it didn’t happen, the jump master who directs the soldiers when it’s time to jump, placed his hand over the eyes of the paratrooper in an attempt to get him to stand back and wait for another pass at the drop zone.

However, the unofficial rule in the 82nd Airborne was if you were standing in the door and the light went from green to red it was your option to stand back and wait for another pass, or jump on red and take your chances. Some paratroopers were skilled enough to maneuver over the trees and back onto the sandy drop zones in North Carolina.

The young and inexperienced jump master once again attempted to obscure the vision of the hyped up paratrooper standing in the door. A struggle ensued as several of the more experienced paratroopers began to call out to just let the guy jump. The cherry jump master however would not relent, his fragile pride bruised. He continued without success reaching for the young soldier. The adrenaline filled paratrooper now highly agitated, stood with his legs firmly planted. His hands clung tightly to the side of the open cargo door.

Without warning, the aircraft hit a pocket of turbulence causing the young paratrooper to momentarily lose his balance, knocking him backward into the rookie jump master. The young man quickly regained his balance, determined to exit the aircraft. The jump master reached clumsily for the paratroopers mid section. The jump masters hand came into contact with the handle of the troopers reserve chute.

The young paratrooper surged toward the door as the jump master lost his footing again, falling back as his fingers became entangled with the handle again,

this time deploying the reserve chute inside the C-130 aircraft.

However, it was not designed to be deployed in an aircraft traveling in excess of a hundred miles an hour with both side doors open. The rushing air inflated the chute instantly, and as it did it sucked the young paratrooper right out the door.

In the blink of an eye he was gone.

With the exception of a sickening thud, it was over as quickly as it had started. The remaining paratroopers who had been waiting for their turn to jump, all stared in shocked disbelief. While it was true that the young paratrooper had been sucked out of the aircraft, and was now floating serenely onto the Ft. Bragg, North Carolina drop zone; he did so without his head and steel pot. The young soldiers neck had struck the edge of the side door causing him to be decapitated. His cranium, with helmet and chin strap firmly in place, lay precariously near the open door.

His lips moved as the last command by his brain had instructed.

The young paratrooper from Oceanside, California did not realize he was dead.

Sonny Ray shot straight up out of a deep sleep into a sitting position. Sweat poured off him as he gasped, struggling to breathe. Sonny Ray had had this dream many times over the years. He recalled that he was standing right there, the next paratrooper in line to jump. Sonny Ray stood five feet away from the decapitated head, staring intently into the piercing hazel eyes of his now dead roommate. Men began to vomit as the obstinate jump master stood frozen in shock, unable to move, unable to do anything. Without thinking, Sonny Ray stepped forward and retrieved the head of his surfing partner, and friend Palani Stevens. He held the helmet of Palani gingerly in his hands. Wind blew fiercely into the aircraft chilling Sonny Ray to the bone.

All eyes were on him now.

Blood dripped from Palani’s neck onto Sonny Ray’s boots as he gently placed Palani’s head on one of the olive green fold down chairs. Sonny Ray began looking around desperately for a towel or something to cover his friends head. The cries of anguish became louder as the blood of Palani began to soak through the mesh chair, dripping, onto the cargo floor. Sonny Ray was in shock but somehow remained lucid enough to function. He slowly walked to the rear of the aircraft securing the jump master, taking him gently by the arm and with the help of his fellow soldiers they got him squared away, and buckled him in.

Sonny Ray instructed a few of the paratroopers to sit next to him so he couldn’t continue to see the carnage he had caused. After securing the two side doors they headed back to Pope Air Force Base.

Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved #blackeagledream