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Back Whirlwind Save as PDF
Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

P.J. spots it moving, and she puts a hand on my shoulder. “Jack! It’s a giant snake!”

“Don’t worry, it’s just a big, dumb anaconda,” I try to reassure her. But “big” doesn’t begin to do justice to this colossal serpent. Its tail is wrapped around a high branch, its thirty-foot body dangles down, and its head is submerged. I follow the curve of its yellow neck beneath the surface and spot its trowel-shaped head riding the current. Only its nostrils poke above the water as it waits for something tasty to swim past.

The anaconda’s slitted eyes rise slowly above the surface to study us. “It knows we’re here!” P.J.’s hand trembles on my back.

“Canoes probably aren’t high on the list of favorite anaconda foods,” I tell her. “Anyway, I’m bringing you back to Hadley in one piece. I intend to personally walk you up the front steps and deliver you to your father.”

I hesitate for a second, remembering my reception in our hometown, and decide not to mention that her parents called the police to arrest me, and that her dad took a swing at me. Instead I glance back at her and say, “They’re okay, by the way. Your parents, I mean. I saw them a few weeks ago. They’re very worried about you, but they’re keeping faith.”

P.J. doesn’t say anything, but a tear rolls slowly down her cheek. I wipe it away, and whisper, “Sorry, but I thought you’d want to know that.” She nods very slightly, leans over, and kisses me on the neck.

I can tell she’s getting stronger with every hour we put between ourselves and the colonel’s dungeon. Soon we’ll be able to have a real conversation. I look forward to that moment, but I also fear it. Will she believe what’s happened? Can she ever find a way to forgive me?

Islands start popping up in the river like green buoys. Some of them are just tangles of swampy grass, others feature towering trees. They split the river in half and then in thirds, till we’re completely lost in a shifting wonderland of green islets, bays, and inlets.

I have no idea where we’re heading, and I don’t really care. When we stop for the night there will be plenty of time to discuss routes and strategy. Right now I’m focused on taking care of P.J., and avoiding biting flies, half-submerged anacondas, and whatever other exotic dangers the dark waters conceal.

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