Mike Dixon

He dived in and struck out. His main problem was to make
contact. There would be no second try if he missed. The current
would carry him out to sea and it would take an eternity
to get back. He fastened his eyes on the plane and struggled
to remain on course.
Contact came with bruising efficiency. His feet rammed
into the tail and he was carried along the fuselage to a wing.
People were struggling inside. He saw them through the
misted window and yanked at the emergency exit as fists
hammered on the other side.
What followed came as a surprise. His thoughts were on
rescue. Others had different ideas. The exit popped open and
the big man came out fighting. He jabbed David on the shin
and pushed him from the wing. The current welled up and he
was struggling to hang on when a face appeared beside him.
Janet rose up from the water like an avenging angel and
mounted an attack. Blows rained down and the big man was
cast to the current. David climbed onto the wing and plucked
Anne from the plane. Someone tried to hold her back and
was kicked in the face. He wrapped his arms round the child
and fell into the water with her.
His world was a blur when he got to shore. He guessed he
had lost both contact lenses and spent some time probing his
eyes for them. One was beneath an eyelid and he pushed it
into place. The other was lost. He didn‟t care. He‟d achieved
his objective. Janet and Noelene were wading ashore with
Harald and the pilot. Humphrey and the old Dutchman were
plodding towards the control shed with Anne. He ran after
them and picked up the child.
„Uncle David!‟ She put an arm around his neck. „Uncle
Humph knows some men who have a plane. They‟re going to
come and fetch us. Then I‟m going to get on another plane
and fly to London to see mummy.‟
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