Unexploded Love

by Paul Gait

  ‘OK. No time to waste. Well, here goes then,’ William said, carefully positioning the cutters over the wire, his hand shaking slightly as he pushed against the resistance of his bulky protection suit.

  Just as he felt the cutting edge of the cutters go through the plastic insulation of the wire, the nose of the cutters slipped.

  ‘Shit, I’ve just fumbled that,’ William informed Smithy.

  The errant tool touched against the printed circuit board that held the components and a noise emanated from the device.

  With a slight increase of his heart rate, but otherwise undaunted, he snipped the wire anyway, fully expecting to be consumed in a fireball and deafened by a loud explosion. But the noise was not the end of his life. It was instead an electronic ‘woody woodpecker’ laugh. The bomb maker clearly had a sense of humour and had used the ringing circuit of a mobile phone to generate the noise.

  ‘You bastard,’ William said sitting back on his haunches and smiling. ‘You nearly had me there.’

  ‘You OK Boss?’ the voice in his headset asked.

  ‘Yes. The bastard put a ringer in the circuit so I had Woody Wood pecker laughing at my cock-up when I cut the wire.’

  William knelt back up and peering into the device he said. ‘Well, I wonder what other surprises you’ve got in store for me?’

  But there were no other surprises and he carefully and painstakingly dismantled the IED successfully.

  ‘That’s it Smithy. Let’s make like a shepherd and get the flock out of here.’ William ordered carrying the components of the IED in the evidence bag. ‘I’ve unloaded all the nasty toys in the drum so we can get them transported back to base. Fortunately they weren’t booby trapped.’

  The team was in a buoyant mood as they made their way back. This was potentially the last job they would be doing before heading home for good. And they had all survived the posting intact.

  However, on arriving back at the base the CO called William into the office while the team unloaded the ‘booty’ from their transport.

  ‘Take a seat William.’

  ‘Thanks Sir. I apologise for my sweaty appearance but that air conditioning in the bomb suit is next to useless and I…’ William could see something in the CO’s eyes that made him stop mid-sentence.

  ‘William, I have some tragic news.’

  ‘Sir?’

  ‘I’m afraid that Pete wasn’t as lucky as you. The IED he was defusing blew up prematurely and he died in the massive explosion that followed.’

  William’s heart sank. Pete was the man who had looked after him since he had been out there. He was his mentor. His buddy. They were like minded.

  ‘Damn this god awful job,’ he whispered. ‘I hope the bastard who made the IED goes to hell,’ he said cursing the bomb maker. ‘God. Was it my fault? Perhaps he misheard me.’

  ‘We’ll have to see and hear the recordings before we can understand what went wrong. In the meantime, well done on doing a damn fine job. These people desperately want to provide education for their children and you helped today by putting your life on the line and saving the school.’

  ‘Thank you Sir.’

  William went to his tent. He lay back on his cot and stared sightlessly at the roof, his heart heavy.

  Before they finally packed everything up William was keen to understand what had gone wrong with Pete’s defusing of the IED.

  William watched with great apprehension when he eventually reviewed the recording and commentary of Pete’s fatal session. This was, after all, the death of his guru.

  As the recording ran, Pete was his usual meticulous self. William winced when he heard the poor quality of the sound of their conversation together. Pete’s helmet and chest cam showed the cutters clamping the violet wire with the marked sleeve and as he said ‘thanks William’, the screen went blank.

  Pete had been blasted to smithereens.

  William was devastated. He felt totally responsible. It was his advice that Pete had followed…for some inexplicable reason it had been wrong. He had effectively killed his mentor.

  ‘Run that last bit again just before Pete cuts the wire.’ William directed.

  The technician did as he was bid and found the right section.

  ‘Right pause it there. There is something different. I can’t put my finger on it. Bring up my recording as well.’

  William studied the two images and shook his head in frustration. ‘No. I can’t see it. Hang on a second. Well, there it is. The bomber has sleeved a different wire. It wasn’t exactly the same as mine. God! Pete trusted in me and I let him down.’

