word bird

HG Wells Festival

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Just for the hell of it, I've entered the HG Wells competition on the theme of Flying, with my short story 'Freefall'. Results out in November. Submissions open until 22nd July 2013, so if you fancy taking part, check out the link above. 

 

Here's the opening to the story I submitted... 

 

Freefall

Everyone’s nervous the first time. Hunched in the doorway of a plane listening to the 90mph wind buffeting the props, staring down at the earth 14,000 feet below, fingers white from grabbing the rail.

When you finally swing yourself out into the blue, momentum carries you forwards as well as down: for a few seconds you’re ‘on the hill’. You reach terminal velocity (an unfortunate phrase, given the circumstances) in twelve seconds, experiencing about 50 seconds of freefall where you’re hurtling towards the ground at 120mph, before the chute kicks in. Continue reading...