Free The Monster Within by Darrell Pitt

to—
    Crash!
    They were thrown sideways. The airship lifted off again, the wind pulling it along
the ground. The firebox flew open, sending burning coals everywhere.
    ‘We need to abandon ship!’ Jack yelled.
    Hydrogen continued to leak from the balloon. The airship could still explode.
    Stumbling to the rear of the vessel, they opened the door as the airship bounced
off the ground again. It tilted as the wind dragged it across the desert. Lightning
flashed. Scarlet grabbed Jack’s arm, pointing. The ground ahead was level.
    ‘Now!’ she yelled. ‘Jump!’
    They leapt, hit the ground and went sprawling. Scarlet’s elbow connected with Jack’s
face and he saw stars. Groaning, he sat up to see Scarlet already on her feet. The
airship was still being dragged across the desert by the wind. Then the gondola snagged
on something, broke in two and the balloon exploded, casting wreckage to the wind.
    Spot fires dotted the desert. The rain fell more heavily, a drenching downpour.
    ‘Well,’ Scarlet said, collapsing next to Jack. ‘We’re landed.’
    ‘We’re landed,’ he agreed. ‘But where are we?’

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    The rain fell steadily. The dark landscape flashed with lightning and the wind howled
like a mighty beast. Jack felt like he’d been through a washing machine—and it wasn’t
over yet. He pointed to the remains of the airship. ‘Over there,’ he yelled. ‘We’ll
find some shelter.’
    They navigated the uneven ground to the shattered vessel. It had been torn apart
by the explosion, but still offered some refuge from the storm as they tucked into
a corner of what had been the roof. Jack wrapped his arms around Scarlet.
    ‘What would Blockie do at a time like this?’ Jack asked.
    ‘Probably point out that her name is not Blockie,’ Scarlet said, shivering. ‘Then suggest sleeping till dawn.’
    Jack closed his eyes
with Scarlet’s butchered hair pressed against his face. He doubted he would sleep,
but when he next opened his eyes, Scarlet was gone.
    Easing himself from the wreckage, Jack slowly stood. The sky was bright and clear.
He felt like he’d aged a hundred years. His back hurt. Both legs were sore, as was
his arm where Fleming had stabbed him with the needle. He had an enormous bump on
his head.
    They had landed in the middle of a rocky desert. Desert grass and dry rock stretched
away in all directions to pastel-coloured hills. There was no sign of civilisation:
no houses, roads or airships.
    ‘You’re awake.’
    Jack turned to find Scarlet standing a few feet away. Her clothing was a mess and
it looked like a hedge trimmer had attacked her hair—but Jack couldn’t help grinning.
    ‘I think I’m awake,’ Jack said. ‘Unless I’ve joined the zombie hordes.’
    ‘You’re not a zombie.’
    ‘No zombie would feel this bad.’
    ‘We need to get back to Alhambra. Do you still have your compass?’
    Good question. Jack patted his pockets. Yes, his parents’ locket and the compass
were still intact. The needle swung around to North .
    ‘We must be in the desert south of Granada,’ Scarlet said.
    ‘I didn’t know Spain had any deserts.’
    ‘You should read your guidebooks more carefully,’ she said. ‘It’s not sandy like
the Sahara, but it’s still hot and dry.’ She peered at the coloured hills. ‘I’d guess
that this is the Tabernas Desert.’
    ‘That’s really wonderful,’ Jack said. ‘Knowing where you’re going to die is a whole
lot nicer than dying in an unknown place.’
    ‘We’re not going to die. At least,’ she added, ‘I hope we’re not.’
    They sat back in their shelter for a few minutes to decide a course of action. Each
had a small stash of beef jerky on them. It wasn’t pleasant to eat, but it was better
than nothing. Water was going to be the biggest problem. ‘We’re lucky it rained last
night.’ Jack pointed to some small rock pools remaining on the ground. ‘Otherwise
we’d have nothing.’
    ‘Those will probably dry up within