  CHAPTER 9

  Frank arrived at Liz’s flat as arranged. He had his hands full with two tool bags.

  Liz was apprehensive. She had let this comparative stranger into her world. Meeting him in the pub had been alright but now it was personal.

  ‘Hi Frank. Thanks for coming,’ she greeted him lightly.

  ‘My pleasure to see you as always,’ he smoothed. ‘Right. Where’s the drains then?’ Frank asked looking around. ‘Course the trouble with these basement flats is that you’ve already got gravity working against you.’

  ‘What will you do?’ Liz asked, standing back.

  ‘I’ve brought our sewer camera with me so let’s see if we can find out any blockages that might be causing the problems. I notice you haven’t got trees around here. They’re usually the cause of blocked up sewers. The roots go for the water.

  Frank found a manhole cover which seemed to fit into her plumbing system. He built up the sewer trolley and camera and started feeding it down one of the pipes.

  ‘Oh. Before I go any further I need to take off my bracelet. Don’t want to get that stuff on it.’

  ‘Oh that’s nice. Is it solid gold?’ Liz asked, studying it.

  ‘No, but its gold plated I think. My mother gave it to me.’

  She took it off him and put it in the flat for safe keeping.

  As Frank fed the trolley further into the sewer he invited Liz to watch on his little monitor screen.

  ‘Oh, what’s that?’ she said, as a faint white object came into view half blocking the pipe.

  ‘If I’m not mistaken that’s probably the cause of your flooding. I think it’s a terry nappy.’

  ‘A terry nappy? Must have been down there a long time. I don’t know of anybody with babies around here.’

  ‘What you going to give me for clearing it out then?’ he asked suggestively.

  ‘A cup of tea, if you’re lucky.’ Liz said firmly.

  ‘Oh is that all.’ He feigned disappointment. ‘OK I suppose it’s better than nothing. Let’s see if we can’t drag it out.’

  ‘How?’ she asked.

  ‘You’re pretty slim,’ he joked, ‘I was going to send you down there.’

  ‘Very funny. No, how are you going to get it out really?’

  ‘Watch,’ he instructed her.

  As he did so he pressed a button on the control panel beneath the monitor screen and a small grab hand moved in to view.

  He operated another switch when the ‘hand’ had reached the material which seized it.

  Slowly he manoeuvred the trolley backwards and it started pulling the nappy away with it.

  Unfortunately the material ripped as it backed out but Frank continued to retract the trolley until it was back in the mouth of the manhole, he took the ripped nappy from the grab arm and sent the trolley back down again.

  Liz in the meantime took the rotten material from Frank and cagily put it into a rubbish bag.

  A flood of sewage suddenly came in to the mouth of the manhole including a small armada of used condoms.

  ‘These yours?’ he asked mischievously.

  ‘No of course not,’ she said, embarrassed by the flotsam.

  ‘Well somebody’s been busy and or lucky. There must be a dozen there.’

  Frank did the same exercise several times until he was satisfied he had removed the blockage. He invited Liz to kneel down bes
ide him and check she was happy.

  Liz knelt down as invited and put her hand on his shoulder to steady herself while she looked at the screen.

  Her fragrance filled his nostrils overcoming the stink of the sewer.

  ‘See, it’s all gone. Hopefully that’s sorted your problem out. Now about payment?’ He turned, looked into Liz’s eyes and moved forward as if to kiss her.

  She was suddenly overcome by his closeness and in her haste to defuse the situation she stood up too quickly, which caused her to faint.

  Her legs buckled underneath her and she collapsed heavily in a heap immediately next to Frank.

  Initially he thought she was messing around and then he realised something serious had happened.

  He was shocked and totally at a loss to know what to do. He needed help.

  He looked in the car park to see if there was anyone else around to help. But there was no-one.

  He was on his own and had to deal with it. He had left his mobile at home so couldn’t call for an ambulance either.

  Although he was not first aid trained he vaguely recalled something about the kiss of life and chest compressions but had no idea how to administer them.

