The doctor shifted his gaze to David, who emerged from the remains of the plane. He was sitting beside his backpack, opening it and taking out his goods. Captain Shah showed him to keep the girl warm. And David got the sleeping bag for that.
The doctor shifted his gaze to the Frenchman, who was standing beside him, looking questioningly straight at him, trying to figure out what was going on. The man seemed to see right through the doctor. There was doubt and disbelief on his face.
The doctor felt a gust of cold wind and saw dark clouds coming toward them from behind the mountains. They were spreading across the sky and growing larger as they swallowed the air. The sunlight began to change, as if it were sunset. A sharp gust staggered those who were standing on their feet.
“We can carry her in the sleeping bag,” David suggested.
“We need something solid,” Jean-Pierre pondered. “A stretcher.”
The captain came out of the wreckage and nodded to the doctor. Tulu-Manchi stepped inside and leaned over to Debby.
“We have a helicopter. It has everything we need to help you,” he looked at Yulia and back at Debby. “We need to get you to the hospital, and the sooner, the better.”
“Where can we find a stretcher?” David asked Jean-Pierre.
“How far is your helicopter?” Jean-Pierre asked.
“About twenty minutes from here,” answered the doctor briefly.
Jean-Pierre felt the snowflakes start to touch his face. He looked around at everyone. Yulia was wrapping Debby in the sleeping bag. David was handing her warm clothes out of his backpack. The doctor was standing next to the military, discussing something. Anger began to grow in Jean-Pierre’s chest. He was eager for action and realized that every second of delay was a risk to Debby’s life. “If the storm starts, we’re stuck here.”
Jean-Pierre walked over to the plane and looked through the doorway. He clenched his fist, looking at Debby, then shifted his gaze to the black clouds. Then paused, staring ahead of him in thoughtfulness. A sharp gust of wind hit him in the shoulder.
The tail of the plane rattled and staggered. The people inside shrieked briefly. Jean-Pierre grabbed at the hull, trying to hold the huge wreckage in place with his own strength.
“Get out!” shouted Jean-Pierre.
“How are we going to get Debby out?” Yulia answered loudly.