The Delivery

Chapter 1
The Delivery

The sky was grey which made Ralph predict of the coming storm. He could see the dark Pacific Ocean below him. He couldn't wait to reach Milans and have a good sleep. He stretched & yawned looking towards the radar to see no other plain in the vicinity. He looked at the navigator seat next to him wishing Curt was there with him.

Ralph Marco was 39, but still looked as in his early twenties. He had dark hair and dark green eyes. He worked as a pilot for GELLION CARGO AGENCY in Manhart. He had delayed to deliver the cargo to Milans on Friday morning; so, his Boss Mrs. Brooks had forced him to go today, on Saturday, and Ralph had said, "No Way Lady! Are you out of your Mind?"
She had said if he would go, she would increase his salary. So, he had sacrificed his weekend to get a raise in his salary.
Ralph's best friend was Jeff Lancer who worked at pub, on an Island close to Manhart, where Ralph would always spend his weekends with Jeff and Curt. Curt Walter was his other best friend who worked as navigator on his plane. Ralph's third best friend was his private plane. He called it The MERMAID and also treated it like one. Curt was not feeling well so he could not come with Ralph for the cargo delivery.

Before working for Mrs. Brooks he and Curt stayed together and Ralph owned his Plane. Due to delay of paying his rent, his house, his plane, his everything was sold to Mrs. Brooks; and Ralph would have left but he couldn't part with His MERMAID (the plane) and he and Curt stayed to work for Mrs. Brooks who also needed a pilot and a navigator for GELLION CARGO AGENCY. Ralph wanted to earn money to buy his MERMAID back from Mrs. Brooks but was never able to save enough for it and was stuck with the job.

Chapter 2
The Crash


It was cold in the plane and had started to rain outside; so Ralph switched the plane to autopilot and went in the deck to get his jacket. He returned with it on and sat on the Pilot seat and turned it back on Manual. The clouds had turned thick and it was raining heavily. Ralph switched on the wipers. He had flown through many storms but he didn't know why he felt this one was different from the others. He saw a lightning bolt just a few meters ahead of his plane. He could see it; so close. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and steered it towards the right. He looked at the radar again to see if there was any plain around but no. He thought he was the only fool who would fly at this time of night. Just then he heard a loud BANG and the plane jerked. He fell out of his seat. A powerful lightning bolt had hit the engine and it had burst into flames. He had no control over his plane now and it was falling free, straight for the sea…







Chapter 3
Who am I?

Ralph opened his eyes. He tried to move but a pain shot down his leg. He saw a plaster covered half of his leg and he had a bandage on his forehead. He was lying on a cot. He looked around and saw he was in a plane hangar. It was huge and filled with tables and chairs on the corners. A wall was covered with a huge bulletin board and papers & photographs were stuck on it.
Just then a man came walking inside. He flashed Ralph a warm smile and said
"How are you feeling now? Better? It was a bad crash. Too great that you survived. Even your plane is in a condition like you. Not well! By the way, I am
Major Mart Winston and what's your name?"

"My name?" repeated Ralph.

He tried to remember but his mind was just blank! He couldn't remember his name. He had lost his memory!

When Major Winston looked at his face he realized that Ralph couldn't remember anything. So, he said "Your name is Ralph Marco."

For a second there was total confusion in air. Ralph thought- just now the man asks me my name and then he tells me himself?

Then Major said "I found your flying license in the plane. That's how I got to know your name."

"Oh!" said Ralph. Ralph didn't feel like talking anymore at the moment. He couldn't remember anything about himself. It was a very bad feeling. He just kept lying on the bed staring at the roof.

Chapter 4
MAJOR


Major Mart Winston was in his seventies. He was a retired Air force pilot. His left leg was not good. He walked using crutches. He had a thin grey beard. His hair (black and grey) was thin, too. He had a pointed, crooked nose. And he wore rectangular shaped glasses. He was a very brave and a respectable man. Well, that's what Ralph realized while he stayed with him. As months passed by Ralph started recovering; and Ralph and Major became good friends. Ralph had asked Major which place was this. Major told him that this place was where he used to run his flying school. When he did not have duty, he used to teach young people to fly. People from many places used to come to his school to learn flying, but as he became old, his school started loosing popularity and students and after his leg became bad in a war he had to close the school. He told him that they were in Tinabula, a small canyon island, 70 miles away from Milans. The place they were was located in a canyon and the only way to come there was through flight. The planes that came had to be flown very carefully through the canyon and only few could do that, so there were not many who came to this place anymore. They were the only people in the canyon. Major told most of the things about himself to Ralph but Ralph did not have anything to tell about him self 'coz he himself didn't know. He had only the information that was available in his flying license and his plane's documents. He knew that he worked for some lady Mrs. Brooks at a cargo delivery company at Manhart and was heading towards Milans to deliver his cargo when his plane crashed. Well, he got to know this because the cargo in his plane was addressed to Milans. He had enough information to return home but he didn't want to, because he didn't know any of those people anymore. He wanted to stay with Major and help him for rest of his life. He thought he would earn someway to support his and Major's life. But Major knew this was not possible. He knew in a few months Ralph had to return, if not months, in a year at least. Ralph had to go.


Chapter 5
U have to Go

"Ralph, what have you planned?" asked Major.

"About what?" asked Ralph.

"About returning home," said Major. "I have repaired your plane; it's as good as new. You cannot stay here forever. U have to go one day."

"I don't know Major. I don't want to leave. I don't know anyone except for you in this whole wide world. And even if I agree to leave, how will I leave? I do not know how to fly and you cannot fly. Unless anyone comes searching for me I can't leave. And I believe by now whoever must have been searching for me must have given up, believing that I am dead." told Ralph

"I can teach you to fly though" said Major.

