HIGH FLYING by Kaylin McFarren, Time Travel/Thriller
Publisher: Creative Edge Publishing LLC
Pages: 280
Genre: Time Travel Thriller
Skylar Haines has struggled with personal demons most of her life,
going to dark extremes to subdue anxieties rooted in her tragic past. On
a perpetual hunt for the next adrenaline hit, she discovers a passion
for flying and becomes a hard-edged stunt pilot, verging on obsession.
In the sky, following her most daring airshow, she encounters a
mysterious storm and almost collides with another aircraft, sending her
into a perilous dive. Guided by a mysterious voice, she manages a safe
landing but finds herself transported to another time. Eight months
before she was born, one week before her father was murdered.
Though baffled by her circumstances, Skylar soon arrives at a single
certainty: Before her lies a remarkable chance to change her
family’s destiny drastically for the better — or possibly even worse
— depending on the choices she makes, before her window of opportunity
closes.
Jake Brennen and Skylar Haines approached two silver Pitts high performance biplanes,
designed around Vedeneyev M14P engines. Their trusted mechanic limped wearily
toward them, wiping crumbs from his thick handlebar mustache. Ethan Edwards had
been named after the main character in The
Searchers, an unlikely hero. But according to Ethan, he’d already become
one with the endless hours he put into keeping their planes in the air.
concern in his voice. “Jake, I know Skylar is an excellent pilot and has been
going to airshows for years, but do you really think it’s a good idea to let
her tackle those stunts alone?” The forty-four-year-old grease monkey had
become a father figure to Jake after his dad died twenty-some years ago, and he
never minced words when it came to voicing his opinions.
been going over these stunts for several days now.”
pretty confident that—”
perfect maneuvers.”
and I believe in her abilities.” Jake glanced at her and smiled. “If I didn’t,
we wouldn’t be here.”
Skylar trailed close behind. “Honestly,” Ethan grumbled, “I just hope you’re
not making a huge mistake.”
I’ll help you get strapped in.”
approached Skylar, waving her hand excitedly. “Miss Haines! Miss Haines! Please
wait. I’ve been trying to reach you for two days now. I’m Samantha Jackson. I
can’t tell you how exciting it is to meet you in person.”
understand you purchased one of my books. Women
in Flight? I wrote it four years ago.”
about me? Was Jake mentioned too?”
the airshow and said you were performing today. I’m sure your family is very
proud of you, Miss Haines.”
interest in any aspect of her life, especially after having her arrested for
stealing his motorcycle. Moreover, the hostility between them had increased
exponentially when he insisted she be sent away to reform school. At the time,
he claimed he was doing her a real favor and she did him a better one by
leaving town.
today, not that you’ll need it. Mr. Brennen said you’re one of the most
talented pilots he’s ever worked with.”
left her face while the woman was speaking, reappeared.
woman handed her a torn section from the local newspaper. “You can keep that if
you’d like.” The story she was referring to filled most of the page and
continued on the backside. Skylar took it, folded it, and slipped it into her
backpack, promising herself to read it later.
on a new book,” the woman added. “It’s all about female stunt pilots and—”
attention had drifted to Jake in the neighboring plane. He had his sunglasses
on, covering his stunning green eyes, and was adjusting the headset on top of
his shaggy blonde hair.
sit down and talk with you. Maybe even include your story in my new book.” She
handed Skylar a business card and smiled.
she watched her walk away. She glanced at the ivory business card’s elegant
scrolled lettering and made a mental note of the woman’s name before adding it
to her backpack.
smiled to herself. Jake was certainly full of surprises today. She’d have to
remember to thank him for the compliment—one that she was determined to earn
today.
his presence. His face was serious as always, but his blue eyes were
brighter than usual.
filled to capacity with spectators. The realization
of what had taken place made her cheeks flush. “Jake’s the one with all the
talent, not me.”
said. “Far as I’m concerned, you’re both gifted.” As they reached her
plane, he laid a hand on her shoulder. “I just hope you know what you’re doing,
kiddo.”
a chill down her spine. Her hands trembled and her arms ached, reminding her of
her hidden obsession and Jake’s disturbing remark during breakfast.
you wear long sleeves all the time…even when it’s unbearably hot. I hope you’re
not shooting up drugs or something.” He smiled, and she shook her head. She
tried to smile back, but failed miserably. She wasn’t about to tell him that
she was emotionally scarred by childhood abuse
and had anxiety-driven roadmaps on her arms to prove it.
okay, sweetheart?” Ethan brought her back to the present. “Cause if you’re not,
there’s no way I’m sending you up.”
fine…honest.” She could hear the scared little voice in her head disagreeing.
