Nova Life

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

© 2005

“As much as I dislike the thought of it, my dorm bed is looking rather attractive right now” a tired female voice announced from the vehicles darkness.

Irene Montana glanced to her right for a moment, quickly returning her eyes to the road. “Jackie, I fully agree with you. Six hours on an icy road is pretty rough. Even for North Texans.”

“I’m from Oregon” the brunette reminded her friend. “This is shear torture. Torture I tell you. Why did we go to your uncles anyway?”

“Campus was closed for Christmass. They gave us free food, warm beds and you met Josh. Shall I go on?”

“Josh” Jackie repeated, stretching out the name. “Dreamboat Josh.”

“Who is shipping out with his platoon next Monday” Irene reminded her companion. “There is a war on you know. Speaking of which, how’s our ration cards. We need to get gasoline in Amarillo. Its Saturday now.”

A rustling came from the passengers seat. “Light” Jackie warned. A tiny map lamp built into their old Packard came on, its warm glow pushing back the night, though the bitter cold remained. Even the Packard’s mighty heater was having trouble with this Winter’s bone eating cold. “I’ve got nine gallons left for this week. You have eleven” Jackie announced. “No way we can get back with that little gasoline. I told you the mountain trip would eat too much gasoline. We need to switch plates though, yours are on the car. Mine are right for a Saturday. Unless you want to hope a station will be open on a Sunday?”

“In Amarillo? Probably. But we’re really tight on money too. A hotel room would probably break us even if we didn’t eat. I’ll stop just outside of...”

Slowing rapidly the massive vehicle didn’t even swerve. Jackie, caught off guard, found herself in the footwell. “What the heck?” she yelled, fighting the forces trying to push her further into the floorboards as Irene came to a full stop.

“Car back there” Jackie explained. “Looks like a flat and two people trying to change it.”

“In this cold? Are they nuts? Its six degrees below zero out there. Then there is the wind.”

“Desperate. Good thing we have our borrowed ranch clothes on. Hang on.” Backing carefully Jackie brought her vehicle into a tail to nose position with a rather new Ford. Quickly getting out both young women hurried to the laboring pair, who turned out to be a rather thin man and a girl. “Hello” Jackie called as they approached. “Need help?”

“Certainly can use some” a southern accent answered her. “Jack broke and we’re all four about frozen solid trying to get this tire off her.”

“Four?”

“Yeah. Frank and Penny are warming up. We’ve been taking five minute shifts. Awful darn cold out here.” He offered his hand. “Captain Robert Walters, Army Air Corps. This is my girlfriend Francine. Francine Roberts. We’re on our way back to Randolf Air Field near San Antonio. We were visiting Tom’s parents in Dalhart for the holidays. They have a ranch up there.” He banged on the car’s fender and a window opened. “Frank. These two ladies stopped to help us. You want to come out and see if their jack works?”

“Be right out.” A few seconds later the drivers door opened and a well built man in uniform stepped out. He quickly pulled on a jacket much like the one Robert was wearing. Shutting the door he held out his hand in greeting, and the car fell off its makeshift jack.

Everyone jumped in response of course then Frank laughed in reaction. “Captain Frank Parsons, pilot instructor. Your presence is welcome ladies. My fiancee Penny Ellison is hiding in the car. I guess our wood and stone jack didn’t work. If you’ll dig out your jack, Robert and I will clean up this mess. Come on Robert. Lets earn those big coins Uncle Sam pays us.” He pulled on leather gloves while Irene and Jackie returned to their Packard.

They were still moving things around to get at the jack when Frank walked up. “Better save your time ladies” he informed them gently. “When the car fell a break line was ripped off.” He looked back at his car. “Either that or we ran over a vampire with really thin blood. Can you give the girls a ride to the nearest gas station? I’m willing to pay.”

“We’ve room” Irene answered. “Room for all four of you. This is a Packard after all. Grab what you need and climb in, its Jackie’s turn to drive anyway.”

“Thank you mam” Frank replied. “I don’t know how we can repay you for your kindness.”

“Just kill a few Japs and we’ll call it even” Jackie answered.

Getting back into their car they waited while the two girls climbed into their back seat and the men loaded a few bags into the trunk. A thump told them the trunk was closed, a blast of frozen air informed them the boys had loaded up. When everything was ready Jackie started forward slowly. There was black ice on the road so for safety they had been keeping their speed below thirty since sundown. Hot air from the heater soon filled the Packards interior, which was good. No one knew how far it was to the next open business.

“Two seven point five” Jackie called. “Remember that. When we find a place we’ll deduct that from the total.”

“You should join the Air Corps” Robert laughed. “I’ll teach you navigation.”

“No thank you. Irene loves to fly. I just like to teach. That’s what we’re learning in college, how to become teachers.

“Nobel profession” Penny chimed in. “My mother teaches in New Braunfuls.”

“That’s how she and Frank met” Robert shot. “He was taking third grade over.”

That started a banter that kept everyone’s mind off their situation until lights showed in the distance. Jackie carefully pulled in to an all night truck stop and parked next to a fuel pump. There was a large truck in the lot and what looked like a battered Studebaker. “Carlines Home Cooking” Frank read, making out the words through their ice crusted windscreen. “Hot food sounds good. I’ll fill your tank. Least we can do.”

“But rationing...” Irene argued.

“We’re military. We can sign a chit for that much gas. You girls go in and we’ll fill the tank.”

Bowing to the situation all four women grabbed their purses, then made their way through snow crusted ice to the buildings door.

Above them, not more than a thousand feet and well hidden by the storm a strange object moved through the sky. As quite as a blimp with its main engine shut down it could have been a weather balloon brought down by high winds and extreme cold. Except that it was moving directly against the wind.

Some ten or so minutes later Frank and Robert, finished with the refueling, pounded their near frozen hands together as they entered the diners warmth. “If anything it’s getting worse out there” Robert announced while pulling off his ice incrusted coat. Frank simply shook himself after hanging up his coat, joining his girlfriend at the table.

“YOUR FROZEN” Penny screamed as he pressed up against her. “Go away. Get warm first” she giggled, pushing away his winter chilled body with both hands.

“But that’s what your for” Frank complained. “Isn’t it? I mean keeping me warm is why we brought you. At least that’s what I read in my script.”