STRANGE FLIGHT

“I FELT THE POWER OF THOSE FEET AS THEY THRUST AGAINST THE HOT SAND, AND THEN MY WINGS SPREAD”

I had the following strange but exciting experience when I was in my early twenties (I am now in my early seventies), and to me it felt special and so I have only ever told a few select people whom I knew would not spoil the magic, but could perhaps shed a light on what it could have been.

To set the stage, in early 1973 I was working in a remote zoo surrounded by marshland. It was rather dank and foreboding and very dark at night. There were two other girls lodged with me in an old farmhouse run by two old ladies, and the men were in another cottage about a mile down the lane. It was not really a happy place and I only stayed a few months. Then one day it ‘happened to me’. This is my account.

The atmosphere was tense and the other two girls were odd to say the least. Anyway, one morning I awoke early as usual, but realised it was my day off. I glanced at the time – 7am – and sank backwards onto the bed again. As I sank back, I was somewhere else and had regained an upright position. I was aware of a red hue, and felt hot sand under my feet. Looking down, however, my ‘feet’ were huge powerful three-toed bird type ones and I started to run. I felt the power of those feet as they thrust against the hot sand and then my wings spread and I could feel the air rushing past my ears and the lift of flight under my wings. Then as I accelerated I took off and then my wings folded back and I went supersonic. The exhilaration was terrific and I felt ecstatic as I soared off. All I could see was the red haze. Then I felt myself decelerating and felt again the rush of wind against my ears and as I returned, it was backward into my body and I felt my wings beating to facilitate re-entry. As I was almost settled I half opened my eyes and peeping to the left saw a white whispiness sink back into my arm. Then all was normal again. My flight seemed to last seconds, but two hours of actual time had passed. Am I a bird? Did my soul nip off for a bit of rest and recreation? The experience was fantastic and special, and whatever it was I feel privileged to have done it.

June Gwynn (pseudonym) Alcombe, Somerset