Outcast by Chris Ryan
Author:Chris Ryan [Ryan, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zaffre Publishing
Twelve
Carter waited to die.
A second ticked by.
Then another.
Nothing happened.
He stood very still. Wondered what the fuck was going on.
Anti-personnel mines were normally triggered by a pressure plate fixed to the surface of the mine. Once you stepped on the plate, the downward weight rammed the firing pin into the detonator, triggering the explosion. As soon as Carter had placed his right boot firmly on the mine, it should have kicked off. Right now, he thought, I should be lying on the ground clawing at a bleeding stump.
Which could mean one of three things.
Either Iâve stepped on a dud, or this is an old mine.
Or itâs something else.
He heard footsteps at his six oâclock as Sharza approached him. âBrother?â he asked. âAre you OK? Why have we stopped?â
âStay back,â Carter said urgently. âDonât come any closer.â
He swallowed hard. Carter lowered his eyes to the ground and carefully scanned the patch of trampled soil around his right boot. Looking for any signs of recent disturbance. He couldnât see anything. Whatever heâd stepped on might have been in the ground for a long time. Years. Maybe longer. Planted by the Northern Alliance during their long war against the Taliban, perhaps.
But he was speculating. He couldnât know for sure. Not until he took his foot off the plate.
âWhatâs going on?â Sharza asked, stepping closer.
Carter swallowed again and said, âMove away from me, mate. Slowly. Do exactly as I say.â
âWhat for?â
âIâve stepped on something.â
He looked over his shoulder. He saw Sharza standing four metres away, eyes as wide as frisbees.
Sharza said, âYou are .â.â. sure?â
âI heard a definite click. Something was armed, but it didnât go off for whatever reason. Iâm guessing itâs either a dud or an old model.â
Sharza edged back from Carter, blinking rapidly.
âListen carefully,â Carter went on, trying to mask the tension in his voice. âIf this thing detonates, itâll take my leg clean off. Iâm going to need your help. Understand?â
Sharza nodded quickly and licked his lips. âWhat do you want me to do?â
âIâm going to take off my belt and throw it to you. Youâll have to use it as a tourniquet. If the mine blows, get that belt around the stump of my leg and pull it tight to stop the flow of blood. Thereâs no way youâll be able to help me back to the wagon from here, so youâll have to keep the leg elevated until help arrives.â
âBut we are very far from the hospital.â
Carter said, âIâve got a satphone. Iâll throw it to you. Thereâs a number stored in the address book. Call it once youâve secured the tourniquet and tell the person on the other end of the line whatâs happened. Theyâll send an emergency medevac to get me out. Got it?â
âYes,â Sharza replied quickly. âOK.â
Carter closed his eyes momentarily and steadied his breathing.
He had a decision to make.
He could assume the mine was defective, remove his foot and simply hope for the best. Or he could rake away the surrounding dirt to see what was underneath.
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