Eight maneuvers were not part of the original plan. At least, not until two
weeks ago. With very little preparation, a lot could go wrong, and Ethan knew
it better than anyone.
right,” he said. “I’m holding you to that.” She gave him a quick smile before
climbing into her seat. Apparently, he sensed her fear as he continued
to reassure her, while strapping her in. “Just follow Jake’s lead and his
commands. Keep an eye on your airspeed and altitude. Stay a comfortable
distance away from each other. And break off if things get sloppy. Is that
clear?”
just you and me now, Roxy. Let’s do this right.
I bet you ten bucks no one’s going to be as incredible as you two. Just
remember that, Sky, and you’ll forget about all your fears.”
me six dollars from poker.”
Ethan checked her straps and gave
her a thumb up salute. She returned the gesture, confirming she was ready to
go. Then she heard Jake’s voice on her headset. “So, how’s my girl doing?”
was a jittery mess—anxious to get this show over and on with her life. She
closed her eyes and exhaled all the breath from her lungs for a count of five.
Then she repeated the relaxation technique, holding her breath. You can do this, you can do this, she
kept telling herself.
friggin’ amazing…for a woman anyway.” He was grinning, motioning his head
towards the empty seat in front of him. “What do you say? Care to tag along?’
love you, and she instantly relaxed.
the words. When for three seconds, she didn’t believe in the notion that love
gave someone the power to destroy you.
“What’s more beautiful than life itself…devours you inside…makes you laugh and
cry all day…and makes you do anything, anytime, anyplace?” Of course, the
answer to her riddle was love. But after everything her mother had gone
through, Skylar was frightened to say it.
risk her life to please the only man she truly cared about?
her step by step. “Okay, Skylar, let’s do this just like we planned.
Remember…pay attention to our distance. Do everything like we practiced. I’ll
count us through. You got this! And don’t forget, sweetheart…this is all about
timing and having fun too. Is that clear?”
and Skylar followed close behind. Then the airshow announcer’s voice erupted
over the loud speakers in the stadium. “Our next act, ladies and gentlemen,
boys and girls, are the Twin Arrows from the Ace Flying Circus. Let’s give
these two a big round of applause.”
Skylar’s speaker. “Roger, Mitchell Tower.”
His plane rolled forward and Skylar trailed behind him, increasing her air
speed as she pulled the stick towards her. She looked at the tower and knew
that Ethan was keeping an eye on her from there. For the first time all day,
the announcer said nothing. The crowd hushed and even the children watched
silently as the two old war planes took off full throttle, one after the other.
They swooped upwards and their engines roared.
and pieces of Jake’s first maneuver—enough to know that they were perfectly
executed. He flew out of the spectator’s view allowing her center stage. Now it
was her turn. The plane responded instantly to her touch and she became a
sculptor carving the air. Spins and turns, drops and climbs. Her individual
routine had been flawless. To finish, she climbed high above the runaway. The
hangars, taxiways, and crowded tarmac became the size of miniature replicas.
When the plane could climb no more, it stalled and fell to one side, dropping
into a spiral heading straight for the ground. Instead of recovering and
pulling out of the dive, Skylar let the ground rush toward her until she knew
the crowd feared for her life. And because she had spent countless years
watching airshows, she knew the audience had exploded with cheers when she
added power and regained control. She climbed back into the sky feeling
electrified, brimming with adrenaline.
center for the cheering crowd. They climbed in unison, turned on their tails,
then stalled and dropped in opposite directions. They proceeded to fly the
identical acrobatic routine: tailspins, four-point rolls, flat spins, figure
eights, snap rolls and hammerheads. Flying together, they were a reflection of
each other—perfectly matched in speed, altitude, and control.
