The God Particle Read Online Free PDF Page A

Professor. I’ll get onto it straight away.’
     
     
     

CHAPTER 3
     
     
    Katashi’s prayers were answered by way of an electricity
pylon and a red Toyota Corolla. The pylon was at the far end of the compound;
its three legs had buckled under the weight of the flotsam that had gathered
around its base, but it was still holding its own. The tree, on which Katashi
was clinging, snagged one of the legs. The Toyota, which was floating behind,
hammered home the branches and the tree held firm against the rushing tide.
Katashi shivered uncontrollably as he saw the lifeless, bloated face of an
older man staring blankly at him through the windscreen. He looked away.
    Now stationary, he relaxed enough to survey his surroundings.
He took off his mask and breathing equipment to get a better view. The entire
compound was flooded. Buildings were submerged up to their first floors and
some of the flimsier structures had sustained considerable damage. The
portacabins, which were being used as a temporary canteen whilst the main
restaurant was being refurbished, had disappeared under the water altogether.
One of the coaches ferrying personnel to safety was floating upside down, with
only the air in its tyres stopping it from completely sinking.
    Katashi could now make out the bodies of some of his
colleagues, bobbing along with the rest of the debris. Selfishly, he scoured
the area for any of his own team who may have perished, clearly identifiable by
their white protective overalls; he didn’t recognise anybody he knew and gave a
sigh of relief, then instantly felt guilty for not mourning the loss of his
other co-workers.
    The tsunami hadn’t destroyed the entire perimeter wall, at
least not in this part of the compound, but it had washed away a section of
about twenty feet, through which water gushed, carrying with it everything that
the tidal surge had managed to scoop up, tear down or break apart.
Occasionally, a large object would bridge the gap, creating a temporary dam, as
smaller items built up behind; however, the force of the flow was too strong
and a breach would inevitably occur, crushing the obstructions to pulp.
    The Toyota, which had been so crucial in securing Katashi’s
vantage point, freed itself from the tree, spinning off in the direction of the
waterfall. Katashi was relieved to be free from the horror of its grey-faced
passenger. However, this relief was short-lived; he could feel the trunk
beneath him shift, as the current tried to dislodge him from the pylon. One by
one, the branches anchoring him to the steel structure bent, then snapped,
until finally it was impossible for it to maintain its hold and it, too, broke
free.
    Katashi could see the roof of the Toyota some two hundred
yards in front of him; somehow it was managing to stay afloat. As it neared the
gap in the wall, it was joined by a small capsized boat, several trees and a
slick of wooden planks, branches and household debris. The car slammed into the
boat and they fused into one. Without faltering, they carried on their journey
together.
    The hole in the wall was now partially blocked by the thick
branches of one of the larger trees. Smaller items were being washed through,
unimpeded, but larger items were being sifted out, adding to what was fast
becoming a mega-dam.
    The car-boat careered into the wall, just to the left of the
hole, with such force that Katashi was convinced it would punch its way
through; but instead, the boat shattered, as if it were made of glass, breaking
up into a thousand pieces, which were then dutifully carried through to the
other side by the tidal flow.
    As Katashi neared the blockade, he could hear the crushing
of metal as the Toyota was being squeezed through an ever-decreasing gap
between the wall and the branches of the tree. He searched frantically for
somewhere to escape to, but there was nowhere. He knew, if he tried to swim for
safety, the current would pull him back into the carnage. He closed his eyes
and