A. Belyaev - Classics fantasy – 11

Jim and Ignat began to dump from the deck of a heap of boughs, needles, cones.

– Teplenko becomes to work – Ignat told after a while, wiping sweat from a face and glancing at Jim.

The black figure of the Black was already brightly lit with glow of the fire and seemed bronze.

– Yes, grows warm – Jim noticed, also stopping to take rest.

To the aid of Jim and Ignat Fokina and Kamneva came.

By ran Gritsay and told on the run:

– Nasty business. There is not enough fire extinguishing foam. Stocks are exhausted. Dubrovina does not manage to produce. Somebody help it.

Anna threw a garbage armful overboard and left.

In the wood already was light-and it is hot, as at July noon.

– Gloomy affairs, Jim – said Ignat in low tones. – Perhaps, it would be quieter us to continue a way on the airplane. At the worst from this hell one-two persons on “Dragonfly” can escape.

– Yes, perhaps, these there above will escape. – Jim showed a hand: highly over the wood “Dragon” brightly shone.

– No, and there to them it is not sweet – it continued, looking after the clouds of crimson smoke rising to “Dragon”.

At this time Ignat and Jim worked aft, near the winch to which “Dragon” was tied.

Gritsay came running and began to give a cable.

– Coils of Tests and Grinev ask to lift them higher, are roasted and choke. They hang over the fire now – explained Gritsay.

“Dragon” began to rise slowly.

The deck was cleared in time. On it sparks and golovn even more often flew. But work could not be given up for one minute: continuously new fragments, boughs, cones from the trees falling on arches and which are rolling down down collected.

Ignat approached the captain’s cabin.

– How are you doing? – he asked Simakov. – Until the end of the wood far?

– Not less than ten kilometers – the captain answered.

From a heat it was already difficult to stand on a nose. Behind “Taiga” on trunks and stubs of mowed trees sparks zmeitsya. One dry tree flared. The fire ran high absolutely close from the all-terrain vehicle. Its case more and more heated up. Was to pant. Heat amplified every minute. But any person from all crew, not excepting girls, did not show panic. Ignat joked:

– And you still were afraid, Jim that you will stiffen from cold in the north. Perhaps, here is warmer, than in your Florida.

Jim smiled, sparkling teeth.

On the deck the heap of needles, another, the third flashed… Dudin ran, filling in a flame with the fire extinguisher.

The fire cracked, hooted, howled, whistled. Birds and animals outstripped “Taiga” for a long time. Only one people conducted the last fight against a flame. They were exhausted. Dudin used deck hoses, but in a tank there was not a lot of water that it there was enough up to the end forest way. At the same time water was necessary also for cooling of motors and petrol tanks which could blow up from heating. Coils every minute reported the observations. They saw border of the wood for a long time and channelized. The border was close, but the continuous sea of fire – is even closer. Fortunately, wind was changed. Carried smoke and hot air aside. Otherwise all would choke before would devour their flame.

– I see a gleam – Ignat the thunderous voice cried.

All started, looked forward, but behind smoke nothing was visible. However Ignat was not mistaken. Only several rows of trees separated a taiga from wood border.

Filled up by sparks, choking, captives of fire continued to fight for the life, dumping the lighting-up boughs from the deck. Грицай from the water remains in a bucket ran all over people and poured over them. From clothes steam rose.

Suddenly Dudin’s shout sounded from a stern:

– Cable. “Dragon” was hooked for a tree bough. Stop. Stop the car.

These words were immediately transferred to the captain. Everyone endured heavy second of internal fight. Situation for all was clear: the delay of “Taiga” at least for several minutes can cost life everything. It is possible to escape, having only offered “Dragon” and coils. Behind on many kilometers the fiery sea stormed. And “Dragon” will inevitably fall in fire. But to allow death of companions… never. All to escape – or to die all.

– Stop.

“Taiga” stopped as the bridled horse. Dudin, having poured over itself the water remains from a bucket, pulled a cable, trying to release it.

“Be not late because of us. Save the all-terrain vehicle and crew” – wired coils.

The captain only annoyancely waved a hand. Dudin continued to wind on the winch, to release a cable. But the cable was strongly hooked for a bough. The tree already flared below. Flame fires, getting over from a branch on a branch, approached a cable. The cable will be warmed, metal will become more softly and will tear…

Everything, having forgotten about personal security, with nervousness monitored Dudin’s work. Foma, having taped heavy boots on the iron deck, disappeared in the hatch.

– Ignat, you have a revolver? – Jim asked.

Ignat trembled from this question and viewed with great concern Jim. Really at it did not sustain nerves and he wants to commit suicide? But Jim, overcoming nervousness, smiled. Ignat after short fluctuation gave the revolver to Jim. The same minute from the hatch Foma with a rifle in hands rose. The same thought came to Em and Jim to mind. They began to send to a bough a bullet behind a bullet. The bough cracked – the cable was released. All breathed a sigh of relief.

And a circle of “Taiga” the flame stormed. Heat became intolerable. It was impossible to remain further on the deck. Simakov gave the order to all to go down to the internal room of the ship. But he decided to remain on the captain’s bridge.

– Alive you will burn down – Ignat objected.

Simakov persisted.

– I have to … – Simakov choked with smoke, has a fit of coughing and reeled.

Ignat seized him with the huge ruchishcha as he of the child, and incurred to the hatch.

In a saloon Simakov regained consciousness and again tried to come to the deck. Ignat squeezed a hand of the captain and strictly told:

– Sidi, “Taiga” moves forward and itself will get out of the fire. There was a half a kilometer.

Anna Fokina dropped the head on a table. Faint… Jim rushed to it to the aid. But what he could make? Raised the zolotovolosy head of the girl, perplexed blew in a face. Dubrovina with white as at the dead person, the person being unsteady and clinging to hot walls, ran to the first-aid kit behind alcohol. But near a door itself fell.

– However business – tobacco – Foma spoke anybody without addressing.

– Hallo. You are living? – coils cabled. – “Taiga” is at edge of the wood. Remained no more…

– What is? Why he did not finish speaking? – Simakov was excited and cried in the receiver: – Testov! Testov! Hallo! Grinev! Do not answer. Really “Dragon” came off? I go on the deck – Simakov resolutely told.

Ignat saw that this time to dissuade is useless.

– Wait a moment. Before the father do not climb in a scorching heat – Foma hooted, placing hands before Simakov – I say, wait a moment, but I will knock not that. Sidi. I now…

Foma, rolling over as the bear, left and returned with a leather coat, a helmet and dark glasses soon.

– Here, put on. Yes water have a shower bath. I still preserved half-buckets. Simakov quickly put on. Foma poured over it from legs to the head.

– Now we go.

Ignat also followed them.

Hardly climbed up a hot iron ladder to the hatch. Foma, having put on leather mittens, opened the hatch. Drenched them with hot crimson smoke. Foma quickly slammed the hatch.