Australia Burns, Volumes 1, 2 and 3, is the project I'm involved with that is endeavoring to raise money for the Australian Red Cross to help with recovery and rebuilding following the devastating bush fires there. I donated a short story called "Wings of Fires" which appears in Volume 2 and is set in Canada during World War 2. Here's a short excerpt. In this scene Will, a British airman training in Canada with the British Commonwealth Air Training Program, has just crashed-landed his training plane into the haystack owned by Evie, a young Saskatchewan woman working on her father's farm:
For a few moments the only sounds Will heard were the squawks of
frightened chickens as they flew in a hundred different directions. He ran a
hand over his jaw. It was sore and would likely turn a nasty black and blue,
but he didn’t think it was broken. The rest of him seemed to be largely unhurt
as well.
Will eased himself from the cockpit
and jumped out, taking stock of the situation.
Despite the way he’d landed, the Harvard sustained minimal damage. But a
blown tire and the problem with the engine meant there was no way he could fly
it back to base. Will sighed. How was he going to get back? And how was he
going to explain this one to his commander?
The farmer approached him on the
run. Will braced himself for the tongue lashing he was sure would follow,
knowing he deserved every bit of the man’s wrath. As the farmer came closer,
the wind blew off a wide brimmed hat, releasing a cascade of auburn curls that
glowed like fire in the sun. Will stared in astonishment, his jaw hanging slack.
The farmer was a woman. A very beautiful woman. Even the baggy overalls and
scuffed work boots couldn’t diminish her attractiveness.
“Are you all right?” she asked when
she reached him. “Are you hurt?”
Will rubbed his sore jaw once more,
his eyes never leaving her face. She had the fair complexion of a redhead, with
a sprinkling of freckles peppering her nose and cheeks. Her eyes were an
unusual mixture of blue and green, which were currently filled with concern for
him.
“Yes, thank you, I’m fine. Just a
few bruises, I believe.”
“Good. Then I can do this.”
She let fly with a hard right to his
shoulder. Will staggered back a pace, taken off guard.
“Steady on!” he said, massaging his
shoulder. For a small woman she packed an amazingly big punch. “What did you do
that for?”
“You’re one of those pilots from the
Air School, aren’t you?” She jabbed at his chest with a pointed finger. Her eyes,
previously full of concern, now blazed with fury. “I’m sick to death of you crazy idiots dive-bombing
my farm and scaring the animals. That haystack represents this winter’s feed
for my livestock and you nearly destroyed it. I wish you’d all go back where
you came from.”
Check out WINGS OF FIRE in Volume 2 of Australia Burns!
Ebook version, Volume 1, Available at:
Print version, Volume 1, Available at:
The Wild Rose Press - https://www.thewildrosepress.com/product/australia-burns-volume-one
(while print versions are available at other retailers, The Wild Rose Press is donating all profits to charity, making more monies available to the Australian Red Cross. We urge you to buy your print copy from The Wild Rose Press!)
Ebook version, Volume 2, available at:
Print version, Volume 2, available at:
The Wild Rose Press - https://www.thewildrosepress.com/product/australia-burns-volume-two
Ebook version, Volume 3, available at:
Print version, Volume 3, available at:
The Wild Rose Press - https://www.thewildrosepress.com/product/australia-burns-volume-three
*Australian Red Cross does not endorse individual views expressed in this publication, and acts in accordance with it’s Fundamental Principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.
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