8 A bumpy ride

Chapter Eight A BUMPY RIDE It felt like they were moving in slow motion as the stretcher bumped and slid over the gravelly path. Cheng pushed again. This time, the stretcher began moving by itself. "I can't believe we're surfing down Mount Yasur!" said Halani, laughing. She seemed to have forgotten about her ankle in the

excitement of the moment, and cuddled Keemo close. The stretcher was definitely picking up speed, and the warm, sulfurous air on Cheng's face started to feel more like a rushing wind. The stretcher tipped down a steep part of the path. "Whoa!" shouted Cheng. "WHOA!"

该页暂无翻译

The stretcher was at full speed now, swinging wildly from side to side. They skidded over the rocks, which Cheng knew were a mixture of ash, black solidified lava, and light-gray chunks of pumice—a kind of stone with holes in it like a sponge, which was so light it could float on water. It was formed when rock was thrown out by a volcano. He held his arms out ahead, doing his best to shield them all from flying pebbles and rock fragments. They were rapidly approaching a curving, right-hand bend in the path. For a dizzying moment, Cheng imagined the stretcher hurtling straight on, and off the edge of the mountain, plunging down into the trees. The ground was racing away from him too fast to put his hands down.

"We need to steer around that bend, Halani!" he shouted through the buffeting air. "Do you have any surfing tips?" "Yes!" Halani shouted back. "Lean into the curve. Put your weight on the right side of the surfboard—I mean, stretcher. Now!" Cheng leaned with Halani, putting all his weight into the right-hand side. The metal base of the stretcher groaned and tipped. Cheng could feel the stretcher turning slowly. They made it around the corner with inches to spare! Cheng leaned quickly to the

left, to avoid oversteering into the mountainside. Halani did the same. Keemo's ears flapped in the wind. "Teamwork!" yelled, laughing. Halani "Makes the dream work!" Cheng replied, a little breathlessly. The path leveled out. Evening was approaching, and the sky on the horizon was beginning to turn a darker shade of blue. The ground began to soften beneath the stretcher, slowing them down. Halani shouted instructions for steering whenever they reached a corner. Cheng concentrated, moving his weight from side to side. Behind them, Mount Yasur shook and rumbled.