Across the Ages (Across the Ages Book One) (12 page)

TWENTY

FLYING CONTRAPTION

LUCY AND
Will walked along the outskirts of the park. There was an enormous fountain and Lucy made her way over to it. At the top was a beautifully carved angel.

“Who is she?” Lucy asked when Will stopped beside her. The angel held a flower in her left hand.

“She’s called the Angel of the Waters. The statue was commissioned in eighteen forty-five. She holds the lily in her left hand to represent pure water, which had been a serious problem for New York before the Croton water system was installed.”

Lucy gave Will a curious look. “How do you know all of this?”

He took some coins from his pocket and handed her one. “The angel is an artifact. It’s my business to know artifacts.” He smiled arrogantly.

“It’s beautiful,” she replied, turning the coin over in her hand.

Will tilted his head. “You’re right.”

Lucy glanced over and noticed Will’s eyes were on her instead of the angel statue. A warm blush blossomed over her cheeks. “What am I supposed to do with this?” she asked, holding out the coin. 

Will set the helicopter box down. “Do what I do.” He placed a coin like Lucy’s on the nail of his thumb, put his first finger near the top. “Close your eyes. Make a wish and then flick the coin into the water.”

“Got it.” She copied Will’s movements and shut her eyes.
I wish…
What should she wish for? More than anything she wanted to find love and be loved.
I wish to find my true love.
She opened her eyes and tossed the coin in.

After Will did the same, he said, “Let’s take a walk.” He tucked the box under his arm and they started off.

They walked in silence and that was fine with Lucy. The park was lovely and not overly crowded. Trees lined the walkway, their pink and white blossoms scenting the muggy air with sweetness. In the distance were tall buildings, rising up like man made mountains. Lucy turned her focus from them. Along the path Lucy noticed several silver stands. As she and Will passed one, the scent of cinnamon hit her nose, and her mouth immediately watered.

“What are those?” Lucy asked.

“Food carts.” Will explained that the vendors sold different items, including tacos, candied almonds, pretzels, churros, and many other items.

Lucy thought it was strange, but the further they walked, the more the smells made her want to try something. She realized she was hungry.

“What is a hot dog?” Lucy asked as they walked past a vendor with a sign that read Awesome Dogs.

“I’ll show you.” Will walked up to the cart.

A young woman with short black hair and long black lashes stood behind the cart. “What’ll you have?” she asked.

“Two dogs with mustard and kraut.”

The woman took two strange-looking pieces of bread, opened them up and then put a yellow sauce along both sides. On top of that went a crisp white substance. She opened a container and pulled out a long round thing, and placed one on each piece of bread before wrapping the whole thing in a strange paper, and handing them to Will. “That’ll be ten dollars.”

Will handed her the money. “Thanks,” Will said.

She grunted.

They continued along the path. “Your hot dog,” Will said, handing her one.

Lucy took it, but was unsure. “How do I eat it?”

Will lifted his and placed one of the long edges to his mouth and bit down. Some of the yellow sauce was on the side of Will’s face. It made her smile.

“What?” he asked, amusement making his features even more handsome.

“You have yellow sauce on your face, my lord.” Lucy shook her head. “I mean Mr. Godwin.” She stomped her foot. “Will.”

He turned so that he faced her completely. “Where?”

Lucy reached up. Her hand shook. Not in fear, but in anticipation. She wanted to touch him, his handsome face. She wiped at it with her forefinger. “See?” She showed him.

Will took her finger in his mouth and sucked.

Lucy gasped as raw longing exploded along her arm, through her heart, and down to her belly, a pleasurable burn. She pulled her finger free and stepped back, wrapping an arm around her waist.

What is this feeling
, she thought. It was like she was sick with happiness.

“It’s mustard,” Will said licking his lips.

“I’m feeling mustard?” Lucy was confused. Her head was spinning.

“No, Miss Channing. The yellow stuff is mustard and I don’t know how you’re feeling, but I could guess.” Will gave her his gorgeously lopsided grin.

“Completely insufferable,” Lucy said, taking another step away from him. She glared at the hot dog, no longer hungry.

“Hey. Hey.” Will came alongside her. “I’m sorry. Insufferable should be my new name, right?” He jogged in front of her, turned, and began walking backward. “The Insufferable William Godwin. Has a nice ring to it.”

Lucy tried not to smile, but her lips lifted anyway.

“Try the hot dog. I think you’ll like it.”

She brought it to her mouth. Took a bite. Tanginess hit her tongue first followed by the beefiness of the meat. The bread was moist and held the different components together perfectly. She chewed, enjoying the flavors.

Will ate more of his hot dog awaiting her verdict. 

When Lucy swallowed, she nodded.

“It’s good, right?” Will asked.

“Mmmmm, so good.” She took another bite.

Will moved back to her side. He went off the path and onto the grass toward a table. He sat and finished off his hot dog.

Lucy sat opposite him and they both ate their hot dogs until they were nearly gone. Several birds with white bodies and gray and white wings landed near them. Lucy tossed a piece of her bread at one. It hopped over and scooped it into its beak.

“They won’t leave us alone now,” Will said.

Lucy threw another piece at the same bird but before it could reach it another bird swooped in and stole it. Lucy giggled. “Hey.” She popped the last of it in her mouth. 

Will joined in and they laughed together as he threw a chunk of his bread. “Want another?”

Lucy’s taste buds did want more, but her stomach wouldn’t allow it. “I’m full.”

“Good.” Will went to work on the box, tearing it open and pulling the contents out, placing them on the table.

The helicopter was dark green and black just like the one on the box. It rested in something white. Lucy touched it. The material was pliable. She pressed a nail into it, making a mark.

