Owen Putman paused, then stood still in the heavy tropical heat. He used the back of his hand to wipe away the sweat-covered dirt on his brow, while he watched the huge caterpillar earthmover take gigantic swipes at the mountainside in front of them. He wanted to make sure the driver saw him, before he moved in any closer.
The man, part of Chris Galbec’s construction team, stopped the machine and stared up the slope. He had been cutting away at it with his bucket, moving tons of dirt from the side of the hill, and was waiting for the trucks to come back to get their loads.
Owen knew better than to march unannounced up to any worker on the site, so waited for the driver to acknowledge him.
“Rock!” the man yelled and pointed.
The warning, although unexpected, alerted Owen to the "rock," that barreled toward him. A huge boulder, dislodged from the top of the cliff, came tumbling down upon them, bringing smaller rocks, pieces of jungle foliage, and a shower of red dirt bouncing along with it.
Pelted by some of the smaller rocks thrown forward by the boulder, Owen raced for the earthmover and dove between the tracks. He reached it just in time to keep from being crushed, although the smaller rocks and dirt buried his right foot.
He yanked it free as his thoughts raced. Had someone found out who he was? Was this one meant for him?
The man, part of Chris Galbec’s construction team, stopped the machine and stared up the slope. He had been cutting away at it with his bucket, moving tons of dirt from the side of the hill, and was waiting for the trucks to come back to get their loads.
Owen knew better than to march unannounced up to any worker on the site, so waited for the driver to acknowledge him.
“Rock!” the man yelled and pointed.
The warning, although unexpected, alerted Owen to the "rock," that barreled toward him. A huge boulder, dislodged from the top of the cliff, came tumbling down upon them, bringing smaller rocks, pieces of jungle foliage, and a shower of red dirt bouncing along with it.
Pelted by some of the smaller rocks thrown forward by the boulder, Owen raced for the earthmover and dove between the tracks. He reached it just in time to keep from being crushed, although the smaller rocks and dirt buried his right foot.
He yanked it free as his thoughts raced. Had someone found out who he was? Was this one meant for him?
