The World in My Pocket

As they began to climb again, the aircraft, like a worrying sheep dog, circled above them.

‘If I could get a shot at that punk!’ Bleck snarled, staring up at the circling plane.

In the distance they heard the wailing note of a police siren.

Ginny shivered, her hands turning into fists.

Kitson was now having trouble in holding the car to the road, which was full of potholes and loose stones washed down the mountain from the past storm.

On their left was the side of the mountain that went straight up like a granite wall. On the right side was a sheer drop into the valley.

‘We’re not going to get much further,’ Kitson said, slowing down. ‘This is about where the road packs up.’

As he turned into the next hairpin bend, he stopped abruptly.

A fall of rocks and shrubs blocked the road. There was no way of getting the Buick past the obstruction.

Holding the automatic rifle in his hand, Bleck got out of the car. He paid no attention to the other two, but ran forward and began to climb the obstruction.

Kitson paused to look up.

High above them, he could see the snow-covered mountain peak. He hesitated a moment, then, catching Ginny by her arm, he pointed upwards.

‘We’ll go that way, Ginny,’ he said. ‘We stand a chance of hiding up there. If we stick with Bleck, we’re bound to be caught’

Ginny flinched as she looked at the face of the mountain.

‘I couldn’t climb up there,’ she said. ‘You go, Alex.’

He was pushing her along now.

‘We go together,’ he said and started up the face of the mountain. The first hundred yards was easy enough and Ginny followed him. Every now and then Kitson paused, reached down and hoisted her up beside him. They could hear the siren much closer now. The climb became harder and their progress slower. They both felt horribly exposed against the bare face of the mountain, but fifty feet higher up was a mass of rocks behind which they could hide and Kitson kept urging Ginny to climb faster.

Once, in her panic, Ginny slipped, but Kitson grabbed her, not letting her pause, but pulling her up and forcing her on. They reached the mass of rock as they heard the cars come to a halt below them.

They lay side by side, gasping for breath and peered down.

There was an overhanging rock that hid the lower part of the road from their view, but, looking to his right, Kitson caught sight of Bleck running frantically up the road, beating the air with his free hand and looking back from time to time.

He lost sight of Bleck as he rounded the bend in the road.

Kitson looked upwards, planning his next move.

Far above him, still sheltered from the road was a broad ledge, screened by shrubs. He reckoned if they could get up there they could hide until the police got tired of looking for them.

He touched Ginny’s arm.

‘Feel like going on up?’

She nodded.

‘Yes, all right.’

He smiled at her. Their faces were close and she moved forward, pressing her lips on his.

‘I’m sorry, Alex,’ she said. ‘This is all my fault.’

‘I had the choice,’ he said. ‘It just didn’t work out.’

They could hear men’s voices below, talking excitedly.

‘They’ve found the Buick,’ Kitson whispered. ‘Come on, let’s go.’

They began to climb again.

It was a nightmare business for Ginny, and she would never have made it without Kitson to pull her over the difficult places. As they neared the ledge, she suddenly stopped climbing. Her foot rested on the root of a shrub, her hands gripped the pointed end of a rock. She was pressed against the mountain side and her eyes were closed.

‘Go on, Alex,’ she panted. ‘I can’t go any further. Leave me. I just can’t do it.’

Kitson looked up. They were only a few feet from the ledge.

Then as he looked down at Ginny, just below him, he saw beyond her the long drop into the valley and a wave of dizziness swept over him. He shut his eyes, hanging onto a shrub, feeling sweat start out on his face.

Looking up, Ginny saw him clinging just above her and she thought he was going to fall.

‘Alex!!’

‘It’s okay,’ he gasped. ‘I’m just dizzy. Don’t look down, Ginny. Just hang on a moment.’

They remained there like two flies on a wall, then, very cautiously, Kitson began to move again. He found a better foothold, then he reached down towards Ginny.

‘Give me your hand,’ he said. ‘Come on. Don’t be scared. I won’t let you go!’

‘No, Alex! You’ll never get me up there. I’ll fall.’

‘Give me your hand!’

‘Oh, Alex, I’m scared! I’m going to let go! I can’t hang on.’

He grabbed hold of her wrist as she released her grip. Her choked scream was whipped away by the wind. She dangled at the end of her arms, her skirts billowing out, her long, slim legs moving as if she were walking.

Kitson hung on, taking her weight.

‘Ginny! You’ve got to help,’ he panted. ‘I’ll swing you against the side. Try to get your feet on something, then I’ll lift you.’

He swung her and her toes scrabbled frantically for a hold, found one and he felt her weight come off his arm.

Holding her, he looked down at her.

‘That’s fine,’ he said. ‘Give me a moment.’