Peter Carroll is the author of Queen of Misfortune – A Lady Jane Grey Novel and Doodlebugs & Spitfires. For more information, see his website.
I love writing poetry – although I know I have a lot to learn. But way back when; doing a writing course, I was prompted to compile a story from one of my poems and this is the result…
Hell Bent
A short story by Peter Carroll
Ricardo was close to disaster – but that was the name of his game, he loved to take the risks and take his aircraft to the very edge – his preference was to perform his stunts over the coast so if something unforeseen did happen, he would have a far better chance of survival crashing into the sea.
But once in the air, once behind the controls of his Tiger-moth, that he named his lady, his ‘Lady Moth.’ he was in his element, he just loved to show off and the resulting attention and publicity when he landed.
“One day, Ricardo you must slow down and think of me and our young son, we love you to much for anything bad to happen!”
Lucinda looked straight into the eyes of her husband but it was to no avail, “it is my life to fly darling, I can think of nothing else I would more like to do.” and so there was no stopping him, besides which it was a good living and in the summers of the late twenties and early thirties coastal resorts would pay him good money to perform his wondrous looping the loops and his twisting and turning, like he could make his aircraft do absolutely everything and when he came back to earth he was absolutely surrounded by a very admiring crowd.
Everybody loved the man. He was so very brave, the way he skimmed the end of the pier by a fraction, everybody holding their breath thinking he was not going to make it, but he did. It came to a point where he seemed to be indestructible – that the aircraft was part of him, an extensions of himself that would continue to give so many thrilling experiences to all and sundry.
Lucinda preferred not to watch her husband perform – concerned that one day he would perform his loop the loop just a bit too far but Ricardo made light of the whole thing, “darling, she is my number two sweetheart and you know who is the first, she will look after me – if I stopped now I wouldn’t be worth knowing anyway, I would be the most miserable husband and father so let me continue, and anyway, we can afford a wonderful holiday together during the off season where we can both find our roots in Naples.
Lucinda knew she had no chance whatsoever of changing Ricardo’s mind, he was adamant and resolved – committed to what he was doing and really loved stunt flying so much. It was his life!
But it had to happen, the inevitable accident caused because of mechanical failure when his wing flaps jammed and he finished up on the small airfield upside down, his right leg broken. His beloved plane twisted, after it had cart- wheeled.
“It is just one of those things, Lucinda, but look, the Lord has saved me, you know why? Because he wants me to carry with what I do best, thrilling the crowds,” He said from his hospital bed, his left leg plastered and propped up on a scaffold.
“But the Doctor has said you must never fly again, Ricardo, listen to me!”
“Ugh! Doctors what they know of the stuff of a flyer like me, to stop me from flying would be like a death sentence. It is only a broken leg but please, please Lucinda, don‘t break my heart too in stopping me to fly.”
“Don’t be silly, Ricardo – and it isn’t just your leg – and you know that, they have explained to you that you have injured your head too so you must not fly again, the pressure would be too much for that weakened fractured skull.”
But Ricardo would have none of it and just as soon as he had recovered he was arranging for the repair on his Lady Moth
Lucinda said that if he continued to fly she would leave him, she just could not live with the bigger than ever threat he would kill himself, that he had to choose which ‘Lady’ he would wish to be with.
“If I stayed with you it would be I fear a sooner ‘until death do us part’ and I want to share a full and natural, life with you, don’t you see? I just cannot bear this any longer, I am so sorry.”
Ricardo had to choose, he loved Lucinda dearly but felt she was hard in leaving him, that the love he had felt was now spattered with the flaws of hate, which made it easier for him to stick to the Lady who would not answer back.
Although he missed his son, Ricardo junior – who it was legally arranged he could see once a week, a son now teenaged who too was besotted with the idea of flying, having already been given joy flights by his father.
Somehow he managed to convince the medical authorities he was fit to fly again and soon the advertising banners were out announcing; “Ricardo is back and will ever delight you with the most daring flying stunts in the world.”
So Ricardo did his brave display and all seemed well, but as he flew out to sea did he just loop the loop too low?
The crowd were silent as night; they watched the craft disappear over the sea.
Then a dull thump; nothing else, it was too misty to see. Had Ricardo survived or was this his last flight?
They heard the coast guard siren wail. Made way in droves for the coast They watched the rescue launch wash through the waves. The mumbles among the silent crowds watching: “Could they find Ricardo or would they fail?” The daredevil they loved the most.
A local fisherman, Will Sumners was fishing at the time, he saw exactly where Ricardo had ‘hit the drink’ indicating the area to the coast Guard men, saying he saw the craft sink.
Will had already pulled up anchor and made for the spot 200 metres or more
He’d looked for Ricardo and any sign of debris as meanwhile the rescue launch made way from the coast.