Ralph didn't say anything. Major didn't ask him anymore either.

Chapter 6
So Real!

Ralph was walking in a narrow passage. So dark...so deserted... "Where am I?" thought Ralph. At the far end he could see light and everything else was just dark. He didn't know where to go. He decided to walk towards the light. He walked and walked. It felt as though the light was moving away. After walking what seemed like hours, at last he reached the light. Just then the light went off and everything was black. It was like his mind -blank or maybe it was his mind. He then heard a voice some where far away. He could not make out what it said. He started running towards the voice, footsteps echoing behind him. At last he saw a figure standing at the far end of what was an empty space. The voice said "Go away Ralph! Go back from where u came!"

Ralph realized it was Major who was standing at the far end.

Ralph said "No major! I am not going to leave you"

"U have to go Ralph! U can't stay here," said Major and then his figure started to fade.

"NO!" shouted Ralph. "No!"

"Good Morning!" said Major

"Uh?" said Ralph, confused.

It was morning and he was lying on the cot; he had been sleeping and had dreamt the whole thing.

"I said, Good Morning" repeated Major

"Good Morning," replied Ralph.

They spent the day cleaning the hangar and Major's cabin which was just a few meters away from the hangar. It was where Major slept. It was a small room with a writing desk on one corner and a bed on the other. There was a small door opposite to the door from where the cabin had to be entered. The small door led into a small kitchen. While cleaning the cabin Ralph told Major
"I have decided to learn flying"

"Oh! That's very good young man. It's been years since I taught anyone flying. It'll be great. Learning to fly is the first thing tomorrow for you my man," said Major.

Chapter 7
Flying


Ralph's flying lessons continued till a month but he knew nothing more than what each control in a plane was for. He discovered that now he was even scared of heights. Ralph started making excuses whenever he heard Major mention the flying lessons. One morning when Major came to call him for his training he acted as if he were not feeling well. For two days Ralph continued his acting
But even Major was determined to teach him flying. Major knew very well that Ralph was faking his sickness. Major knew the only cure for this sickness was him faking not being well. One night Major went into his cabin and shouted-

"HELP! My leg!"

Ralph jumped out of his bed and ran towards Major's cabin. When he opened the door he found Major lying on the floor. He hurried towards him and kneeled on the floor.

"What happened?" he asked

"I was trying to get that box from the top of that shelf and I fell from the chair, I think I have fractured my leg. Oh! It aches a lot!" said Major

Ralph had never noticed the shelf there but that didn't matter.

"U should have asked me to get it," said Ralph

"I saw you were sleeping, so I thought I shouldn't wake you up," said Major

"Ooh! This is my fault! Wait here major, don't move. I'll get a doctor!" said Ralph and ran out of the cabin towards his MERMAID.

"But you can't fly," shouted Major behind him.

"No, I can," Ralph shouted back.

Ralph got into his plane, started off the engine. The plane started moving. He steered the plane towards the runway. As the plane picked up speed so did his heart. It was thumping hard against his chest. But his fear was taken over by the thought that he had to save Major. The plane had taken off. He was scared that he had to fly through the canyon. But he was determined. He had to save Major. A few minutes passed and there was the narrow space which would lead him out of the canyon. He had to fly through it. He tightened his grip against the steering wheel. It came closer and closer and closer. And there he was inside it. It was really narrow. He was scared he'd do something wrong. He concentrated hard. He steered first towards the right then left then right then again left to escape the stalactites. And… he was out of the canyon. Out into to open space. He had done it. He had! Now he just and to get a doctor and back to Major. He landed the plane on a runway. Jumped out of it and ran towards a radar station tower. A man with a lantern came out of the tower. Ralph ran up to him and said
"Doctor! I need a doctor!"

"What happed?" asked the man.

"I need a doctor, fast! There is an emergency!" Said Ralph

"Ok, Ok. There is one nearby. I'll call him" said the man and went into the tower followed by Ralph.

The doctor arrived in a few minutes. Ralph flew with the doctor in the plane.
On the way to the canyon-

"Who is hurt? Where are we going?" asked the doctor

"To the canyon. He lives there, he hurt himeslf" replied Ralph in a hurry.

"No one lives there" said the doctor.

"Doctor you don't know…" said Ralph.

They reached the Canyon and as soon as Ralph landed the plane he jumped out of it and took the doctor into the cabin. He did not find anyone there. He searched the kitchen and the hanger.

"Major!" shouted Ralph "Major!"

"I told you no one lives here," said the doctor.

"Doctor, Major Mart Winston lives here," said Ralph

"Major Mart Winston?" asked the doctor in astonishment. "He does not live here, young man, he used to live here."

"Doctor, I don't know what your saying, I just left him here 20 minutes ago," said Ralph.

"20 minutes ago?" asked the doctor humorously. "You have been mistaken young man, Major Mart Winston died 20 years ago" said the doctor.

"What??" asked Ralph, shocked

"Yes, He died here one night, in his bed, he was very old," said the doctor. "Who is the man who hurt himself?"

Ralph showed the doctor the photograph which was pinned to the bulletin board and said, "It was this man."

"U have been mistaken, that's Major Mart Winston there," said the doctor.

"But..." said Ralph but didn't complete.

Ralph was 100% sure that the man who had stayed with him was the same one in the photograph and if the man in the photograph was Major Mart Winston and had died 20 yrs ago does that mean the one with whom Ralph had stayed so long was Major Mart Winston's GHOST?





END