  So rather than waste any more time he clamped his lips over Liz’s and kissed her passionately at the same time blowing into her mouth.

  Panicking, he put his hand hesitantly on her chest, feeling a bit like a pervert, and started pumping her rib cage. The activity helped Liz come around.

  However, as Liz became conscious she was confused and thought William was home and returned the kiss.

  She opened her eyes and saw that it was Frank with whom she was engaging in a bout of tongue wrestling. She allowed the kiss to continue for a split second longer while her brain tried to work out what was going on. Then she quickly pushed him away.

  ‘What are you doing?’ she asked indignantly.

  ‘I was saving your life,’ he said, hurt at her tone. ‘Giving you the kiss of life and chest compressions.’

  ‘Saving my life! I only fainted. And get your hand off my chest,’ she said, pushing his hand away. ‘Anyway, you don’t do the kiss of life like that.’

  ‘I’m willing to take lessons,’ he said lustfully, still tasting the sweetness of her lips. ‘With you as my teacher if you like.’

  ‘Don’t be so stupid,’ she replied tersely. Her look of disdain indicating he had misread her mood.

  ‘It worked for you…and for me come to that,’ he said under his breath, feeling the bulge in his trousers.

  Liz was feeling light headed and had difficulty getting her bearings.

  ‘Did you hurt anything when you fell?’ Frank asked, concerned.

  ‘No…no I don’t think so,’ she said, running her hand through her hair. ‘I don’t think I banged anything.’

  ‘You gave me quite a shock. I thought you’d died on me. I wondered what the hell was going on. So, you sure you’re OK now?’ he asked, with genuine concern.

  ‘Yes I think so,’ she said, weakly.

  ‘Can I help you to a chair?’ And without waiting for an answer he scooped her up off the floor. Showing great tenderness he carried her into the flat and gently lowered her into one of the easy chairs.

  She was still feeling strange and allowed him to do it.

  ‘Right, if you’re OK I’ll just finish the job off.’

  ‘Yes. Please don’t worry about me. I’m OK,’ she said feebly.

  Frank replaced the manhole cover and quickly cleared up his tools. ‘I’ll just put these back in my car and if you wouldn’t mind I’ll wash my hands and… take payment.’

  ‘Yeah, whatever,’ Liz said vaguely. She struggled out of the chair and put the kettle on before dizzily moving on to the settee where she sat down and closed her eyes.

  Frank came back in. ‘Umm where’s the bathroom?’ he asked.

  Liz pointed vaguely in the general direction. He followed her out stretched arm and soon emerged after washing his hands and arms.

  ‘Oh before I forget, have you got my bracelet?’ he asked.

  ‘Bracelet? Oh god. Now where did I put it for safe keeping?’ She wracked her brains to recollect where she’d put it.

  ‘Oh it doesn’t matter now. You’re obviously not feeling well. If you find it you can give it to me in the pub sometime.

  Liz struggled to get up.

  ‘No don’t trouble yourself. I’ll make the tea. I’ll find it. Don’t worry.

  While he was looking for the tea things he found the picture of Liz and William that she’d hidden before his arrival.

  ‘Oh. So I wasn’t wrong. She’s playing the game while he’s serving away. I knew I’d seen her wearing a wedding ring. Looks like my luck’s in.’ Frank thought, remembering the softness of her kiss.

  CHAPTER 10

  The following day whilst Liz was getting ready for work she was horrified to hear on the radio news that a Bomb Disposal officer had been killed whilst defusing an IED in Afghanistan.

  She immediately called the ‘emergency only’ number that William had given her.

  After what seemed an eternity the call was answered.

  ‘Hello.’

  ‘William! William is that you?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Oh thank god! Are you alright? I’ve just heard on the news about a soldier being killed. As I hadn’t heard from you, I assumed the worst. After I heard that a Bomb Disposal man had been…’

  ‘Explosive Ordnance Disposal…’ he corrected.

  ‘Yeah whatever,’ she continued, ignoring his pedantic correction,’…had been killed. I’m so glad to hear your voice. Are you sure you’re OK?’

