Peril in the Snow

John Townsend

Description

The Night Raiders came without warning. They killed many and took others away. Hari's sister Maya was one of those taken and now Hari vows to find her. But Hari has more than The Night Raiders to fear. Is there a brighter future waiting out there for Hari and Maya - somewhere beyond the deadly mountains?This book is part of the Breakouts series. It is perfect for readers who have gained a bit more confidence in reading and who are after a more challenging read, but who aren't yet ready for longer, more demanding reads.

Informations

• Publié par: Ransom Publishing Limited
• Date de parution: 27 juillet 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781781279564
• Langue: English

Extrait

“ ‘Go back to your village now,’ the old monk sighed. ‘You will find nothing but danger in those mountains. It will be like searching for a single speck of gold in a vast desert of dust.’
‘I must try. I made a promise.’ ”

Contents

Title Page ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT THE CODED CLUES YETI FACTS THE HIMALAYAS CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? About the Author Copyright
ONE
They came in the night without warning. Running footsteps in the moonlight … then the dreaded smashing of doors and the roar of flames.
No one was safe.
It was Hari’s tenth birthday when The Night Raiders first struck. He was lucky that time. He woke in the night and saw red smoke rising from the next village.
There was just enough time for his family to grab some things and run to the forest. It was better to risk the tigers than face robbers from the mountains.


The next year was different. The Night Raiders struck at the start of winter, under a moonless sky. The first Hari knew they were back was when he heard his sister scream, just after midnight. He fled from his bed and ran out into the night just as the flames took hold.
For hours he hid in the hollow of a tree, with running footsteps all around in the smoke. He could only shiver in the snowy darkness until the screams finally fell silent.
In the first light of dawn, Hari stared in horror at where his home had been. All that remained were smouldering ashes in the snow. His parents and sister were nowhere to be seen.
He could only cling to the hope that they, like him, had hidden in the trees. But as the sun rose above the smoky treetops, he knew they had gone. Only later did he learn the terrible truth.
An old woman from the village told Hari what she had seen. His parents, she said sadly, had not survived the attack. His sister had been dragged away into the night. She was carried off into the mountains to become a slave of the dreaded Night Raiders.
‘You will never see her again,’ she wept.
TWO
The icy mountains rose high into the clouds beyond the rolling hills. Their snowy slopes and rocky crags stretched as far as the eye could see – before being swallowed by the mist. Hari squinted up at the nearest peaks and the soaring vultures overhead.
‘Mount Everest must be somewhere over there,’ he pointed. ‘My father said it is the very top of the world. My sister dreamed of seeing “the face of Sagarmāthā”, as it is called. That was before they took her away. Now she must see it all the time in her nightmares. She’s somewhere up there – and I’ve got to find her.’
‘Go back to your village now,’ the old monk sighed. ‘You will find nothing but danger in those mountains. It will be like searching for a single speck of gold in a vast desert of dust.’
‘I must try. I made a promise.’
Hari stared towards the towering Himalayas from the steps of a temple where he’d spent the night. ‘I have to find Maya. She needs me.’
The monk gazed into the distance. ‘Those mountains have killed men far greater than you, my boy. They are cruel monsters. And so are the bandits that hide in their shadows.’
‘They are the same bandits that kidnapped my sister. They are The Night Raiders of my village. If they found us, then I can find them. That is why I am on my way to climb into the clouds to get her back. I must look after her and take her to safety. You may think I will struggle with my bad foot, but I was born with this deformed ankle and I am used to walking with a stick. I have already come many miles, so I will not give up now.’
The monk looked into Hari’s wide eyes and slowly shook his head.
‘It is too much of a risk. There are wild creatures up there. There are raging ice storms that strike in an instant. Deep crevices open in the darkness and swallow you in their icy jaws. Or avalanches bury you forever under their crushing roar. It is no place to be alone – especially for a disabled child. And most of all, there are dangerous beasts. Beware the giant hairy savage of the snows, ape-men of the ice. If you are wise, you will go home to your parents while you can.’
‘I have no home or parents now. The bandits killed my parents and others in our village.