The frosty winds hit the front of my face as I stand at the edge of the plane’s door,  burning my cheeks, I hold on to the side of the fuselage attempting to look outside, but the strong wind in my eyes stops me from seeing the world around me and as the plane starts to ascend to higher altitudes the junior officer shuts the door and I take a seat to rest and to take the opportunity to evaluate my impending mission.

My commanding officer shouted words I cannot hear but I could gather the information given: “we are coming close to the drop point”, I put my helmet on and secure the visor so I could see the world around me and for the 3rd and last time I run a diagnosis of the equipment. Everything is functioning at optimal capacity, virtual navigation computer online and fully operational, and wings secure and ready.

I get the signal, and felt a tap on my helmet, the time to drop is here, the plane hatch opens and while  holding myself with both hands  from each side of the door I leap onto the sky. I drop until reaching terminal velocity and as I reach a safe distance I turn the flight equipment on; it makes a sudden hum as the wings on my back deploy, the thrusters engage and the on-board controls lit up inside the helmet giving me full control. The sudden rush that the thrusters give propels me forwards; while the wings allow my body to reach higher altitudes.

I soar far above the cirrus clouds the sky is clear and if it wasn’t for the pressure inside the suit I would feel the sub zero temperatures, below the surface of the earth looks like a green and brown carpet with the occasional patches of blue and the lumps that are mountains, still and peaceful as it was intended, not the chaos we have made. I continue my flight at cruising speed, increasing the altitude to near stratospheric height and thus departing away from the continent bellow to the ocean. The marker light informs me that I approach my destination.

I start my decent, gliding downwards I dive onto a cumulus cloud formation, a possible storm is spawning, the moisture damps my visor but my speed dries it almost immediately, As I fly in the whiteness I wonder what is in front of me, thankfully my navigation apparatus keeps me in check of what is around while the powered exo-suit keeps me impervious to environmental harm. As I descend I indulge in a few twirls and loops as I enjoy what is man’s greatest desire, the ability to self-propel through the heavens.

Reaching lower altitude I turn the main turbine firing up the mini fusion reactor core and with it testing the full flying potential of Daedalus. The wings move backward to allow aerodynamic supersonic flight. Sensing an electric static around my body and a sudden weightlessness I realized I had just broken the sound barrier, and even if I am moving at speed’s beyond 800 miles an hour, I experience that the world moves ever slowly, I marvel the natural surroundings as I continue in my path to the marker getting closer and closer to the ocean water below creating two parallel walls of water as I accelerate to near max speed Towards the island ahead where the marker is set and the final destination of the daedalus project.

I arrived at Leonardo Da Vinci international airport; it had been a long and exhausting flight, but regardless of my apprehension to flight I was brave, if only for the occasional jumps during turbulence.

It was a sunny day, not a cloud in the sky, a bit of humidity but still very comfortable, the buzz of the people was very exciting, I could smell the welcoming scent of car exhaust and Italian food in the air, It brought me back to my childhood experiences,  and no matter how tired I was, I could not help but to stare outside like a child going to the carnival  for the first time.

I finally arrived at  the hotel; it was a boutique hotel with small but comfortable rooms. The room was located in the 4^th floor with windows overlooking the “Parco ninfeo di Nerone” it was rustically decorated like at small country home and equally comfortable, since I was exhausted i decide to take a nap the trip and the taxi ride had drained me.

Waking up up an hour before dusk, I decided to have a quick look before the light of day had finally diminish. I raced downstairs not waiting for the old elevator to arrive, determined to see the coliseum with the final rays of sunlight of the day.

I crossed  the street towards the Park, it was a beautiful park full of cypress trees, it looked like the paintings of the old masters and we felt transported in time. As I walked towards the hill, I observed boys playing soccer, girls cheering and running, and lovers kissing as the evening draws near. Finally reaching the top, I leaned against an ancient wall and marveled the view of the Coliseum, one of the 8 wonders of the ancient world.

Sweat flows like a torrent down his forehead, his shirt is drenched and the heat makes his body shivers as if having hypothermia. His heart beats so fast that it feels as it may detach from his chest and go on it’s own.

lungs full of fluid, wheezing and aching make him feel like a drowning man. It feels much harder to spit it out the dry frothy saliva than swallowing it.

Legs throbbing and aching, so heavy he can barely contain his own weight, his sore feef burning with every step he takes but he presses on as he approaches his destination.

The sound of barking dogs draws near and even if freedom seems closer, the knowledge that they are gaining ground affects his psyche. Fear of being caught, and a sense of failure clouds his mind, but his determination to scape drives him to continue.

He finally reached his destination: a large fence, which looks larger than it did minutes ago when he first saw it. With barely any strength left in him, he takes a deep breath, squat and jumped as high as his aching legs would take him, with his clammy hands he holds to the top of the fence and with all his strength he tries to lift himself up and over the fence.

One of the hounds finally catches up to him and with its wide jaws snatches his foot and pulls him by, shaking its head right to left, jerking at him. It seems that he might not elude his get away after all.

A struck of luck…the dog jaws loosen up by the dogs own weight and the drool of its mouth, the man takes this opportunity to give all he has and pull himself over the fence and finally to the other side.

As he lands he looks back and sees the disappointed faces of the dogs that continue barking he smiles at them in defiance and takes a quiet walk away.