Screw Pile Developments

Summer — Headwall Station

Samson stood, just looking, at the slowly turning shaft of the waterwheel, taking in the finished work with quiet satisfaction. The leaks had stopped and the newly installed bearing meant the shaft was no longer moving up and down as it turned. It had been a big job, and he had certainly needed to ask for help with the heavier tasks, but he had done it. The satisfaction was not his alone. Marta and Daan had been quietly impressed by Samson’s ability to plan and direct the whole project.

With Samson’s repair of the waterwheel bearing complete, Raven had been able to put his next batch of stones through the tumbler and he planned to make these into a bracelet, each stone representing one of his new friends at school. He also made a start on the coffee table, and with Toby’s help on the weekends, it slowly started to take shape. The top was made from different woods, light and dark, glued and clamped into a parquetry pattern — each piece distinct.

Harry’s kitchen garden was in full swing, and he spent most days out tending, watering, weeding and then harvesting the crops. With so many people to feed, Grandma Bella had been genuinely grateful for his help and expertise.

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The Stone Bridge

Raven and Seb were standing chatting together on the stone bridge over the river; the river itself chattering away as it flowed over its rocky bed.

They were busy discussing with some humour, Angus’ latest plans for world domination, or at least the part of it that lived up the Headwall Valley.

Seb stopped mid-sentence and looked up.

It was a glider.

It was soaring high above the headwall ridge, riding the warm updraughts, turning steeply and making a tight corkscrew climb in a thermal. They watched in silent awe as it worked its way along the ridge.

Then, as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone.

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Later that day

Seated in his favourite comfortable chair in the corner of the living room, Seb had his notebook open, drawing. Raven swung by and sat on the arm, a cookie in his mouth and one in each hand. He shoved one at Seb’s face. With hardly a break in concentration, Seb opened his mouth and accepted the offering.

He paused drawing long enough to grab the half that wasn’t in his mouth as he chewed and swallowed the half that was.

Raven glanced down at what Seb was drawing — it was the glider, soaring above the headwall, Hundeerde’s rings faint in the background.

The boys found Grandpa Jake sitting on the verandah, mug of hot tea in his paw, taking in the afternoon sun and the view down the valley that never grew old.

The two boys came and sat beside him.

Both the boys, answered together speaking over each other.

Grandpa Jake laughed and shook his head trying to make sense of what the boys were saying.

He reverted to sled commands.

Seb and Raven reverted to their excited double-speak.

The two boys went off, chattering happily between themselves.

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After dinner

After dinner, Seb and Raven found Daan, who was helping to take the plates back to the scullery for washing.

Seb and Raven just looked at each other, their delight and anticipation etched on both their faces.

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Seb kept checking the weather each day for the rest of the week. Ideally they needed a steady westerly wind blowing straight up the valley. Daan explained it created a wave effect, and a glider could effectively surf the wave, following the valley walls up and then back down again to the Veldmeer airfield. Saturday was looking hopeful and Seb could feel the anticipation quietly building inside him.

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Saturday — Veldmeer Airfield

Daan, Seb and Raven were at the airfield early. Rebecca had insisted that they didn’t leave before they had eaten breakfast. In the end they had agreed on three of Charlie’s bacon and egg sandwiches to go.

The massive sliding doors of the hangar were slid to one side, revealing a cavernous space containing rows of neatly packed gliders along each side. It reminded Seb of the flight deck on the Chasetail. The pilots were beginning to wheel the gliders out onto the grassy apron alongside the runway.

With one boy on each wing, Daan moved the two-seater glider into its position. Daan then carefully explained all the different parts of the glider as they walked around, doing the pre-flight check.

The two boys looked at each other, they had known all along there were only two seats. Somehow in all the excitement, neither of them had thought about who would go first.

Seb looked at Raven and grinned.

Daan helped Raven to strap into the front seat, it felt laid back, almost like being in a recliner chair. Daan then strapped himself into the rear seat. One last check of the ailerons and the rudder for full and free movement.

Daan raised the small engine just behind him. The glider was self launching, and had a mini plasma lattice engine, exactly the same technology as they used in the Hundeerwagon engines and also the Chasetail and X-wing fighters.

Daan flicked a few switches. Behind him, the little engine came to life with a gentle thrum and a soft blue glow. With Seb holding the wing tip level, Daan gently pushed the throttle forwards, and the glider began to roll down the runway, gathering speed until it lifted smoothly into the air. For a few minutes as the glider climbed, the engine humming quietly behind them, Raven could only see the sky; that distinctive darker shade of blue — and where the sky changed to indigo, a few stars, just visible. As they approached two-thousand feet, Daan levelled off, cut, and lowered the engine. The change was immediate.

Surgical silence. Near-absolute quiet, with only the sound of the air slipping by outside.

Raven was able to take in the whole view for the first time. The valley, and the snow-capped mountains beyond, and the arch of the rings, always there if you know where to look.

Daan soon found the wave, and flew along the left side ridge wall of the valley, the westerly winds hitting the mountains, causing the air to bounce back, oscillating in waves on the lee side of the mountains.

They climbed quickly, passing three-thousand feet, and then four-thousand. For Raven, the view was incredible, and he soaked it all in, not knowing which way to look next. Soon they were over the headwall at the end of the Greyfall Valley, and far down below he could see the homestead and the two thin lines of the twin Greyfalls, their source disappearing somewhere into the snow-capped mountains beyond. Daan made a gentle turn, making several slow circles over the headwall, and homestead. He then turned once more and started to make his way back down the ridge line, the wave keeping them comfortably aloft.

Raven was a little surprised that Daan would let him actually take control, but he was over that in an instant.

Raven, feet on the pedals took the stick in his right hand.

He felt the pressure of the stick feeding back through his hand properly for the first time and the wave of air pushing the glider up under his seat. He soon caught on how to gently work the stick back and forth, the glider surfing the wave of air rising above the ridge line.

Raven flew the glider all the way back down the valley, a small spark igniting something deep within him, that he hadn’t ever felt before.

At the head of the valley the town of Veldmeer and the lake appeared.

Slowly continuing their descent, they turned again, curving around to line up with the airfield runway. Daan crossed the threshold and brought them in for a buttery smooth landing. The glider turned off the sealed strip and onto the grass apron. Daan braked the glider bringing it to a stop right next to where Seb was waiting, one wing gently lowering and touching the grass. Daan slid the catch of the canopy, and Raven, releasing his harness, stepped up and out of the glider.

The grin on Raven’s face told Seb everything he wanted to know.

Daan looked at Seb.

The same again, this time Raven taking the wing on launch. Daan and Seb flew up the valley to the headwall, riding the wave and making the turn over the waterfalls and homestead. Then it was time for the run back down the valley. Daan giving Seb the run down on the controls and the speed they were aiming for.

The moment his hand closed around the stick, his feet controlling the rudder, all the doubt, the fear, and the grief — it melted away in an instant. Up here he — was finally in charge.

The glider continued to surf the wave back down the valley.

Daan’s calm voice sounded behind him.

Then at the head of the valley and resuming control, Daan once again brought the glider in for a smooth landing, rolling to a stop next to the waiting Raven.

The canopy opened. Seb looked at Raven, both returning the same grin.

Seb climbed out of the glider, and went straight to his friend. There were no words, just a hug, a real hug that communicated something much deeper than words.

Pure unfiltered joy.

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Saturday Evening — The Verandah

Jake was on a call.

Grandma Bella appeared with a mug of tea, giving it to Grandpa Jake; she sat beside him.

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