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d at him crazily； those groans escalating into screams。 Back to reality； she was in unbelievable pain； probably dying。
Take it easy。' What a bloody stupid thing to say。 He began to smooth his fingers over her rain washed slippery flesh； probing for an injury of some kind； a swelling maybe。 Anything。 And all the time she rained blows on him； caught him full in the face and he tasted blood in his mouth。
She was writhing； jerking； sobbing； and in the end he caught her wrists； had to kneel on her to prevent her from twisting out of his grip。 What the hell do I do now； slap her across the face？ Assaulted by a police officer at the scene of the accident； attempted rape。 Christ； Sarge； where the hell are you just when I need you most？
But Bufton had gone off into the rain and smoke； doing what hardened experienced officers do at the scene of motorway carnage。 You're on your own； copper。
The girl was desperately trying to tug free of her captor； managed to drag a hand away and those fingers shot back to her belly just above the triangle of pubic hair。 The moment she made contact with the flesh her lips parted to emit a piercing shriek of pain。
'What happened？' the policeman had to shout to make himself heard above the screams from around him and the banshee…like noises of the ambulances which were nosing their way down the slip road。 'What happened？'
She muttered something and he bent his head low in an attempt to hear； half thought that she might attempt to bite him。 Her lips were moving again； frothy with saliva； grinding her teeth。
'Bitten。' She got the word out and there was no mistaking the sheer terror in her rolling eyes。
He stared at her； let the word sink in。 It was nonsense。
'Bitten？' His mouth was close to her ear； shouting。 'Bitten by what； for Christ's sake？'
The expression of terror was back on her pallid features； her eyes rolling。 Her head moved from side to side； and the hands which had punched him now clutched at him。 Her lips were moving again； fighting the pain to get the word out。
'Snakes？'
She was delirious of course。 She had to be。 'Take it easy； I'll try and get you to an ambulance。'
She groaned and her body went as taut as a steel hawser； took the strain and then reached breaking point。 She came off the ground like an uncoiling spring； convulsing so that her spine was in terrible danger of snapping； a landed fish desperate to flap its way back to the water。 She hit the ground； rolled； came up to her knees in a grotesque； unnatural posture； dug her fingers deep into the flesh of her lower stomach as though she were intent on clawing out some cancerous growth。
Pain and terror； doubled up yet jerking her head from side to side； peering fearfully into the darkness with eyes that bulged unnaturally。 Bazeley watched； helpless。 Where the fuck were the ambulances？ There was one stopped about fifty yards away； some a little further down； stretcher…bearers hardly knowing who to take first。
'Hey！' he called out； but gave up。 Even if they heard him； which they weren't likely to in all this din； they wouldn't be taking orders from a rookie copper。 You're wasting your time； maybe if you carry her across to them they'll have to put her in one of the ambulances。
He turned back to her； saw that her fit had subsided； she lay slumped on the ground； muscles quivering after the strain。 Her eyes were closed but they flickered open as he knelt beside her。
'Relax； I'm going to try and carry you to one of the ambulances。'
'It's no good。' She tried to smile and in her expression he read a resignation to death。 'I'm 。。。 done for。 Snakes。。。 lots of them 。 。 。 loose on the motorway。'
'We'll round 'em up afterwards；' he said； sliding an arm under her buttocks； another behind her shoulders。 'Now easy does it。'
He lifted her up； stood a moment to get his balance and that was when he felt her go limp。 Her head fell back； arms dropped and dangled。 Oh God； no！ His dilemma arose from his inexperience： should he lay her down again； give her the kiss of life； or should he hurry to one of those ambulances； let the experts in first aid take over？ He chose the latter。
God； this had to be hell； it could not be happening anywhere else。 Flames were raging where vehicles had caught fire； a thick pall of smoke reduced visibility still further and the rain lashed you mercilessly。 And mingled with the choking atmosphere were the screams of the injured； blasphemous curses thrown at ambulancemen and policemen because they could not be everywhere at the same time。 She's dead； a little voice inside PC Bazeley whispered； bitten by a snake； died in excruciating pain。 You couldn't have done anything for her。 Damn it； she's only passed out； fainted with agony。 And one place you won't find snakes is on an English motorway。 Get that into your thick skull before you go crazy。
The smoke was being thicker； burning tyres scaring your lungs； smarting your eyes。 There was an ambulance not too far away； even this evil vapour could not screen its flashing beacon。 Head that way。 And hurry。
A hose was stretched across the road between some mangled cars； he sensed it rather than saw it； and went to step over it； swore as he stumbled； almost fell and dropped his burden。 Damn； it wasn't easy in these conditions； your judgement was impaired。 That fucking hose 。 。 。
Something encircled his left leg； tightened。 He kicked at it with his right foot； stared down in disbelief； felt the hairs on the back of his neck start to prickle。 That hose； it had coiled； had trapped his leg with such pressure that it was already beginning to cut off the circulation。 The firemen must be rolling it out and it had bee lodged on some obstruction； kicked back。
It moved again； a flexible thing that came alive； whipped upwards and threw itself around his waist； he felt the pressure on his ribs； a constriction that threatened to crush and break them。
An inarticulate cry of terror escaped him as he saw the end of the hose in silhouette； a small slender head with eyes that shone redly in the glow from the burning vehicles。 It shifted； secured an even tighter hold that virtually halted his breathing and looped round him again； pinioning his arms。
Mark Bazeley screamed but nobody heard him。 His second shriek was merely a wheeze as his supply of air was cut off。 The girl fell from his arms； thudded lifelessly on to the tarmac and sprawled full length； death sparing her this fresh horror。
The policeman realised only too well what it was that was swiftly crushing his bones and throttling the life out of him。 He'd seen the species at the zoo； watched it in more spectacular settings on the television。 He thought； oh my God； the girl was telling the truth！ This can't be happening。
His ribs cracked and he knew that it was。 Breathless； tasting blood； a roaring in his ears and his vision blurred and streaked with crimson as he felt himself being pulped。 Consciousness was slipping from him； he had given up struggling； just wondered with his last thoughts where the sarge was。
The python relaxed its hold the moment it felt its prey go limp； uncoiled itself with amazing rapidity for its eighteen…foot length。 Wary but hungry； capable of devouring a waterbuck； it began to swallow the corpse。 There were other bodies it could have taken more easily but it was primarily a hunter and only ate its own kill。
The creature was confused； frightened by the noise and the smell of fire and now that its hunger was satisfied its instinct was to find a place of safety。 A strange land of artificial surfaces； yet beyond these were grass and trees； and something else which it had never before known and yet had craved for freedom。
Chapter 4
THE TALL police superintendent had all the hallmarks of one who had not slept in 36 hours。 His sallow face was etched with lines； there were discoloured puffy patches beneath his red…rimmed eyes。 Tight…lipped he consulted a sheaf of papers on the desk before him in the temporary headquarters which had hastily been installed adjoining the small police station in the sleepy little village of Stainforth。
The set…up； the procedure； were all too familiar。 Last summer a child had gone missing； it had taken them a week to find her body buried on the extensive moorland。 Before that it had been a gunman holding an elderly couple hostage； and it had taken the police three days to talk him into surrendering。 Now Stainforth would be in the public eye。
A crisis。 You dropped routine work； devoted yourself mentally and physically to it； snatched food and sleep if you got the chance； if not； you drew on every bodily reserve until you dropped。 This time it was different； oh Christ it was something you didn't expect ever to e across except in far…fetched movies。 Dangerous snakes were on the loose in a countryside which was tailor…made for them…moorlands； woodlands…and there was a heat wave to keep them alive。 A snap of cold weather would in all prob