“Hello!” came Uncle Stephen’s voice.
“Ostrander’s trying to sabotage the reservation!” Ben yelled into the BUG.
“He’s burning the forest – and we’re in it!”
“I’ve worked out your position using your signal,” came back Uncle Stephen’s voice immediately. “The fire’s east of you. Head away from it – as fast as you can!”
Holding his good arm, Zoe forced Mat to his feet. “You’re coming with us!”
With her help, Mat painfully staggered a few paces, then swayed and leant heavily on her shoulder. Ben came and supported Mat’s other side.
Kawan gave a low, anxious cry and set off. Then he stopped and turned, and chattered at them urgently.
“He’s heading for the plantation and he wants us to follow,” exclaimed Ben, surreptitiously checking the map on his BUG. “He’s staying on the ground. He must know we can’t climb into the trees.”
They moved as fast as they could, half carrying the injured Mat between them. Roots and vines threatened to trip them with every step. Above their heads, they could see wind was disturbing the tops of the trees. It was blowing towards them as they ran.
“At least the wind’s not blowing the fire our way,” said Zoe through gritted teeth.
But as they went, the smell of burning suddenly grew stronger and they tasted acrid smoke on their tongues. Ben and Zoe found themselves taking shallow breaths to keep from choking. They could hear Mat’s ragged gasps as he forced himself along. The trees above were filled with alarmed cries and scrabbling noises as animals fled their homes. Kawan urged them on with loud calls.
“Spoke too soon,” gasped Zoe. “The wind’s changed direction.”
She suddenly pitched forwards as her foot caught in a thick, twisted buttress root. She landed in the middle of a brightly coloured plant. The fleshy leaves parted, showering her with water and insects.
“Can you feel how hot it is getting?” She gasped as she scrambled to her feet. She turned to look behind her and raised a wobbly finger, pointing at the orange light flickering in the distance. “See the glow!” she said in a horrified whisper. “The fire’s coming!”
They plunged on in their desperate flight. Crack! A terrible sound filled the smoky air, followed by another.
“Trees exploding!” yelled Ben. “We’ve got to move faster.”
The black smoke was making it almost impossible to catch their breath. As the temperature soared, the sweat poured into their eyes, blinding them. Ben wiped his hand across his face. Behind them the flames were licking at the sky.
Kawan stopped as they came to the edge of the plantation. Ahead of them were the regularly spaced oil palms. He turned and chattered anxiously, urging them on.
But Mat pulled back.
“Can’t go that way,” he panted weakly. “Oil palms burn really fast!”
“No choice,” croaked Ben, pulling him along a corridor of trees. “No way back.”
Now their ears were filled with spluttering, sizzling sounds as trees and shrubs were engulfed in a relentless wave of flame.
Like vicious wasps, red-hot embers showered down on them. The children flailed at the burning patches, scorching their hands. Kawan was giving frightened little cries as the sparks fell on to his fur.
Zoe’s mouth felt full of ash and the heat was hurting her lungs. She glanced at Ben’s soot-streaked face. He was in no better shape. And Mat was hardly dragging one foot in front of the other now.
But she knew they couldn’t stop. The fire had reached the oil palms. If they’d thought it had been moving fast before, it was nothing to how it gobbled up these trees.
As they pushed their way through the undergrowth, Mat collapsed to the ground. The children knelt down and tried to pull him to his feet, but he felt like a dead weight in their arms. Kawan came to his side, keening softly.
“Got to keep going,” cried Zoe, her voice choking. “We’ll be burnt alive!”
“You go on,” Mat croaked.
Then, all of a sudden, the sound of the roaring flames changed. Ben dashed away another spark and found his hand was wet. Not wet with damp, sooty sweat, but clean water. He looked up. All he could see was a swirl of thick, dark smoke. But he felt drops of water pounding on his face.
He grabbed Zoe’s arm, giving her a shake. “Got a chance!” he managed to get the words out through his parched lips. “It’s raining!”
