Jetfuel, Chapter 2, A Sunday Story

Image credit: Craig Whitehead | Unsplash

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Controlling her half spiral half body slam jump Neroot dove head first out of the moving dark green Audi’s passenger door.

She landed in a tuck and roll slamming her back into 333 Bay Street’s back door in the city known by many names; but, her favorite moniker for this home away from home— is the nickname that this city shares with her hometown— “The Big Smoke.”

Grunting and wincing Neroot rolled her body away from the doors, tucking her legs at the edge of the door’s glass panels.

Meanwhile…

The dark green Audi with his corpse in the driver seat slammed into a miraculously sturdy traffic light and a street lamp combined unit.

The lampole’s sturdy metal form bent 30 degrees from the impact and yet cradled the Audi— now lifted off its passenger side tires and tilted sideways.

The crash’s force spewed car parts airborne as the sound of the impact vibrated through the empty late evening city streets of “The Big Smoke.”

Suddenly, the crumpled front passenger tire found freedom from its rim and flew…

…It sailed airborne directly toward Neroot…

…threatening to decapitate her!

Neroot ducked as the flying tire came close enough to her 1.75 meters (5 foot 9 inches) frame such that she could read its “Continental” branded logo.

As she swerved, a bullet twanged suddenly where she once was at the right edge of the metal and glass exit door at 333 Bay St. Tower.

Neroot ducked into a belly flop instinctively. Then she jumped to her feet and sped forward, zigzagging around the corner…

She raced… picking up speed…

Then…

She muttered under her breath…

“Bloody hell…”

As her cell phone, tucked away in her bra, rang, startling her gait with its vibration and ring setting.

Ducking into an alleyway which she was soon to discover— was a mistake…;

Neroot stopped.

Breathing heavily, her chest’s heaving almost popped out the ringing phone as she reached into her bra to retrieve it…

” ..Hhh…hello?”

With that, the line at the other end went dead…

She mumbled to herself as she stood in the alley stuffing her cell phone back in her bra…

“Hmmm, something’s not right…this feels…..”

Unaware that she was suddenly being watched by two strangers. Two men in trench coats, barely able to stand upright, staggered towards her in the looming darkness…

Suddenly, her keen sense kicked into high gear, Neroot’s fighter pilot training helped her visualize what she had just stumbled or… was led into…

…It was a kill box (an ambush)!

Sensing extreme danger…

Neroot, the British-born daughter of the former Mukhabarat Liaison to London, England’s “station O,” caught a glimpse of the two staggering figures advancing.

They were armed…the one on her right brandished a sawed-off shotgun, holding it like a pitchfork…

While the other brandished a knife, his hand trembling as he shouted to her, slurring his word…

“Fimme your money, voman orrelse…”

Neroot looked at the two men advancing, staggering either from drink or some stronger mojo. She scarce could believe the bizarre scene.

She took a deep breath and retrieved her 9mm Glock 42 from concealment in her specially designed bra cup.

Neroot unclipped the Glock’s safety and took aim at the man with the sawed-off shotgun. But she held her fire. Her Glock stared down the barrel at the two advancing figures…

The man with the sawed-off shotgun froze…

…the other man fled in the opposite direction from Neroot. His scampering footsteps disappeared in haste into the darkness.

But the staggering figure brandishing the sawed-off shotgun suddenly opened fire…

…one shot blasted out of the weapon and then it jammed…The bullet grazed the side of his foot and ricocheted off a metal dumpster.

Startled he raced away from the scene, hightailing it with the swiftness of someone suddenly quite sober and surefooted.

But…

…in the darkness of the alley… someone else was there…

The person watching Neroot lurked in the shadows in the alley, watching…

He then slid farther back into the long winter evening darkness, turned and strolled calmly away.

Meanwhile…

Suddenly, Neeroot’s whole body shivered as she heard the unmistakable sounds of two AK47’s safeties depressed and the weapons cocked… directly behind her…

***To Be Continued Next Sunday***

Lions – Haiku 2023 #ThursdayDoors

Portal of the Lions, Toledo Cathedral Spain. Image credit: © Saaaaa | Dreamstime

bronze doors wood shields

zeal enters the narrow gate

in the path of lions

****

Considered by some experts as the magnum opus of Spanish Gothic Architecture and the second-largest church in Spain, the Primatial Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo (Toledo Cathedral A.D. 1493) is the main cathedral in a city considered by some to reflect the “soul of Spain” due to Toledo’s over 1000 years of unflappable religious zeal.

Closeup – Portal of the Lions, Toledo Cathedral, Spain. Image Credit: miralex | istockphoto

The doors featured above are in a relatively newer part of Toledo Cathedral’s facade. The Portal of the Lions (1460 – 1466) was named for the lion sculptures on the iron gate in front of these doors.

These bronze doors are 35 panels surrounded by a wealth of stone carvings that illustrate the life of Mary, her genealogy, and her ascension/coronation.

**This post is also featuring the other side of this week’s door.

The inside view of the Portal of Lions (see images below) shows how the bronze plates seen at the front of the doors are protected from wear and tear by wood panels nailed to the doors’ 35 bronze plates. The rose stained-glass window, barely visible on the facade, is in full view inside.

Interior of Portal of the Lions, Toledo Cathedral. Image credit: © Igor Abramovych | Dreamstime

Closeup of the back of the featured door: Portal of Lions, Toledo Cathedral:

The back side – The Portal of Lions: Toledo Cathedral. Image credit: © Leochen66 | Dreamstime

Interior near – Main Entrance doors, Toledo Cathedral. Image credit: © Bruce Whittingham | Dreamstime

Trivia: Much of Toledo’s Cathedral is beyond opulent. Every section/wall is embellished with intricate gilded fabric-like carvings.

Note for example (image below): the screen separating the choir from Toledo Cathedral’s main chapel.

The screen between the choir and the main chapel, Toledo Cathedral, Spain. Image credit: Graeme Churchyard | flickr CC2.0

Wider angle, Toledo Cathedral, Spain below:

Toledo Cathedral, Spain. Image credit:  © Pavel Kirichenko | Dreamstime

***

For more #ThursdayDoors visit host, Dan Antion @ No Facilities

Teresa: My camera and I
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