Freefall

A gentle summer’s day, Larks singing and distantly, the Noises of the motorway.

We cram the ageing Cessna, with only one seat.

The noise is deafening as we roar skywards, the aircraft has No doors.

First out are two static line jumpers, nervous beginners, What am I saying, that was me only yesterday.

"Go!" Shouts the instructor.

The girl went, white as marble, we can hear her count over The noise of the engine.

"Go!"

Then the red haired boy, his acute terror hiding behind his Freckles.

He froze on the strut, at first, but he had to go, that’s why They send the girls out first! He forgot to count!

I’m next, we climb further to 4000ft.

It’s bitterly cold, as I climb out onto the step and slide Out on the strut.

"Remember 4 seconds freefall and not a second more now,

Go!"

I’m gone!

One thousand

The adrenaline takes my breath away.

Two thousand

My goggles are gone, and my eyes fill with tears in the cold Slipstream.

Three thousand

I’m starting to rotate, clockwise, I overcorrect.

Four thousand

I reach for the rip chord and pull for all I’m worth, losing Two finger nails in my effort.

Above me, there is a roar and a thump and as if by magic I’m Floating.

I check my canopy and am amazed.

Above me out of nowhere soars a cathedral vault of white Nylon, beautiful beyond the dreams of the old stonemasons.

Below me shines the bright jewel of earth.

And around me the blue summer skies of northern Germany.

I enjoy the ride down and full of wonder, I am deaf to the Screams of the ground instructor.

“Turn into the wind you soft twat!”

My reverie is broken, as the ground rushes at me like an Express train,

And I land like a sack of shit.

The best of it is, it's always the same,

The revelation,

Every jump!

But as every soldier knows,

Real adrenaline is brown!

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