The terrors of the upper air

"The Terrors of the Upper Air" by Frank Orndorff is a thrilling science fiction story set in the early days of flight, mixing adventure, mystery, and a hint of crime. It follows Pemberton, a detective chasing after two pilots, Kidwell and Dexter, who are thought to have robbed a bank. As the pilots climb higher and higher in their plane, hoping to set a new altitude record, they face intense winds and peculiar events that pull them into a dangerous journey in the upper atmosphere. They shockingly find floating islands with strange plants and scary creatures. The celebration turns dark when Dexter dies, and Kidwell vanishes, leaving people on the ground stunned and unsure of what really happened. The story ends with a lingering question: Was their high-flying adventure a real brush with the unknown, or was it all a trick?