Повелитель мух
Beast from Air
"Huh?"
"Nothing."
Theflamesweremasteringthebranches,thebarkwascurlingandfallingaway,thewoodexploding.Thetentfellinwardsandflungawidecircleoflightoverthemountain-top.
"Sam—"
"Huh?"
"Sam!Sam!"
SamlookedatEricirritably.TheintensityofEric’sgazemadethedirectioninwhichhelookedterrible,forSamhadhisbacktoit.Hescrambledroundthefire,squattedbyEric,andlookedtosee.Theybecamemotionless,grippedineachother’sarms,fourunwinkingeyesaimedandtwomouthsopen.
Farbeneaththem,thetreesoftheforestsighed,thenroared.Thehairontheirforeheadsflutteredandflamesblewoutsidewaysfromthefire.Fifteenyardsawayfromthemcametheploppingnoiseoffabricblownopen.
Neitheroftheboysscreamedbutthegripoftheirarmstightenedandtheirmouthsgrewpeaked.Forperhapstensecondstheycrouchedlikethatwhiletheflailingfiresentsmokeandsparksandwavesofinconstantlightoverthetopofthemountain.
Thenasthoughtheyhadbutoneterrifiedmindbetweenthemtheyscrambledawayovertherocksandfled.