But each time Jake was in the cockpit, he became an artist. Everyone who
watched him knew they were seeing something remarkable. But this time, Skylar
was right there with him, matching every move. The feeling was pure energy and
naked spirit.
do their final stunt. Descending even lower, it appeared as if they were going
to land. Then Jake yelled, “Here we go!” He dropped even lower and did a smooth
barrel roll directly under Skylar. They kept the bellies of their planes in
perfection position from one end of the runway to the other—blasting by the
audience, a plane and its reflection.
went into a climb. She couldn’t see him, but she knew that Jake was completing
his barrow roll and would soon follow her into the sky.
anything she had experienced before. Skylar could almost hear the cheers
erupting from the ground below, as she soared higher and higher. She was
heading straight toward a cloud bank that hadn’t been there before—not when
they started their routine. It was like a wall that reached higher than she
could see.
reassuring voice. “Honey, that was amazing! I knew you could do it.”
me, Jake.”
just like we talked about.” All of her dreams were coming true, exactly the way
she imagined. With Jake’s help, she had accomplished a remarkable feat, and now
her name would be synonymous with female stunt pilots all over the world.
never seen before. Even intense thunderstorms didn’t grow this rapidly, and
there were no storms forecasted in this area.
this weather system in front of her. She couldn’t even begin to see the top or
either side.
listen. There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”
loud—”
“Sky…do…hear me? …get what…saying?” The static was increasing. “…honest…love
you!”
up. “…Skylar…want…know…”
“…proud…believe…long to…say…here…why…you.”
get back on the ground. “If you can hear me, there’s a weather system
approaching and it’s a biggie! I’m on my way back.” Then she added, “Taking it
nice and easy.”
of clouds had swallowed her whole, darkening the cockpit in an instant. The plane danced and swayed
in the turbulence, constantly buffeted by the increasing wind. Skylar’s head hit the canopy and
her knees slammed against the sides of the plane. She had entered the eye of
the storm and was being thrown around like a toy plane. Lightning flashed across the sky, followed by the crash of thunder. She
tightened her grip on the controls and released a ragged breath.
sight. She could only hold on and pray that the plane wouldn’t break into
pieces. The turbulence grew wilder, tossing her around like a rock in a can.
She regained control of her plane for seconds at a time. When she could, she
started a turn in an attempt to break free from the storm—to exit the way she
came in. She kept an eye out on the windscreen to stay oriented, but it was
hard to keep her head still long enough to see clearly.
revealed glimpses of white clouds sliding behind fast-moving black curtains,
giving her a sliver of hope. Then, from out of nowhere, a red and white plane
descended from above, headed straight at her. We’re gonna crash!
bulleting past each other, but there wasn’t enough time to get out of the way.
Her right wing clipped the tail of the other aircraft, sending her plane into a
nose dive.
spiraling and plunging straight down, holding on for dear life.
answering? Where the hell was Jake?
she was worth. “Ethan, are you there? Ethan, it’s Skylar! Why isn’t anyone
responding? I’m going down!”
another plane! Help me! Please help me!”
let go.”
is fine.” He might as well have been ordering dinner at a restaurant. “Listen
to me. You’re in a stall. Let go of the stick. Let the wings do their job.”
this. Let go!”
the second and her nerves were jumping. She needed to act before it was too
late.
stall protocol. She pushed the stick away from her and shoved in the throttle,
increasing her descent into the ground. As soon as she heard the power of her
engines, relief poured over her. She pulled back on the stick and felt the
gloriousness of her wings taking hold, creating lift and allowing her aircraft
to fly.
her to see the runway below. She had fallen a long way. “Thank you.
I…couldn’t…I have…”
ride!”
time to breathe and wipe the tears from her eyes. There was nothing she could
do about the shaking. Her whole body was trembling.
runway and pulled around to a stop in front of a black hanger that she didn’t
recall seeing before. But then after that harrowing experience, everything in
the world seemed new.
propellers slowed and stopped with a jerk. Silence. She started to remove her
headset but stopped and said into the mic, “Are you still there? I can’t thank
you enough.”
before.”
to the best of us.”
