THE CHASM

THE CHASM   By Tess a Harvey     Part Three- Awesome Fire     Dylan stood close to the other firefighters. They had soaked the old stone building and as much of the surrounding hard-baked earth as possible, and held some water in reserve. Another truck had joined them, the man and woman, tired and scorched, but determined to stand and fight.   Apart from the terrible roar of the fire, it was quiet.     All around, on every side, the fire raged. It was hard to breathe. Smoke swirled, embers flared and died on the sodden ground. There were seventy-three men, women and children in the school. Most were holding loved ones close, some were praying. Nearly all were silent, even the children. All other life had gone.      The fire, that monstrous dragon, as almost upon them.     Emery Henderson came outside. "Everything ok in there?" the senior firefighter asked. Emery nodded, then gazed, appalled at the leaping fury all around t...

THE CHASM  By Tessa Harvey     The firefighters had managed to sleep a few hours in a small staff room at the school. They had been temporarily stood down and ordered to rest. They had not needed much urging.     One of the fire watchers came to wake them, accompanied by her four year old daughter. The little girl looked at them. "Are you going to help us?" she asked. "I can see the monster far away, but it is roaring - and spitting sparks." She said the last two words with a lot of emphasis on the 's', then sucked her thumb, looking at them carefully. "Sure," one of the men said, "we got lotsa water." He flexed his biceps for good measure. The others laughed a little.     Dylan looked at the firie, chewing on a warm bacon sandwich, gulping down thick coffee. He looked at the awesome flames and thought of the young bloke that looked like him. If they came through this, he would visit the school. Meanwhile he sent a text, asking Ari to pra...

THE CHASM   By Tessa Harvey     Emery drew back his fist to hit the young firefighter and found his arm held firmly by the curve of a sturdy walking stick, his wife on the warpath.     "Emery John Henderson, stop right there! Do not touch these young heroes or so help me, I will not cook you a morsel for a month! Just think - no more fried mushrooms!" The older man, still muttering, lowered his arm. His wife limped forward, diminutive, but feisty, despite her grey curls. "And," Betty continued, "I saw you check that old stump after the campers had gone. How could they see anything if you could not? Eh!"     "Sorry guys," she turned to face the young men who looked so tired and dishevelled, soot and ash-stained. "Come inside the hall - soup, hot drinks, sausages, sandwiches." The younger man left, hungrily, but Dylan was staring. "Who did you see? I have only an uncle left...."     His mobile beeped. It was a text from Sandra a...

THE CHASM   By Tessa Harvey     Gavin's great-grandfather had been in charge of a German camp for undesirables. These people needed to be kept in check. He was very proud of his heritage.     Gavin did not much like his French sounding name. Perhaps he could convince Dylan to change it back to Sturm, his mother's name. He must leave a pure legacy. Only his nephew remained.     At that moment, Dylan was driving a firetruck down a twisting forested trail. What had initially been a training exercise had suddenly become a cataclysm of fire now causing immense devastation.      His young partner was very nervous, had asked to be dropped off at his family's place to help defend the property. But the training was for two firefighters. The fire around them was not too severe at present, but then the wind roared and a wall of flame soared . They had to go back somehow.     Dylan had only one option. Retreat. Carefully, he reversed the f...

THE CHASM By Tessa Harvey     Ariella hopped off the bus,   so happy to be coming home at last. She had settled well into college and eventually, at her parents' earnest pleading, changed her surname to McDermott. "It was your grandmother's name before marriage. Please, dear, do this for us," Esther asked, softly. "Anti-semitism is very bad now, Ariella, and you still have your faith, your belief in God," Daniel added.     Feeling cowardly, Ariella had reluctantly agreed, but knew nothing could ever lose her faith.     Her parents were delighted to have her home for a few days, but she noticed how much older and more frail they looked, even after a few months.     Ariella began telling them a funny story. Then there was a loud knocking. She was quickly on her feet. She smiled at her parents. "I'll go."     Shutting the lounge door behind her to keep out the cold, the young woman opened the front door.     It was Mr. Dufaye...

THE CHASM  By Tessa Harvey     Dylan was bent over a coffee table, carefully scooping out a clever design of a kookaburra bird on a gum tree branch. It looked really good. When he finished, he would varnish the table, bringing out the rich dark colour and swirls of the mahogany. A molded glass top would finish the job. One of the other carpenters came to watch.     "Looks good," he smiled. Dylan was pleased also. The two men had bought into part-ownership of the carpentry shop. Up to now, the work they finished enabled them to continue with the business, but slowly they were making a steady profit.      Mike sighed, straightening his back. The men both loved the work, the smell and feel of wood.     Dylan's phone rang loudly. "Aghh!" he sighed. "Fire duty! Sandra won't be happy. Will you close up, Mike?"     Sandra saw Dylan's text and was furious. She knew he had to work. They both did. But this volunteer fire stuff was ridicu...

THE CHASM  By Tessa Harvey     The squall swept in from the south-east, thunder cracking, lightning flashes lighting the earth as Emery Henderson clumped across the paddock in his thick gumboots.     The cold rain soaked him in seconds. He felt the fierceness of the storm as he examined the old stump, where those dratted campers had lit their fire. Emery had asked them to make a ring of stones for their fire, so any fire could be easily checked.     Picking up an old stick he stirred the sodden ashes. Nothing - just an acrid smell which rose over the fresh tang of eucalyptus. He checked carefully, watching. Nothing. The squall eased. Dead brown grass dripped, faded summer flowers bent bedraggled to the earth. Emery turned for home and breakfast. Betty would have it ready - eggs, bacon, toast, lovely fragrances.     He would lift and store the potatoes today. But far down in the old stump, a dragon tail twitched, a fierce red eye opened.... ...