Lost Horizon by Michael Ford

Author:Michael Ford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2019-09-11T16:00:00+00:00

11

JUST AS THE SEARING heat from the flames became unbearable, the heat vanished, leaving his face tingling. He opened his eyes to see the fleet of Scorchers banking and flying back on a parallel path. Fire once again gushed over the ground below.

“Why did they stop?” asked Asha, staring at the departing drones in disbelief. Her face was covered in a sheen of sweat. The air shimmered. Smoke spiraled into the sky.

“I have no idea,” said Kobi.

Asha tilted her head. “Wait.” She crouched on the ground and poked a finger into the ashes. A tiny shrub sprang out from the dust, its delicate leaves reaching into the air.

Fionn waved his hand over the top, and it moved in time with him.

“It’s Waste infected,” rasped Yaeko, still lying on her front from when she had leaped to the ground, her lower back rising and falling as she drew deep breaths.

“Must have spread from the other side of the wall,” said Kobi.

“I don’t understand,” said Yaeko, finally finding her feet. “Aren’t the Scorchers supposed to wipe out plants like this?”

Kobi stared at the small writhing root. “Forest fires rejuvenate the ecosystem. Many plants and seeds survive fires belowground. I’m sure there are seeds everywhere under this desert waiting for the day the drones finally stop.”

“Here,” said Asha. She was bent over another small weed. Then, a few yards farther on, she found a cluster of more. They were camouflaged by a layer of sand. “All of these are Waste mutated.” She pointed back the way they had come. “I can sense the plants going off that way, back toward the city.”

Kobi checked his map and compass. “Yes, you’re right. That direction will end up at the southern end of the mountains overlooking New Seattle. It’s a direct route. We had to skirt east. That’s why we didn’t see any until now.”

“I think you’re right about CLAWS,” said Asha. “They want the Waste to spread, just enough to keep people sick. They’ve programmed the Snatchers to leave a path of plants back to the city, through which Waste can spread.”

“Kinda clever, really,” said Yaeko. “Hey, look at this. The little weeds are growing.”

Kobi looked down. The shoots were twisting up slowly. Cracks spread across the ground. Kobi could feel movement under his soles. He went still.

“What I don’t get,” said Asha, “is why these plants haven’t grown any higher if the drones have stopped burning them.”

“They have grown,” said Kobi. “Just not upward. These are Chokers. Everybody, don’t move.”

The others froze. “What do we do?” whispered Yaeko.

“When I give the word, we run—all together. Ready . . .”

The earth exploded. Chokers like giant serpent bodies writhed muscularly in a blur of green and brown, towering into the sky. Dry earth cascaded down, buffeting Kobi’s head and shoulders. He cowered under the deluge of soil, staring around for the others. He heard shouts and picked out the shapes and charged through the raining soil. He grabbed at the figures and pulled them away. They moved out of range of the falling earth but knew they weren’t safe from the Chokers.

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