Alas, Ricardo was nowhere to be seen Will feared he went down with the plane
Only debris was found at the scene. Hopes for his life dulled and the shocked crowds made for home. Ricardo must be dead. Somewhere out there in the depths, locked in the cockpit of his Lady Moth. For those who admired and liked him, their hearts seemed full of lead
It seemed like the end of an era, it had been part of the coastal scene for a decade or more. Someone made a small wooden replica of his beloved Lady Moth and planted it on his grave
But as the time went by locals and holiday visitors alike talked about the brave stunts of Ricardo Geronto, the’ bestest’ flying stunts man of them all!
Eight years later it was carnival time again. But they still missed Ricardo’s event.
But as the morning sun started to beam through an opening in the cloud cover someone yelled; “Look, up there!” Then they heard the sound of an aircraft. Or was it a train?
No! It was Ricardo’s plane someone yelled out. But how could it be, impossible – yet sure enough there it was for all to see, the very same display, the looping the loops and the twisting, steep diving and skimming the pier head. It was like … it seemed like Ricardo had come back from the dead and not even death could stop him performing.
It dove again and again, it spun and looped the loop. Had Ricardo survived was he still alive? But the coloured smoke gushing from underneath was something new, forming a large hoop as the craft spun a new loop and then the crowd applauded a great display
Ricardo’s widow, Lucinda watched from the pier – looking proud and relieved, she wanted to face up to the need for flying, now understand why her husband was besotted. She’d felt guilty for not supporting him until the end, perhaps in agreeing that Ricardo junior should continue where his father had left off would ease her guilt, that maybe her husband was looking down on her and his son too, forgiving her for leaving him, seeing how she supported their son.
Junior said it was in the blood, but there was one important addition to the flying gear never worn by his father, a parachute!
The very next day the local paper unfolded the mystery of the stunt flyer, publishing a picture of Ricardo junior (so like his dad -) – he saying he would follow his father’s footsteps in having purchased with some of his father’s money, left in trust until he was 21, a brand new Tiger Moth airplane called Hell Bent!
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QUEEN OF MISFORTUNE
A Lady Jane Grey Novel by Peter Carroll
A Love Story of Shakespearean Dimension!
Queen Of Misfortune is the fictional story of Lady Jane Grey as told by her beloved tutor, John Aylmer. At the time of her execution a stranger is recorded to have assisted her when, blind folded, she lost her way upon the scaffold. Was it the same strange who was also recorded to have visited her when she was imprisoned in the Tower? Little is known of this unfortunate girl who was beheaded for treason in the 16th Century. She was only 16. She is omitted from the list of monarchs but was actually queen for nine days. Author Peter Carroll, in his novel, follows John Aylmer’s close relationship with Jane as her tutor and later, as she grows up, her lover. [More...]
Available at Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble, and any other good bookstore.
Hell Bent
A Poem by Peter Carroll
Ricardo was close to disaster
Everybody loved the man
He looped his loop just a bit too far
His plane twisted, cart- wheeled and over ran
The crowd were silent as night
They watched the craft disappear over the sea
Then a dull thump nothing else, too misty
Had Ricardo survived or was this his last flight?
They hear the coast guard siren wail
Made way in droves for the coast
Could they find Ricardo or would they fail?
The daredevil they loved the most
Will Sumners was fishing at the time
Saw exactly where Ricardo hit the drink
Got onto the coast Guard emergency line
Saying he saw the craft sink
Will pulled up anchor
Made for the spot 200 metres or more
Looked for Ricardo near a tanker
Whilst the lifeboat launched from shore
Alas, Ricardo was nowhere to be seen
Will feared he went down with the plane
Only debris was found at the scene
Hopes for his life seemed to wane
The crowds made for home
Ricardo must be dead
Somewhere out there in the foam
Their hearts seemed full of lead
Two years later it was carnival time again
But they still missed Ricardo’s event
Then; the sound of an airplane
It was Ricardo junior flying ‘Hell Bent’
It dived; it spun and looped the loop
Had Ricardo survived was he still alive?
Coloured smoke to form a hoop
The crowd applauded a great dive
It was not until later they were told
It was Ricardo junior who flew now
He would follow Pa’s footsteps behold
Keep it in the family and how!
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DOODLEBUGS & SPITFIRES
Memories and Short Stories by Peter Carroll
“Doodlebugs & Spitfires” is a delightful collection of memories and short stories written by Peter Carroll, the author of “Queen of Misfortune,” in his trademark poetic and profoundly thoughtful style.
Most of his stories, previously published in limited form in local English newspapers and magazines, like “Brave New World”, “The Forties Street Tradesmen”, “Doodlebugs”, or “The Christmas of 43” evolve around his childhood in the Northern part of London during and after World War II. He describes the horrors that came with the V1 flying bombs, nicknamed the “Doodlebugs.” Heroic British pilots in their “Spitfire” airplanes would attempt to divert the flying bombs from the populated areas, sometimes successful, and sometimes not.
Doodlebugs & Spitfires is available at Amazon.Com and its Kindle store, Amazon.co.uk and its Kindle store, Barnes & Noble, and any other good bookstore.
