by Justin D'Ath
Mustering the last of my strength, I launched myself off the side of the bridge.
25
PROMISE
For a heart-stopping moment, Nissa and I hung in midair. Then, as the train hurtled past in a storm of sparks and smoke and diesel fumes, my outstretched right hand closed around the dangling rope.
Not crocodile, Copter. That’s what Nissa had been shouting.
Sixty seconds later we were safely inside the helicopter. While the pilot put the aircraft on a course for Crocodile Bridge, his crewman helped us to our seats. Seat, actually, because Nissa refused to let go of me.
‘I guess she’ll be okay on your lap,’ the crewman said, fastening the safety harness around both of us.
He fetched a couple of blankets and wrapped them around us, too.
‘Would either of you like some chocolate?’ he asked.
A silly question. It even drew a smile from Nissa.
As we pigged out on chocolate bars, the crewman explained how they had found us. At first light, a fisherman had come upon Nathan McDonald washed up on the beach near the mouth of Crocodile River. Our kidnapper was still alive! After he was swept away from the baobab, Nathan had grabbed hold of a passing log and managed to hang on all the way to the ocean. As they drove to the hospital, Nathan told the fisherman everything. The fisherman phoned the police and a helicopter was sent down the river looking for us. So Nathan was instrumental in saving our lives. I hoped the judge would take that into account when he went to trial.
‘Tam?’
I looked down at Nissa. She had chocolate smeared all over her face. ‘What is it, Niss?’
‘Tam take Nitta home now?’
‘You betcha,’ I said, and this time it was a rock-solid promise.
About the author
Born in New Zealand, Justin D’Ath is one of twelve children. He came to Australia in 1971 to study for missionary priesthood. After three years, he left the seminary in the dead of night and spent two years roaming Australia on a motorbike. While doing that he began writing for motorbike magazines. He published his first novel for adults in 1989. This was followed by numerous award-winning short stories, also for adults. Justin has worked in a sugar mill, on a cattle station, in a mine, on an island, in a laboratory, built cars, picked fruit, driven forklifts and taught writing for twelve years. He wrote his first children’s book in 1996. To date he has published twenty-three books. He has two children, two grandchildren, and one dog.
www.justindath.com