His mind was soaring through the sky. He heard the rat a tat tat of machine guns, strafing enemy planes. Victory was in his grasp, certain as the cold metal of the tiny plane in his hand.
"Did you hear what I said, Rupert?"
"Yes," he replied. But he gripped his toy plane tighter. The future was narrowing into an airless tunnel. He didn't want to go down it. "I heard, Grandmama. I'm going to be a Watcher."
He turned his face to the window, to the sky. I wish I was there. I wish I was anywhere but here.
"Did you hear what I said, Rupert?"
"Yes," he replied. But he gripped his toy plane tighter. The future was narrowing into an airless tunnel. He didn't want to go down it. "I heard, Grandmama. I'm going to be a Watcher."
He turned his face to the window, to the sky. I wish I was there. I wish I was anywhere but here.