room... ' Her hands were gripping hard the edge of the dresssing table.
Mr Oak and Mr Quill did not reply.
'Did you hear what I - '
Maggie did not finish her sentence. Her eyes suddenly flicked straight past the two intruders, to the open doorway. A wall of bubbling white foam and seaweed was pushing its way into the room. Maggie was too chilled with fear to speak. All she could do was to look on helplessly as the advance guard of the foam and weed began to snake its way across the room in her direction.
Mr Oak and Mr Quill took a few steps towards Maggie, then stopped within just a few feet of her. Both their faces were fixed with almost identical grins.
Maggie tried to scream. But she was stopped abruptly, as Mr Oak and Mr Quill simultaneously took a deep breath, and opened their mouths as wide as they could. Then, in unison, they exhaled straight at Maggie. The sound they made was eerie and terrifying. It was the sound of hissing gas.
Maggie was immediately overcome by the fumes. She tried desperately to scream, but couldn't.
The bubbling white foam and weed was drawing closer and closer...
Maggie was clutching her throat, coughing, spluttering. Shc couldn't breathe.
Mr Oak and Mr Quill were immovable, like marble statues.
The hissing sounds of gas fumes was still pouring out from their wide-open mouths.
Maggie was losing control, and could hold on no longer. As she slumped to the floor, she grabbed at the dressing table, scattering the contents all around her.
As the wall of foam and seaweed drew closer and closer to Maggie's lifeless body, the sound of hissing gas continued unabated from the wide-open mouths of Mr Oak and Mr Quill...
Somewhere along a lonely stretch of beach, the hissing sound of gas continued. This time however, it was being released from the valve on top of the giant pipeline tube.
The hissing sound suddenly stopped. The valve was closed.
5
Waiting in the Dark
'It's down!' The Chief Engineer raised his fist triumphantly, after checking the pressure gauge on the wall of the Impeller Area.
The needle was wavering to and fro frantically. 'The pressure in the pipeline - it's back to normal!'
A great cheer went up from the group of engineers who were watching anxiously.
'Congratulations, Mr Robson,' said van Lutyens with relief. 'I would not have thought you could have done it.'
Robson was glowing with self-confidence after the success of his decision to open the valve and release gas from the beach section of the pipeline. 'If you have too much gas in the tube, get rid of it!' he scowled bombastically. 'Didn't they ever teach you that in Training School back at the Hague, Mr van Lutyens?'
The Dutchman refused to answer. He had become immune to Robson's petty insults. Robson grinned, then turned to one of the engineers. 'Inform Baxter at Control Rig that the immediate crisis is over. And contact the other rig chiefs.'
The engineer rushed off to pass on the messages. Robson and van Lutyens followed him out to the Control Hall, stopping at the observation platform to check various pressure gauges.
'What about the feed-out to the receiving stations?' asked the Dutchman. 'It's still dropping.' Robson ignored him and started tapping one of the gauges. The Dutchman persisted. 'The impeller is still slowing down...'
Robson suddenly lost his cool again. 'What's the matter with you, van Lutyens?' he growled. 'You've been trying to teach me my job ever since you came here. I've been drilling for gas out there in the North Sea most of my life. I don't need people like you, or Harris, to teach me how to do it!'
'Mr Robson!' Price was calling urgently from the Control Cone. There was a touch of hysteria in Price's voice. 'It's Rig C, sir.
We can't raise them!'
Robson hurried across to the Cone, followed by van Lutyens.
'What d'you mean you can't raise them?' snapped Robson, as he looked at the video monitor screen used for contact with Rig C. It was streaked with distorted,
Mr Oak and Mr Quill did not reply.
'Did you hear what I - '
Maggie did not finish her sentence. Her eyes suddenly flicked straight past the two intruders, to the open doorway. A wall of bubbling white foam and seaweed was pushing its way into the room. Maggie was too chilled with fear to speak. All she could do was to look on helplessly as the advance guard of the foam and weed began to snake its way across the room in her direction.
Mr Oak and Mr Quill took a few steps towards Maggie, then stopped within just a few feet of her. Both their faces were fixed with almost identical grins.
Maggie tried to scream. But she was stopped abruptly, as Mr Oak and Mr Quill simultaneously took a deep breath, and opened their mouths as wide as they could. Then, in unison, they exhaled straight at Maggie. The sound they made was eerie and terrifying. It was the sound of hissing gas.
Maggie was immediately overcome by the fumes. She tried desperately to scream, but couldn't.
The bubbling white foam and weed was drawing closer and closer...
Maggie was clutching her throat, coughing, spluttering. Shc couldn't breathe.
Mr Oak and Mr Quill were immovable, like marble statues.
The hissing sounds of gas fumes was still pouring out from their wide-open mouths.
Maggie was losing control, and could hold on no longer. As she slumped to the floor, she grabbed at the dressing table, scattering the contents all around her.
As the wall of foam and seaweed drew closer and closer to Maggie's lifeless body, the sound of hissing gas continued unabated from the wide-open mouths of Mr Oak and Mr Quill...
Somewhere along a lonely stretch of beach, the hissing sound of gas continued. This time however, it was being released from the valve on top of the giant pipeline tube.
The hissing sound suddenly stopped. The valve was closed.
5
Waiting in the Dark
'It's down!' The Chief Engineer raised his fist triumphantly, after checking the pressure gauge on the wall of the Impeller Area.
The needle was wavering to and fro frantically. 'The pressure in the pipeline - it's back to normal!'
A great cheer went up from the group of engineers who were watching anxiously.
'Congratulations, Mr Robson,' said van Lutyens with relief. 'I would not have thought you could have done it.'
Robson was glowing with self-confidence after the success of his decision to open the valve and release gas from the beach section of the pipeline. 'If you have too much gas in the tube, get rid of it!' he scowled bombastically. 'Didn't they ever teach you that in Training School back at the Hague, Mr van Lutyens?'
The Dutchman refused to answer. He had become immune to Robson's petty insults. Robson grinned, then turned to one of the engineers. 'Inform Baxter at Control Rig that the immediate crisis is over. And contact the other rig chiefs.'
The engineer rushed off to pass on the messages. Robson and van Lutyens followed him out to the Control Hall, stopping at the observation platform to check various pressure gauges.
'What about the feed-out to the receiving stations?' asked the Dutchman. 'It's still dropping.' Robson ignored him and started tapping one of the gauges. The Dutchman persisted. 'The impeller is still slowing down...'
Robson suddenly lost his cool again. 'What's the matter with you, van Lutyens?' he growled. 'You've been trying to teach me my job ever since you came here. I've been drilling for gas out there in the North Sea most of my life. I don't need people like you, or Harris, to teach me how to do it!'
'Mr Robson!' Price was calling urgently from the Control Cone. There was a touch of hysteria in Price's voice. 'It's Rig C, sir.
We can't raise them!'
Robson hurried across to the Cone, followed by van Lutyens.
'What d'you mean you can't raise them?' snapped Robson, as he looked at the video monitor screen used for contact with Rig C. It was streaked with distorted,
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