“You broke it,” Will said.

Lucy pulled her hand back. “My sincerest apologies.”

Will chuckled. “Just kidding.”

Lucy was shocked. “Mr. Godwin?”

Will laughed harder. “Miss Channing.” His fabulous eyes sparkled in the light, emitting playful joy.

“What is the substance?” Lucy asked, touching it again.

“It’s called Styrofoam.” He wiggled the helicopter out of the Styrofoam. It made a squeaking noise Lucy wasn’t used to.

“May I?” Lucy asked when he got it out.

Will handed the helicopter to her.

She took it, expecting it to be heavy. It wasn’t. “What are these?” She pushed on one of the long thin parts at the top. It moved in a circle.

“Those are called rotor blades.” Will pushed it again. “They’re like spinning wings.” He took the helicopter back. “A helicopter actually flies upward, against gravity, like so.” He lifted the helicopter straight up.

Listening to Will speak, Lucy could tell he liked the flying machines. Lucy wasn’t convinced. Not yet. It didn’t seem stable enough to hold people within.

Will set the helicopter on the table and then picked up a square black object and pressed a button. A red light flashed. Unexpectedly the rotors began to spin and the helicopter lifted off the table. It made a high-pitched noise as it continued to rise.

Lucy sat up. “How is that happening?”

Will moved with the helicopter as it took off. He seemed to be directing it with the black object in his hands.

“Are you steering the helicopter with the item in your hands?” Lucy asked, coming to stand near him.

“I am,” Will said. “Want to try?” He handed the black object over.

Lucy wanted to. Very much. But she wanted to understand it first. “No.” She pushed his hands away.

“It’s okay. Let me show you how it works.” Will moved closer. Demonstrated. “See this? If you push it up, the helicopter goes up.” Lucy moved her gaze from the helicopter to the box in Will’s hands. “Down, it goes down.” The helicopter went down. “To the left, it goes left. And right makes it go right. Super easy.”

Lucy’s heart pounded with excitement. “All right. I’ll try.” Lucy took the box from Will. It was cool to the touch. She pushed the lever up and watched the helicopter go up. Down. It went down. Giddiness bubbled inside her. There was something liberating about controlling the little toy. Having the power to tell it where to go and how high or low. She followed, keeping her focus on the helicopter, mesmerized by the way it moved. She nearly ran over a couple picnicking on a blanket. Will steered her around them at the last second, apologizing for her. Once she stepped into a small sinkhole and nearly fell, but Will held her upright.

“Careful,” he said.

“Thank you, sir,” she responded but didn’t stop until she’d walked nearly halfway across the open area. “This is…” She couldn’t think of a word big enough to express what she was feeling.

“Totally awesome.” He winked.

“Yes. I have no idea what that means, but it sounds right.” Forgetting her manners and propriety, she did a little jump of happiness.

Will laughed. “I’m glad you like it.”

She turned back toward the table they’d been using, steering the helicopter to turn as well. “I want to understand the science behind it. For instance, how does this black box communicate with the helicopter and tell it what to do? Why can the toy fly in the first place?” She covered her mouth, nervous he might be annoyed with all the questions.

Will jogged beside her to keep up. “It’s technology, baby.”

“Technology? In my time, my sister and friends call me a tinkerer. Is that the same?”

“Nowadays a tinkerer means you like to fiddle with gadgets.” Will stood at her shoulder so he could watch her hands.

“I like to build, invent, tinker.” She laughed. The word fit. “What does this lever do?” She pushed it up. The helicopter moved faster. It also started spinning in a circle. “Blast it all. What’s happening?” Her voice had a strangled panic in it. The helicopter was out of control and she didn’t like it.

Will reached around her, his arms brushing against hers, his hands covering hers. “That lever controls the speed,” he said, his voice like velvet against her ear. He moved her fingers deftly. The helicopter slowed and straightened out.

Before she could catch herself Lucy sank into his chest. Just as quickly she stepped out of his arms. “Thank you, uh, Will.” She wasn’t sure whether her heart still raced because of the helicopter mishap or because of the way she’d felt in Will’s arms.

She handed the box back. “You’d better take this.”

“It’s time to go anyway.” Will landed the helicopter and flipped the switch so the light turned off. “You ready to go up in a real one?”

Lucy touched the no longer moving rotor, forcing it into a spin. “Yes. I’m ready.”

***

The helicopter looked slightly different than the one Will had purchased at the toy store. It was white and much bigger. The pilot sat in the front while Lucy and Will were in the back. They had headsets on so that the noise from the helicopter didn’t hurt their ears. But Lucy and Will were able to talk to each other through the head sets. They could also talk to the pilot.

“Here we go,” the pilot said. He was an older man with thinning white hair and a bushy mustache. He wore a flower shirt and told them to call him Mack.

The whining noise of the rotors increased and then they were off the ground.

“You doing okay?” Will asked.

Lucy nodded, but the sensation was odd. Terrifying in fact. Her stomach felt as though it was in her throat. She tried to smile.

Will took her hand. “It’s safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He squeezed.

Lucy didn’t pull away this time. She squeezed back. “Thank you.” There was more she wanted to say, but didn’t know how to begin. Instead she turned toward the large window on her side of the helicopter. The sky had darkened, yet the city glowed with hundreds of thousands of lights. They twinkled, a darkly beautiful landscape. “How can the pilot see in the dark?”

She’d asked Will, but the pilot answered. “See all of this?” He pointed at the dashboard in front of him.

“Yes.”

“These instruments allow me see in the dark.”

“That is astonishing, Mack.” Lucy still couldn’t muster a smile. She was nervous.