Mondays are Murder Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Tanya Landman
down anxiously at the raging sea. Jake was hopping from one foot to the other, whether from cold or excitement was hard to tell. Alice was paying extremely close attention while Mike explained about his climbing gear, but Graham was staring at the distant horizon as if he hoped a passing ship might come to his rescue. He’d informed us over breakfast that, “Climbing is number eight on the list of most dangerous sports according to the website I looked at.” It wasn’t exactly an encouraging statement.
“Now pay attention guys,” said Mike. “As you can see, we’ve both checked and double-checked our equipment. You must always do that – your life depends on it. We’re going to climb up then fit a top rope so it will be extra safe when you lot have your turn. During our ascent, Bruce and I will be roped together. That way if the person climbing falls, the other one is always there to stop him.”
“What happens if he pulls you off with him?” asked Alice.
“Can’t happen. Not with this system.”
“Not even if he’s heavier than you?” persisted Alice.
“No. Believe me, Alice, it’s not possible. What we’re going to do now is a little piece of theatre just to prove to you how safe this is. Bruce and I will go around this chasm and begin our climb on the opposite side so you can see what we’re doing. We’ll start at that ledge there. I’ll climb a little way up, and then I’ll fall – are you all right with that, Bruce?”
“I can do the drop if you like,” offered Bruce.
“Really? Oh, OK.” Mike turned back to us. “Bruce will fall, then. I want to prove to you how safe the gear is. If you trip or stumble – even if you fall off the rock completely – you’ll always get caught. You can have absolute confidence in that so none of you needs to be the least bit scared or nervous, OK?”
Leaving us with Cathy (whose eyes were still glued to Mike), the two guys set off up the hill, skirting the edge of the U-shaped chasm until they reached the ledge.
The sea slurped below like some sort of hungry, drooling animal. It was licking into the crevices and making a horrible sucking sound with each receding wave. I couldn’t stop thinking about Bruce’s story. About how, if you fell in, you’d never be found. You’d stay in that icy water until your bones were picked clean by fish. It was enough to make me shudder.
Bruce started to climb. When he’d gone a little way up, Mike yelled to check we were all watching. He nodded to Bruce.
And then Bruce fell. Alice gasped, Meera let out something close to a scream and Jake whistled between his teeth. Even Graham looked interested.
Bruce dropped two metres, no more. The rope pulled tight, jerking him to a sudden halt. He swung out over the water, spinning right round in a full circle with his arms and legs outstretched before making a grab for the rock face.
But then – with no warning – he fell once more. And this time the rope didn’t stop him. He plummeted into the abyss. Hit the water. Thinking it was just another stunt, Jake called, “Cool!”
But next to me Cathy gasped and I knew right away that something had gone badly wrong.
She leapt forward, leaning over the edge and holding out her hand as if she could miraculously extend her arm a hundred metres and pull him back.
We could all see Bruce floating in the clear water, face down, a cloud of blood blooming from his head. As we stood there watching in helpless horror, a wave surged in and smashed him hard against the rock. You could almost hear the crunch of bone on stone. The sea held him pressed up against the cliff for a fraction of a second before his head lolled sickeningly sideways. And then – with that awful slurping sound – it dragged Bruce out of the chasm and sucked him down beneath the waves.
For a moment no one moved. I felt dizzy with shock. Graham was shaking. Jake sniffing. Alicetrembling. Meera let out a low, pitiful whimper.
Then Cathy was shouting.
“Now pay attention guys,” said Mike. “As you can see, we’ve both checked and double-checked our equipment. You must always do that – your life depends on it. We’re going to climb up then fit a top rope so it will be extra safe when you lot have your turn. During our ascent, Bruce and I will be roped together. That way if the person climbing falls, the other one is always there to stop him.”
“What happens if he pulls you off with him?” asked Alice.
“Can’t happen. Not with this system.”
“Not even if he’s heavier than you?” persisted Alice.
“No. Believe me, Alice, it’s not possible. What we’re going to do now is a little piece of theatre just to prove to you how safe this is. Bruce and I will go around this chasm and begin our climb on the opposite side so you can see what we’re doing. We’ll start at that ledge there. I’ll climb a little way up, and then I’ll fall – are you all right with that, Bruce?”
“I can do the drop if you like,” offered Bruce.
“Really? Oh, OK.” Mike turned back to us. “Bruce will fall, then. I want to prove to you how safe the gear is. If you trip or stumble – even if you fall off the rock completely – you’ll always get caught. You can have absolute confidence in that so none of you needs to be the least bit scared or nervous, OK?”
Leaving us with Cathy (whose eyes were still glued to Mike), the two guys set off up the hill, skirting the edge of the U-shaped chasm until they reached the ledge.
The sea slurped below like some sort of hungry, drooling animal. It was licking into the crevices and making a horrible sucking sound with each receding wave. I couldn’t stop thinking about Bruce’s story. About how, if you fell in, you’d never be found. You’d stay in that icy water until your bones were picked clean by fish. It was enough to make me shudder.
Bruce started to climb. When he’d gone a little way up, Mike yelled to check we were all watching. He nodded to Bruce.
And then Bruce fell. Alice gasped, Meera let out something close to a scream and Jake whistled between his teeth. Even Graham looked interested.
Bruce dropped two metres, no more. The rope pulled tight, jerking him to a sudden halt. He swung out over the water, spinning right round in a full circle with his arms and legs outstretched before making a grab for the rock face.
But then – with no warning – he fell once more. And this time the rope didn’t stop him. He plummeted into the abyss. Hit the water. Thinking it was just another stunt, Jake called, “Cool!”
But next to me Cathy gasped and I knew right away that something had gone badly wrong.
She leapt forward, leaning over the edge and holding out her hand as if she could miraculously extend her arm a hundred metres and pull him back.
We could all see Bruce floating in the clear water, face down, a cloud of blood blooming from his head. As we stood there watching in helpless horror, a wave surged in and smashed him hard against the rock. You could almost hear the crunch of bone on stone. The sea held him pressed up against the cliff for a fraction of a second before his head lolled sickeningly sideways. And then – with that awful slurping sound – it dragged Bruce out of the chasm and sucked him down beneath the waves.
For a moment no one moved. I felt dizzy with shock. Graham was shaking. Jake sniffing. Alicetrembling. Meera let out a low, pitiful whimper.
Then Cathy was shouting.