In 1959 a show that predated Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone was introduced to the TV audience. The host of the show each week, John Newland, who would later be an important director for many TV shows to come would give a thoughtful prelude to the episode that was about to be shown. Unlike, Twilight Zone, One Step Beyond was based upon witness testimony and well investigated events that simply couldn’t be explained. Many of these historic incidents were disturbing. They occurred in times of war and peace and defied rational explanation.

The saga begins

In the episode known as “Reunion” another perplexing incident is revealed based upon accounts given by several eye witnesses! Like so many of such happenings throughout history, the mysterious finger print of the unknown leaves its mark all over the story. War is indeed full of paranormal events in areas of great human conflict. The scene begins just before the outbreak of World War II when Germany is thriving and has been hypnotized by the greedy designs of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party.

Promising future?

A small group of young and promising German young adults are enjoying an afternoon of watching a very prolific young man who is a flight enthusiast and has a glider that can be towed behind a car until it becomes airborne. It’s a sunny day and the gathering of optimistic young people are looking forward to marveling at one man’s flying skills. There is some talk of an impending war but little of it or the consequences that could come is mentioned for they have their entire lives ahead of them.

Turn for the worst

There is just one little problem. One of the two women there is a beauty and her admirer, an insecure and jealous young man feels his grip upon her fading away as she gazes admiringly at the dashing glider pilot who is readying for a takeoff once the car is driven to the proper speed. Everyone there makes a pact that on a certain date in the future they will all meet back at this gather place to reunite! All gleefully agree to commit to the date. Each of the group are looking forward to a promising future anticipating bigger and better things. The jealous man so smitten by his princess cannot bare to think of her being infatuated with another man and as the pilot situates himself in the cockpit of the glider he runs up to the aircraft just before takeoff. Thinking he is going to be bid farewell and good luck from his buddy something very different takes place.

Loss of life

As the pilot reaches to shake his friend’s hand a knife is produced and the glider driver is killed as the blade plunges into his chest. The murderer waves to the gang to step on the gas so that the airplane will rise into the air! The glider takes flight and climbs into the sunny skies once the car is up to speed. No one is the wiser as the glider catches the upper drafts and begins to follow the air currents! Little do they suspect the foul play that just happened as the pale form of the glider seems to be piloted high and out of sight in the vast sky above. Now the group settles down to wait for the glider to fly overhead giving them a show before the pilot finally lands. When that happens they will all drive to the field where his plane will finally set down.

The vanishing

However, a strange and unexpected twist occurs when his glider never makes an appearance, never lands, and after hours of waiting the young crowd leaves perplexed over the incident. The police take a report from the friends, but days later there is no news, no landing, and no recovery. Their glider enthusiast seems to have vanished into the unknown.

Be careful what you wish for

Now the jealous man thinks his wishes have come true. He no longer has to compete with the man his woman seemed to be fascinated with. Yet, he must now live with her anguish over his disappearance and World War II is now underway. Fast forward to 1945. Germany has been devastated by a conflict it began and now must suffer for. Even in the desperation of the times the tightly knit group of friends gather for a sacred rendezvous they had vowed to honor 5 years before.

A sad get together

The original group minus one young man who was killed during his tour in the army once again meet. The murderer, his unhappy girlfriend, another young man, and lady who were there on that fateful day just 5 years before the war began when the glider and its beloved pilot vanished. They are now regretfully suffering from the realization they had been tricked into believing Hitler. They are now exhausted, downtrodden, and cynical, but never the less, they have gathered to share what had happened in their lives since they had last met.

The truth in unveiled

As they sit on the grass and reminisce about their lives an amazing sight mesmerizes them! Up in the sky a glider slowly circles, descends, and begins to land. They are all spellbound and begin to speculate in amazement that their beloved friend has returned! The murderer screams and yells that it’s impossible! There’s no way this could be happening! This simply cannot be! When finally confronted by his girlfriend he admits that he stabbed the pilot just seconds before his takeoff 5 years ago, that he was dead, and he had no idea how the glider flew itself and then disappeared!

Horrified

They all rush to the landed aircraft and to gaze into the cockpit only to find a skeleton wearing an aviator’s helmet and dressed in the same clothes he’d been wearing on that fateful day! Apparently his loyalty to his friends and his sense of commitment overcame the shadowy borderline between life and death. The murderer goes into hysterics refusing to accept what he sees and ends up being committed to a mental institution! The reunion was completed but not in the way it had been anticipated. The astonished witnesses gasp in disbelief! Some experts speculated that the glider could have been caught up in some trees or perhaps on the slope of a mountain then uprooted by a strong wind gust that had unleashed it into the air once again, but that explanation seemed very insufficient! Remember that this story was based upon a documented report.

They believe it. They know. They took that One Step Beyond!