Copyright © Andrew Carson (2015)

The right of Andrew Carson to be identified as author of this work has beenasserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright,Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored ina retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the priorpermission of the publishers.

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A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781784559472 (Paperback)ISBN 9781784559496 (Hardback)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published (2015)Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.25 Canada Square Canary WharfLondonE14 5LQ

Printed and bound in Great Britain

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COCOA POWER

Ben tutted to himself, gave the spanner anothertwist and sat back on his haunches. He had beenworking on the cocoa-engine for over three yearsnow since his son had given him the idea of creatinga purely natural, clean-burning fuel source. Chasinglittle Bobby as he charged around the house aftersnaffling his mum’s chocolate bar, Ben realised thehuge energy hidden inside those magic beans andwondered if he could somehow capture it andconvert it into horsepower.

The next day he headed to the biggest shoppingmall in Sydney where he bought a selection ofscience supplies, a barrel of cocoa beans and an oldlawnmower engine. He installed them in his gardenshed and got to work. Ben still found time for hisfriends and family but every spare moment he hadwas now spent tinkering in his “Choco-Lab.”

Little Bobby was turning five in a couple ofmonths and plans were underway for the fledglingfamily to return to England for his schooling. Mariahad done some research on the Australianeducational system and was loath for her first-born

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son to spend his formative years learning how to tiedown kangaroos, waltz with Matildas or designdrop-bear-proof hats. Also, they had been DownUnder for a fair few years now and she felt in needof an adventure. Ben hoped his brilliant idea wouldsolve all of this in one magnificent swoop.

Maria opened the door of the Choco-Lab andsmiled at her two men hard at work. “Are you boysgoing to come in for dinner at some point?” She hadgrown used to her husband spending most of hisafter-work hours out in the Choco-Lab. His projecthad been taking a lot of his time, though Mariadidn’t mind. It always brought a smile to her face tosee him hunkered over the “Cocoa-Blaster,” Bobbyever by his side offering advice and handing himtools in between grabbing clammy handfuls ofchocolate from the vast tubs that were lined upalong the workshop walls.

“We’ll be right in,” Ben called back. “I just need tocalibrate the cocoa-butter and thin out theemulsifier then we’re there.” Maria smiled to herselfand went to put the kanga-bangers and mash backin the oven; she didn’t expect to see them for awhile.

An hour later the pair wandered into the kitchenin their mucky overalls, safety goggles lifted to theirbrows and grins on their faces. Ben was coveredfrom nose-tip to toe in chocolate dust whilst Bobbywore most of his around his mouth with a fairamount caught in the golden curls that framed hischerubic features.

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Ben planted a kiss on his beautiful Spanish wife’scheek, leaving a mucky brown lip-print. “Whew!Today was a good day, my love. I think we’re almostthere. Tomorrow’s Saturday; a good day for a test-run, I reckon. What do you say, Bobby?”

“Yay!” the little scamp cheered and Ben liftedhim aloft and blew a celebratory raspberry on hispot-belly.

Maria smiled lovingly at her two boys. “Okay,chicos, now eat! You spend so much timesurrounded by candy that I think you will soon beallergic to vitamins. Come on, I’ve made a fantasticonion gravy and yes, some veggies too. You’ll needsomething healthy inside you for tomorrow. I thinkit is going to be a big day!”

The morning dawned bright and clear and Benwas up but a moment after it cracked. He had beenawake even before then but had held his position inhis warm bed like a teenager pretending to nolonger be excited by the coming Christmas. He waswaiting for the three-ring drop-call on his mobilephone that would tell him that Carl was waitingoutside. It finally came half an hour later and hepadded downstairs to let his friend in. They creptthrough to the kitchen, changed into the overallsthat Maria made sure never made it past the back-door coat-hook and crossed the garden to the Choco-Lab.

Flicking on the lights, Ben regarded the fruits ofhis labour with a loving eye. Sleek and gleamingscarlet in the strip-lighting, she had the rapid lines

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of a toboggan with intent to fly. The body sweptback in aerodynamic grace, a black rubber skirtfixed underneath and a single wing poised above itall with a propeller set on each wing-tip. The world’sfirst hover-plane.

Ben stroked his creation lovingly, picturing thejourney ahead, nearly as proud of his handiwork aswith the family he made it for.

“Daddy!” Bobby was standing in the doorway. “Isit ready? Do we fly today?”

“Well, my lad, we just might do. At least I willand if it all goes well, maybe I will take you andyour mother up later. But first things first, we needto name her. What do you think she should becalled?”

“Oooh, I don’t know. Let me think.” Bobby’s eyeswere shining bright, his chest puffed out with thesudden pride of responsibility. “How about…Doris?”

“Doris? Huhuhuhu. I love it,” Carl guffawed andoffered the little man a high-five that stung hispalm.

“Doris?” Ben chuckled. “How funny. Okay, weshall name her Doris. But we need your mother tolaunch her. It’s bad luck for a man to launch a ship,you know.”

“Really, Daddy? Why is that?”

“Well, the seas are very dangerous and oftenunpredictable. Superstitious sailors want to makesure that the spirits of the oceans are happy beforethey dare to venture out on them. Now, beautiful

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