I do stalls for a living!” She hesitated, embarrassed to admit such a thing.
“Well, thank you. I really can’t thank you enough.” Then she realized she
didn’t have the foggiest idea who he was—this guardian angel who saved her.
“Can I ask who this is?”
up there. But I managed to bring her down safely.”
appeared and I only had a second to react. I’m so glad you’re okay. That I’m
okay too…thanks to you.”
Or perhaps it was the near-death experience confusing her further.
“Have we met before?”
sure where she was. None of this was making sense. She pulled off her headset,
thinking she could see better without them. She looked around for Jake. Where
was Ethan? The airshow was still going on and groups of people were gathered
here and there, filling the open spaces outside.
hopped to the ground. Where was everyone?
Where was Jake? She was having trouble believing her eyes. A short distance
away sat the brick traffic control tower and administration building. People
were milling about, going in and out of the buildings. And she knew these
buildings well. She saw them every day. She also knew that they had been
remodeled a few years ago. But the building in front of her had clearly not
been remodeled. It had the old windows and doors, and the addition that gave
them more offices wasn’t there.
black façade was a huge white banner with black letters. She couldn’t believe
her eyes.
Show!
some kind of joke? Skylar looked around, half expecting someone to jump out
and yell, “Gotcha!”
Everything was just a little bit off. She took another look around. The hangers
were there, but where was the shed? She used that shed daily for tools and wash
pails. The small maintenance building was there, however, the large newer side
wasn’t. It was just a parking lot.
whole airport and realized it wasn’t making any sense. This wasn’t right. None of it was right!
staggered rows. Pilots were checking engines, climbing in and out of cockpits,
and studying the reader board for their positions. Red and white checkered
canopies had replaced the black vendor tents that had been there this morning.
The grandstands were still filled to capacity, yet none of the faces looked
familiar. Not even the faces in the “Employee Section.” And there was still no
sign of Jake and Ethan. Plus Jake’s biplane wasn’t there and his hanger was
nowhere in sight.
mind?
strode up to her, wiping his hands on a rag. “So, you must be Skylar. It’s good
to meet you. And all in one piece.” A bright smile stretched across his face.
Her brain started filing through faces and names, searching for something to
remind her who this man was. Then a picture came to mind. She knew a picture of this man. That was it! Skylar had seen his
face in her grandfather’s album. Only, that album was filled with photos of her
father.
impossible. Wasn’t it?
blue eyes. If her father had a twin, this would be him. But wait…it couldn’t be. He didn’t have a twin and this man looked
to be 25-years-old.
have been twenty-five in 1998. This was crazy, and so was being here, in this
place—in the same year and place where her father had died.
squeezed her eyes tight. This is all a
dream…just a dream. Either that or she was dead. She must have crashed and
died on impact. That was it! She was…dead. She opened her eyes again, but
everything was the same. Still 1998.
cold sweat. A tingling sensation began in her hands and feet and then quickly
spread to her entire body.
Are you all right?”
can’t be,” she stammered. “It’s…a dream. Just…a dream.” He was tilting off
center before her eyes, blurring into fuzzy grayness, disappearing as the world
went black.
in addition to a prestigious Golden Heart Award nomination for
FLAHERTY’S CROSSING – a book she and her oldest daughter, New York
Times/USA Today best-selling author, Kristina McMorris, co-authored in
2008. Prior to embarking on her writing journey and developing the
popular THREADS psychological thriller series, she poured her passion
for creativity into her work as the director of a fine art gallery in
the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon; she also served as a
governor-appointed member of the Oregon Arts Commission. When she’s not
traveling or spoiling her pups and three grandsons, she enjoys giving
back to her community through participation and support of various
charitable and educational organizations in the Pacific Northwest, and
is currently the president of the Soulful Giving Foundation – a
non-profit focused on cancer research, care and treatment at hospitals
throughout Oregon.Website: www.kaylinmcfarren.com
Blog: https://kaylinmcfarren.blog
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/4kaylin