9789127420076

Polar Fish

– a story of friendship A wall of snow rushes down the mountain. It leaves Sophia trapped in a frozen world with three friends.

The storms are coming in fast. The cold is creeping in on them – and unbelievable things are happening.

Have you ever thought that you were going to die? Have you ever seen something that shouldn’t exist?

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

ISBN 978-91-27-42007-6

9 789127 420076

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Andy Coombs 10-06-09 10.54.42

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The moment A moment. Just one in a million. A billion.

Eight students from Europe, a teacher and a guide climbing down a mountain. They climbed the mountain at dawn and now the guide wants to get them back to camp. He stops and squints into the sky. He doesn’t need to radio camp to know a storm is coming. A big one. He checks his watch.

It’s 11.00 a.m. If they are quick he can have them at camp by 3.

The snow has started falling. The students are split into two groups. Four with the teacher and four with the guide. The guide’s group is a hundred metres or so further down. And then the moment.

A sound. A crack.

Sophia looks back up the mountain. The snow is moving. Like water it flows. Small stones bounce 3

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over her head. Avalanche. She says the word quietly. And then shouts it out. Avalanche!

She almost laughs. The word is ridiculous. Small.

And achieves nothing.

Leon in front of her turns to look. His eyes widen. He takes the word. Repeats it. Sophia sees two of the other students and the teacher, Frau Meier, turn as well. The teacher yells something.

It could have been ‘run’ or ‘get down’. It doesn’t make a difference. Sophia looks at the moving snow. She sees a tree – uprooted by the snow – sliding towards her on its side. Below her – the other group has not yet noticed – has not even turned round.

She spins back to the wall of snow rushing towards her. Her body wants to run. To fight. But there is nowhere to run to and nothing to fight.

Her mind knows this. In that moment – that one in a billion – there is nothing she can do. And the knowledge slows her breathing and slows the time around her. Her eyes see every rock bouncing.

Every puff of snow as its powder explodes into the air.

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The sound hits her first. The sound of continents moving. Of moons exploding. She gets to her knees and puts her arms over her head. And then nature strikes her and she is falling. Twisting.

Sounds and thunder. Her legs over her. Under her.

Sophia rolls. She is pushed and beaten and pulled.

5

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Polar Fish

– a story of friendship A wall of snow rushes down the mountain. It leaves Sophia trapped in a frozen world with three friends.

The storms are coming in fast. The cold is creeping in on them – and unbelievable things are happening.

Have you ever thought that you were going to die? Have you ever seen something that shouldn’t exist?

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

ISBN 978-91-27-42007-6

9 789127 420076

yellow_eyes.indd 1

Andy Coombs 10-06-09 10.54.42