The sun on the horizon galvanises the world in gold. She climbs to the upper reaches of the atmosphere, the landscape of clouds lying out like dunes before her, and levels off in a gradient of deep blue space. So peaceful up here. You could almost forget the war down there.
The engine thrums. Her cockpit is warm. Looking up at the distant stars, she wonders if there is anyone else out there, looking down at this, and wondering what we are doing to ourselves.
The mission timer blinks. The minute serenity is over. She locks the stick and takes a sharp dive back into hell.
Paddy Dobson
6th June 2022