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Will Bonner<br />

covered with pine needles, like a continuous hessian carpet, which made walking<br />

easy. With his back to the position of the ship Will headed towards where he<br />

thought the main road to Williamsburg would be, where later on in the morning, he<br />

hoped to find a convenience store. After awhile it became quite warm, and with<br />

his clothes now almost dry, he was beginning to enjoy his new found freedom from<br />

the confines of the ship.<br />

The road appeared quite suddenly, it's presence masked by the density of the<br />

trees which continued to it's very edge. Will looked left and then right, realizing<br />

that he was on a long bend. Wisps of white water vapour rose an inch or so above<br />

the surface, due to the heat from the sun. Looking in the direction of the sun Will<br />

turned his back to it and began to walk north towards Williamsburg, but after<br />

walking for more than two hours he had seen nothing but forest.<br />

There had been no motor vehicles or any other signs of life on the road, and<br />

approaching a fallen tree on the side of the forest Will sat down for a bite to eat,<br />

and to decide whether to go on, or return to the ship. He had marked his exit from<br />

the trees and knew that he would have to get back to the position where he could<br />

sight the ship, before it got dark.<br />

Finishing off his cheese roll he had decided to walk on for about an hour, and<br />

then retrace his steps. Preparing to move off, he became aware of a motor vehicle<br />

approaching, and felt the sudden impulse to run into the forest which was only<br />

yards away. It may be a local, and I could find out more about the area, he<br />

thought. As the vehicle came into view he realized the mistake he had made.<br />

It was a military jeep with four American servicemen inside and within a few<br />

seconds it pulled up amid a shower of stones on the side of the road, some yards<br />

from him.<br />

They were military police and Will swallowed in nervous anticipation. The<br />

driver and front seat passenger were young men around Will's age, but the two in<br />

the rear seat were much older. All were wearing sidearms and batons.<br />

The two older men leapt from the vehicle as though a state of emergency<br />

existed, both were short and heavy types. One had a face that looked as though<br />

it had been trampled on, heavily jowled, with a flat broad nose that resembled a<br />

gorilla. The other looked handsome in comparison, but it soon became apparent<br />

who was in charge. The gorilla man spoke in a rich southern American accent.<br />

"What are you doing here?"<br />

82

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