Category: Romance ISBN-10: B005I4OUV8
Type: Fiction
Copyright: August 2011
A Romance that starts off with a bang.
Family Liaison Officer, Chloe Fullerton is helping hero pilot, Captain Steve Ewing, recuperate from injury after he landed his stricken plane, avoiding a major disaster.
Chloe's sworn off love ever since she lost the love of her life. But the spark between her and Steve makes her feel she may yet love again. There's turbulence ahead though--Steve's ex-wife is determined to wreck his and Chloe's blossoming relationship.
Novella approx 33,000 words.
Excerpt
A Time to Heal
Chapter One
“MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!” Come in London. This is flight CJ549, London, do you read me?” Between exchanging worried glances with Brad, his co-pilot, Captain Steve Ewing, his brow covered in sweat, tried repeatedly to raise the alarm.
The plane continued to drop as one of the engines cut out. Why in God’s name isn’t London responding?
Steve repeated the call and ordered his co-pilot to help him with the shuddering controls. Still no response. He tore off his headphones and bashed them against his seat, hoping that would make them spring into life. It didn’t. “Brad, you try.”
His colleague placed the call over and over like a mantra as the pair continued to struggle with the controls.
Come on, guys, where are you when we need you most?
“Anything, Brad?”
Halfway through his latest Mayday call Brad shook his head.
“Ok, keep trying. I need to speak to the passengers, try and keep them calm.”
Steve sucked in a breath and let it out, then reached for the onboard intercom. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Unfortunately, we’re experiencing some difficulties at present and are doing everything we can to put things right. Although one of the engines has malfunctioned, I want to assure you there’s no need to panic, the engine has been isolated and we have the matter in hand. Heathrow is ten minutes away and you have my assurances we’ll do our utmost to bring this plane down safely.
“For safety reasons you must remain seated at all times. Please listen carefully to the instructions the cabin crew are about to issue. My co-pilot and I have almost twenty years flying experience between us and have dealt with similar situations before. All the outcomes have been positive. I’ll hand you over to Louisa now, please remain calm.”
Thank God. The radio crackled into life. “Roger flight CJ549, this is London Heathrow reading you loud and clear. Can you tell us what your status is?”
“I’ll get it, Brad.” The vibrations had increased and Steve’s stomach churned as the London landmarks became visible in front of him.
“Good to hear you, London. We have major problems, starboard engine has cut out, suspected bird-strike and I’m losing height. Please advise on emergency landing. We’re fully loaded, that’s three hundred passengers and twelve crew.”
They waited as the tower worked out what to do about their predicament. It seemed an eternity before they got a response.
“Flight CJ549, stay on course for your scheduled runway. I repeat, stay on course. Emergency services are on standby. The airspace has been cleared. Any luck trying to re-start the engine?”
“That’s a negative, London. Over to you to guide us in.”
“Roger CJ549. Let’s get this big bird in. I’m Terry, by the way. I need you to lower your altitude to five hundred feet and drop your landing gear.”
When Brad pulled the lever to drop the landing gear their problems multiplied. “The darn thing won’t open.” He pushed and pulled on the lever but there was no response.
“Brad, talk to me?”
“That’s the engine out and no, I repeat no, landing gear …”
He watched the colour drain from his co-pilot’s face and unmistakable fear gripped his brown eyes. Steve’s stomach constricted, he swallowed noisily, cleared his throat and spoke to the control tower in a calm, assertive, voice.
“London, we have another major problem to contend with, our landing gear is refusing to engage, I repeat, landing gear is refusing to engage.”
Silence.
“London, do you read me?”
“Yeah, sorry CJ549, message understood. There’s little we can do to help this end. We’ll keep in contact. Sorry, guys, be safe.”
As they hit five hundred feet on the gauge the shuddering in the controls became more violent.
Think, Steve, think back to your training. Bring this bird down safely. You’ve got to!
His knuckles turned white and as he fought to keep the controls from being pulled out of his sweaty hands, his daughter’s face flashed through his mind. I have to get out of this alive for her sake. Please, God help us through this…
The control tower interrupted his thoughts. “Flight CJ549, any luck releasing the landing gear?”
The vibrations travelled up his arms and entered his voice. “London, that’s a negative. The controls are getting heavy, sapping our strength. I can see the runway, we’re coming in. Just pray we survive this.”
“Good luck, mate,” came the controller’s sombre reply.
Steve glanced at Brad and nodded. “You ready?” Then he addressed the crew over the intercom.
“Cabin crew, brace for impact,” he shouted above the deafening noise filling the cockpit.
The sound of the passengers’ terrified screams could be heard in the distance.
Both men braced themselves for the impact that would change their lives forever.
400 feet.
300 feet.
200 feet.
100 feet.
Bang!
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