Chapters (45)
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Prologue
- 2046
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- About the Author
Rising higher as they’re pulled up the sheer side of the wave stretching to reach the sky and Harry uses just the power in his legs to keep them all afloat. Closer to the top now and the white foam at the pinnacle whips high into the wind.
‘Where’s the light?’ Safa gasps, coughing mouthfuls of water out.
Harry cranes round trying to see the blue square, but seeing just shades of darkness in every direction. A hint of something, a flash of light, but gone again and so far away now. He locks his eyes on the spot, straining to see, then shouting out when the iridescent light shows true at the bottom of the valley with the yacht see-sawing towards it but it might as well be a mile away for all the hope they have of swimming down this wave.
Stomachs flip and churn as they reach the dizzying top and for a second all is calm and clear and they catch a view of a huge sky full of roiling grey clouds shooting jagged bolts of lightning across the heavens with the deep roar of thunder booming in rage and anger. Riding on the crest, holding position as the wave carries them along for a precious few seconds, but the inevitable must happen and when it does they feel the plummet of a rollercoaster ride sinking on the terrifying decline. Plunging down a mountainside of water that bursts and slams into their faces. Screaming from fear, panic and the utter, sheer terror of sliding down a wall with increasing speed as Harry kicks to keep them above the surface, clutching Safa, who clutches the doctor, and the three are hopelessly outwitted by the power of nature.
Going down the wave is bad enough. Going sideways is worse, but sideways they go as the rope snaps straight and taut and they feel the pull dragging them feet first along the side of the wave. All control is gone and they plunge down into the depths as the rope drags them mercilessly through the thick, wide body of the wave back towards the light.
Into darkness and a wave too thick for the light to penetrate, but the roar of the ocean fills their ears as much as the blood pounding through their skulls, urging them to breathe. They hold fast, clinging to the hope that they’ll be dragged fast enough to get through the light before their attempts to hold their breath render them unconscious enough to try and draw air.