Title: Passing The Time
Summary: Skinny reflects on the flight to Normandy on D-Day.
Characters: Wayne "Skinny" Sisk
Rating: PG
Word Count: 244
Challenges: Drabbles100
A/N: Told from Skinny's pov. I don't know what it is about this kid... He seems to like me...
Passing The Time
On the plane to Normandy I discovered the true meaning of the word nerves. I think the only thing that kept me somewhat sane was the constant clicking and snapping of my lighter. I'd flip it open and closed. Sometimes I'd light it, others I'd just run my thumb over the wheel. I never burned anything. There was really nothing to burn. I'd never lit a cigarette in my life and I sure as hell wasn't gonna start then.
I kept glancing at my watch too, no idea why. I think it had something to do with those airsickness pills. Eventually I got so fed up with it, I called out "Does anybody here wanna buy a good watch?" That got a laugh out of the guys, well, the ones who hadn't fallen asleep. None of them realized I was being serious.
As I looked around the plane I noticed that a lot of the guys had these nervous habits. They smoked, chewed gum, gnawed on their fingernails, drummed their fingers on whatever they could find, fidgeted with their harnesses. One or two of the guys drove us all crazy with those plastic crickets they gave us.
And a lot of them prayed. Their fingers were tightly wound about crosses and rosaries as they murmured under their breath. I always thought that it was pointless. Sure, I went to church and all, but what's God gonna do out here? I mean, this is hell.