  ‘Yes,’ William replied, monosyllabically.

  ‘Was he one of your team?’ she asked cautiously.

  ‘It was Pete,’ he said flatly.

  ‘Oh no!’ she said, shocked. ‘Not Pete.’

  ‘It was my fault.’ William blurted.

  ‘What do you mean it was your fault?’ Were you with him?’

  ‘As good as. I told him which wire to cut and…’

  ‘When? How?’ she stuttered.

  ‘It happened the other day. I can’t remember when.’

  ‘But they’ve only just announced it,’ she informed him.

  ‘It’s always delayed announcing it to the press.’

  ‘Oh William, I’m so sorry. But you’ve always said he was so meticulous. He never trusted anybody but himself.’

  ‘Except me…and I let him down. He’s dead Liz. Dead! I killed him,’ he sobbed.

  She listened to his pitiful sobbing frustrated by the three thousand miles that separated them and feeling totally helpless at being unable to cradle him or console him. After a few minutes he stopped crying and said, ‘I’ll call you back.’

  ‘When are you coming home?’

  ‘Don’t know. Soon, I think.’

  Suddenly he hung up.

  She sat down and stared at the phone. Relief that finding he was OK and then the enormity of Pete’s death hit her hard. The tears came in torrents.

  ’Oh God. Poor William. Poor William,’ she sobbed, the knot of anguish tight in her stomach.

  CHAPTER 11

  The party was in full swing when Frank arrived back at the rugby club. He could hear the booming music even before he could see the building.

  Although he had showered immediately after the game and had a couple of pints in the club house to celebrate the 14 – 7 win, he had gone to his digs and relaxed in a foam filled bath to ease his aches and pains.

  It had been a hard, but successful game and he’d come away sporting a black eye from someone’s errant elbow. Pumped up on adrenalin during the game the endorphins had stopped the eye from hurting until he was relaxing in the bath.

  He was pleased with himself. He had scored another try to add to his season total of four. He enjoyed the game. His number 14 position on the right wing was ideal for his fast pace and wiry agility to dodge tackles.

  Always a popul
ar member of the team, his mates cheered his arrival back at the club. In recognition of his contribution to scoring the winning try the team captain insisted on buying him a pint.

  The volume of the disco made talking difficult. Frank quickly ended up with ‘disco throat’ after attempting to hold a conversation with them.

  Many of his team mates were glued to each other’s ears shouting to make themselves heard too. No wonder there were so many people outside with their drinks,’ he thought.

  The room was uncomfortably hot from the sheer volume of people in the small club house. Many of whom had retired to their tables which surrounded the small dance floor and were content just to watch the dancers. Conversations were difficult and drinks were re-ordered by gesticulations and thumbs up signs to each other.

  Bathed in the pulsating multicolour light from the disco, he could see a lot of women gyrating to the music. But few men.

  Pint in hand, he wandered over to look at the twirling group to suss out any new ‘talent’ amongst them.

  He had downed half of his drink when he saw her. Liz was dancing with a girlfriend in the middle of the dance floor.

  ‘Ah ha,’ he thought, ‘I wonder who she’s with?’

  The DJ’s voice broke into the music. He said something incomprehensible and changed the CD to a slower number. Obviously he misread his audience as many left the dance floor and headed back to their tables to re-hydrate.

  Frank watched Liz make her way to a table and was relieved to see there were no men sitting there.

  ‘Might be in with a chance here,’ he thought making his way to an empty chair by the side of her. As he did so he was treated to the waft of her perfume. The heavenly aroma made his pulses race. She was looking at the dancers and didn’t see him arrive.

  ‘Is it hot in here, or is it just you that’s hot?’ he shouted in her ear.

  ‘Oh you made me jump …,’ she said in surprise, putting her hand over her heart. She stopped in mid-sentence when she saw who it was. ‘Oh, I might have guessed it was you with that pathetic chat up line,’ she shouted, smiling.

  He shook his head as if he hadn’t heard what she said and put his ear to her lips in order for her to repeat it. He was enjoying the close proximity of them again.