Meteorite Strike Read Online Free PDF Page B

pile of blankets, first-aid equipment and toiletries. Daniel started putting what they had found into the new backpack and gave Robert his own bag to carry, pulling out a couple of objects before he did so. They had also found several chocolate bars, cans of drink and other food. These things Daniel put into the shoulder bag. One item he kept for himself: a bottle of whisky that he placed in his jacket pocket. He caught them watching him critically.
    â€œHey!” he protested. “For medicinal purposes, okay?”
    â€œRight,” Sarah replied, folding her arms. Daniel shrugged and hoisted the pack onto his back.
    â€œOkay, let’s go,” he said. “We’ll see what we can find at the crash site and then carry on.”
    â€œCarry on?” asked Sarah, half running to keep up with him.
    â€œTo the nearest town,” Daniel explained. “Then hopefully on to Melbourne. If we can find a car that works, that is.”
    â€œI bet you’ll be able to fix it if it doesn’t,” Robert said eagerly and Daniel ruffled his hair.
    â€œDon’t you think we should stay by the plane?” Sarah asked uncertainly. “I mean, won’t they be looking for us? Rescuers, I mean.”
    Daniel shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe not. Who knows how many planes went down? Or even if they can get here? It might take days or weeks.”
    â€œBut the nearest town might be hundreds of kilometres away.”
    â€œThen we’ll have a long walk, won’t we?”
    Sarah fell silent at the thought.
    With another five minutes’ walk, the rising smoke started to fill the horizon. Crossing another incline, they saw the wreck of the plane spread out before them. The central section of the fuselage had split open and was still burning in places. The nearest wing had fallen off and the two jet engines were no more than smoking shells. The tail of the plane was ripped away and nowhere to be seen.
    â€œWow,” Robert said quietly at the sight before them.
    â€œYou said it,” agreed Daniel as they started forward.
    â€œWe could’ve been trapped in there,” Sarah said to herself as she looked at the scene below. Around the edge of the wreck she could see the burned remains of seats and luggage from the plane. Looking more closely, she made out blackened shapes: the bodies of those passengers who hadn’t made it out before the explosion. Sarah turned her head away from the horrible image and concentrated on the scene closer to them.
    All around on the sand in front of the plane, survivors were lying in groups, huddled together, dust- and soot-covered. Robert moved closer to Sarah. He put his hand in hers as they passed a family lying on the ground, sleeping soundly. There was something odd about seeing them stretched out in the open, having made no attempt even to cover or protect themselves.
    Looking around, Sarah noticed that most of the survivors were doing the same. It was as if they’d walked out of the plane and slept where they had fallen. A hundred people at least. Here and there people wandered amongst the sleeping survivors, but there weren’t many on their feet – twenty at most. These passengers looked dazed, as if unsure about what had happened or where they were. In fact, they seemed on the verge of collapse themselves.
    â€œStay close to me,” Daniel said as they made their way carefully through the crowds of sleeping people.
    â€œAre they dead, Sarah?” Robert asked at her side.
    Sarah shook her head. “No, they’re breathing – asleep. I guess everyone’s resting after the crash.” She had to admit, it didn’t sound very convincing.
    Looking around, she could have cried at what she saw. Injured people stripped of their belongings lay on the bare earth, some of them holding on to each other, some snoring quietly. In the distance she made out the familiar face of Nicole, the flight attendant, bandaging a