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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

Unluckily, whoever they are, they seem to have a variety of weapons, and they’re not shy about using them.

A heat-seeking missile streaks up through the treetops and rips a nasty gash in our hot-air balloon.

Gisco, we’re hit! We’re going down!

I know, and there’s nothing to be done!

Into the uncharted Amazon.

Uncharted because no one could survive long enough to map it.

Do something!

Don’t panic. Remain steadfast as the evening star.

You’re the one crying and shivering.

Can’t help it, old fellow. Have you ever heard the unfortunate expression “dog-eat-dog”? Well, in the place we’re headed, everything eats dog. There are army ants that eat dog. Giant catfish that can swallow a dog whole. Spiders and snakes and even plant species that feed on dog!

Try to calm down, Gisco. Steadfast as the evening star, remember? Anyway, the impact will probably smash us to smithereens before the animals can devour us.

Thanks for the kind thought. You’re a true friend.

We’re almost in free fall. Once again I reach for my father’s watch, and put it on.

The boy stands up and looks around wildly. When he realizes what’s happening, he makes a frightened sound and grabs Gisco.

The dog tries to shake him off, but he can’t break the kid’s iron grip. Get this mountain boy off me.

If we make it through the trees we’ll splash down in the water. He must sense how buoyant you are.

I’m a dog, not a lifeboat. Here come the trees!

Maybe they’ll cushion our fall.

More likely rip us apart!

34

34

It’s like being in five different car accidents at one intersection. We’re hit this way and spun that way, tumbled forward and jerked back.

There are loud crashing sounds and flashes of light and dark as branches splinter beneath us and curtains of leaves whip against the sides of our gondola. Outraged birds squawk. Monkeys howl.

Down, down, down we plunge.

Water flashes below. River, swamp, or lake? Can’t tell. I prepare for a bellyflop into a piranha pool.

But then we stop suddenly. Gently. And hang in the air, swaying slightly like a decorative mobile.

I peer over the side. The top branches of the forest canopy slowed us, and the understory snagged us. Our gondola now dangles thirty feet above the swampy forest floor. Looking down, I can see tree trunks rising and vines descending, and lots and lots of water.

But there is an island nearby.

Someone else has found it first. Three enormous jet-black caimans lie motionless on the water’s edge. They look like mini-dinosaurs working on their suntans.

Gisco, we survived the fall!

Is that good news or bad news?