Downwind Turn

Abstract

Downwind Turn tells the story of Eli, a former Army helicopter crew chief now working in the civilian aerospace world. After a routine test flight, he finds himself unsettled by memories he thought he had buried. When an old friend from his deployment days shows up unexpectedly, their conversation brings long-suppressed emotions to the surface. Set against the backdrop of flight lines and desert heat, the story explores the quiet weight of trauma, the bonds forged in war, and the moment when holding on starts to hurt more than letting go