Thursday, July 31, 2014

Friday Fictioneers/Night Witches



It is time to play in words again. Rochelle put up a picture and asked us what we saw. In a hundred words we are to tell a story based on the picture. Read the entire rules and more stories at: http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2014/07/30/1-august-2014/




                                                 Night Witches  *



From a sky black as a walnut shell, Nadia leaned out and saw her target resting still on the earth. She cut the purring engine back and began a glide with her hand on the bomb release. Her plane sliced through the air making swishing sounds like broom straws against wooden floors. She felt the biplane tilt, lighten, and then straighten as four large bombs fell away.

Nadia smiled and lifted again to head back. As she turned, her smile faded. Three planes with Swastikas were rising rapidly behind her. Her job wasn’t finished just yet.


*Night Witches was a name given to Russian women pilots in WWII. While American women were used to ferry equipment, mail, and for training purposes, Russian women pilots actually went to the front and were bombers!

11 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

A really thought provoking piece - thank you. You have my mind working overtime here. Lots of thoughts crowding my head.
Equality in action. Equal opportunity to kill and to die.
And I wonder what they called the male bombers...
Speaking of playing with words. Have you come across Delores' Words for Wednesday? It is a weekly challenge where Delores puts up a selection of six words and/or a phrase for us to play with. It is a lot of fun and you can find this weeks selection HERE.

Sioux Roslawski said...

Claudia--I learned something today. Thanks for the historical tidbit. ;)

Susan said...

That was a challenger, Claudia, and you stepped up to the plate. Great job.

Hope it's cooled down there. Yep, August begins tomorrow! Susan

Susan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields said...

Dear Claudia,

I learned something from your well written historical fiction. Nicely done in my favorite genre.

Shalom,

Rochelle

Douglas MacIlroy said...

Dear Claudia,

A great piece of night flying by you in this story, History masquerading as action and adventure. Who could ask for more?

Aloha,

Doug

Lisa Ricard Claro said...

"Night Witches." Holy smoke! That would make one heckuva backdrop for a novel. Interesting info, Claudia. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Interesting, this. I love the sky black as a walnut shell and sounds like broom straw. It gives the story a feeling of witches haunting the skies. Alicia Jamtaas

P.S. Joshi said...

Claudia, Good and interesting story based on historical fact.I also learned something by reading this story. Well written. :)---Susan

Anonymous said...

Well done Claudia, for the writing and the piece of history I had never heard about.

Dee

Mary Horner said...

Talk about a great beginning! Love this piece for its history and the way its written. I would definitely read more!