Tuesday, October 20, 2009

New Chapters

I have decided to move away from using this blog as a day-to-day update (find me on Facebook) and to provide a précis of each new first draft chapter(s) of my current work – uploaded every Tuesday afternoon.  Enjoy.  The story so far ….

 

August 1944.  Early morning.  Majors James Lovelow and Rex McKinley of the British army are in an experimental twin-boom glider being hauled to their LZ somewhere East of Falaise, France.  They are both dressed in field uniforms of officers of the Waffen SS and carry German MP44 assault rifles.  The glider is being piloted from the adjoining port section, which also carries the other six members of the squad.  As the aircraft is buffeted by the horrendous slipstream of their tug aeroplane, the airframe protests at the excessive speed they are doing.  They have to make their landing point before dawn and James is suffering from terrible claustrophobia – the mechanical noises only serve to increase his anxiety.   McKinley – an arch rival – seems to be totally calm.  They are released and begin a rapid descent.  As they start their final landing approach, German troops open fire.

 

A high-pitched from noise outside startles him. 

            Alarmed that the glider is finally succumbing to the rigours of the flight to their destination, James looks back up.  The short streaks of bright yellow light that suddenly emanate from somewhere on the ground first seem to be moving slowly, then they appear to accelerate and lengthen as they career past the cockpit.

Tracer!

            Just as the realisation impinges upon his consciousness, bullets strike the port nosecone, fuselage and wing.  Pieces of wood fly off in a welter of shards and splinters.  The canopy shatters and explodes off from its hinges.  Berry jerks back in his seat as his face is blown asunder and Fielding slumps forward. 

The glider pitches down at an extremely steep angle and hurtles towards the ground.  It a few seconds they will die.

 

Tune in next week for another thrilling instalment!         

 

Find my flash-fiction at http://www.ww2flash1000.blogspot.com/

 


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