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； we ain't nowhere near finished yet。 There's nowt bloody wrong with you now。'
Sam Jervis had been indoctrinated by his father for far too long to give an outright refusal。 He was on his feet； letting go of his support； the barn in front rocking steadily from side to side and then upturning pletely。
'Dad 。。。 in the sandpit 。 。 。' a hoarse whisper that took everything he could put into it。 'I'm bleedin' waitin'； boy。'
Sam Jervis took a step forward and then everything went black。 He fell； rolled off the top of those bales and hit the yard with a sickening thud。
And in the open doorway of the house Dora Jervis began to scream。
Chapter 16
THE SNAKE was back on the bonnet of the van。 Keith Doyle had not been aware of its return； only saw that it was there again； coiled up and watching them intently。
He twisted round to look at his watch； noted that it was almost nine o'clock。 Christ； what a bloody day。 That snake had been the lucky one； it had been able to take advantage of the shade beneath the vehicle during the hottest hours； whilst he and Kirsten had roasted and suffocated inside。
Kirsten was still in an uneasy sleep； moving her head restlessly from side to side； her cracked lips had a bluish tint and were slightly swollen。 Her dress； saturated with sweat； clung wetly to her shapely figure。 Any other time or place it would have been a turn…on for him。 Right now； though； he just felt weak and ill。 But most of all he was worried about her。
No way could either of them last another day。 That spell of shouting for help had robbed them of their last reserves of strength； swollen their tongues and brought their thirst to a peak。 They had spent hours listening； occasionally caught the faint hum of a passing car back on the road。 Kirsten had mented how far away the traffic seemed and eventually it had dawned on her that if they could only just hear vehicles then anybody on the highway stood little chance of hearing them shout。 There had been a look of despair in her eyes at this realisation and Keith had attempted to reassure her。 He did not think that he had succeeded。 Then they had heard a tractor； close but still muffled。
It was no good shouting whilst the farmer…presuming it was a farmer…had his engine running； and so they waited。 Eventually there was silence and they had yelled until they were hoarse； until they had spent themselves mentally and vocally。 Some time later； it seemed hours； they heard the tractor start up again and drive away。 It did not e back。
That was when Kirsten broke down and sobbed again； cried herself to sleep in Keith's arms。
The day wore on and towards evening the atmosphere cooled somewhat。 Keith experienced nausea and thirst； a terrible bination that resulted in a desire to vomit； only he did not have anything left to throw up。 Neither of them had used the bucket since midday and he knew they were beginning to dehydrate。
He had been tempted to open the door a few inches and take another look beneath the van； perhaps the snake had tired of waiting； had slunk off somewhere。 Surely it； too； had to sleep sometime。 But even if it was not in sight he would not know exactly where it was； it was cunning enough to try to trick them； lull them into thinking that it had gone away and then； when they emerged； ambush them from the thick cover which grew luxuriantly all along the track leading to safety。 There wasn't much point in seeing if it was still beneath the vehicle。 It could be anywhere within a few yards of them。
He knew they could not last another day in here。 Certainly Kirsten could not。 Whatever the oute he would have to try and go for help。 He calculated mentally his weaponry in the back； a spade； a fork； a hoe； a sickle。 Possibly the latter was the most suitable。 He had honed the blade to a razor sharpness only two or three days ago。 It was capable of cutting that monster out there in two； provided it did not get him first。
If nobody had found them by morning he would make the attempt。 Just thinking about it sent little shivers up and down his spine； his imagination giving him a frightening preview of what might happen。
No sign of the bastard； getting out slowly； carefully； trying to stop that door from creaking。 A quick look round。 Now！ Running the gauntlet of undergrowth that tore at his legs； tried to bring him down； low branches whipping his face。 Always the fear that the next tuft of long grass might suddenly unfurl a coloured serpent； a devil that moved too fast for the eye to follow。 Not this one； then maybe the next； nearly crazy with fear。 Exhausted； his reflexes slowed down； worried about what would happen to Kirsten if he did not make it。
He wondered again what species it was and how deadly was its bite。 Even if it inflicted its venom into his body surely death would not be instantaneous； he would be able to make it to the village and raise the alarm before 。 。 。
There was no way of knowing what might happen until he actually made the attempt。 He closed his eyes and felt his body starting to relax。 Sleep if you can； you're going to need all the energy you can muster。
And now the snake was back on the bonnet again。
He looked at it； studied its colourful markings； those red； black and white rings。 Through the thick glass of a cage in a reptile house you would find yourself marvelling at its colourings； through the windscreen of an overheated van which you had not been outside of for the last 24 hours your appreciation was somewhat diminished。 You just wished the fucking thing did not exist； or else that it was dead。 You wanted all snakes extinct。
He marvelled at its motionless posture； there was not so much as a blink from those cold penetrating eyes but you knew that it watched your every movement。 Hypnotic in an awesome way。 Go on； make a run for it； I'll give you a five…yard start。 No way。 Not yet。
'It's still around then。' He was amazed at the relaxed tone of Kirsten's voice。 Worried； too； because this heat might cause you to react in a number of ways。 Hallucinations； disorientation； anything that might put you at risk。 You didn't even trust yourself。
'At least we can see it； we know where it is；' he replied。
'Try the starter again；' she said。
'It's just a waste of time。 After this length of time the battery will be pletely dead。'
'Well； we've nothing to lose。 Go on； Keith； give it a go。'
'All right。' He fumbled for the key。 'But don't get raising any hopes because it won't 。 。 。'
The starter…motor shuddered； turned； suddenly had life back in it。 And fired！
〃Keith； it's going to go？ Kirsten yelled。 She pulled herself upright； the fatigue； the exhaustion； suddenly falling from her。 'We can leave？
'Hold on； we're not out of the wood yet。' He pumped the throttle； got the revs and kept them； anticipated the engine fading any second。 It didn't； it was running sweetly for one that had nearly 90；000 miles on the clock； the chassis vibrating； rattling the tools in the back。 It was a dream； a cruel nightmare； one of those where you found yourself unable to run any further just as you took flight from some unmentionable horror or else you lost your way and never found it again。 Maybe it was himself who was having hallucinations； not his panion；
'What are you waiting for？' She had her voice back； yelled at him。 'We can go。'
I'm waiting because I don't believe it。 The snake moved； seemed to shift its entire body into a tighter coil； pressed itself up against the windscreen。 As though it knew the van was about to move and was settling itself into a secure position so that it would not be dislodged when they bumped their way back down the track。
'Here we go！' he shouted back at her at the top of his voice。 'Full speed ahead for Stainforth。'
Keith crashed the lever into bottom gear； felt the van move forward； bumping over rough ground。 There was room enough to swing it around in a circle and drive straight out； much easier than tr