The Cloud Maker (2010) Read Online Free

wrist. He pulled as hard as he could while Bill struggled to gain purchase, his crampons clawing over the dark rock. Long seconds passed before he managed to worm his way far enough on to the ledge. Then he collapsed, flat on his back, the only sound the heaving of his chest.
    ‘Mate, are you OK?’
    Even behind his goggles, Luca could see the sick exhaustion in Bill’s eyes. He looked pale and utterly spent, as if each hour’s climb had gradually leached a little more colour from his blood.
    ‘You OK?’ Luca repeated, automatically gathering up the last few coils of rope. Already he felt his gaze being drawn back to the pyramid. ‘You’ve got to check out this mountain, Bill. I’ve never seen anything like it.’
    Bill opened his mouth to answer, but was suddenly hit by a bout of hacking coughs. Luca turned back in time to see his head loll to one side, a string of bloody spittle stretching from his lips. The lack of oxygen in his blood had started to turn his lips mauve.
    ‘Shit,’ said Luca softly, and then as he saw Bill slowly close his eyes, he raised his voice.
    ‘Bill . . . you have to stay awake.’
    Bill remained motionless, his eyes shut tight.
    The throbbing in his head was unbearable, even the smallest movement threatened to split his temples, paralysing him with pain. For hours he had tried to fight it, but now even his vision was starting to blur.
    ‘Head is killing me,’ he managed. ‘The altitude . . . we’re climbing too fast.’
    ‘How bad is it?’
    It took Bill a few seconds to muster the energy to speak. When he did it came out as little more than a murmur.
    ‘I can’t see so well.’
    Luca swore before turning and looking up the sheer wall of ice.
    The summit ridge was no more than half an hour’s climb above them. The weather was absolutely perfect – low winds, good visibility. This expedition had been months in the planning, and now here they were in the perfect position – the mountain was offering itself on a plate.
    ‘Bill, listen. I’m going to tie you to the ledge just here, only for an hour or so, and go for the summit. You’ll be all right, I promise.’
    Somewhere in his exhausted brain, Bill processed these words. He raised his head to speak then another bout of coughing convulsed through him, his chest rising and falling like a fish thrown on to dry land.
    After a moment his body went limp and he slowly turned his head aside to spit a thick globule of phlegm on to the nearby rock.
    ‘You . . . can’t leave,’ he hissed.
    He opened his eyes, squinting through the pain.
    ‘Don’t . . . fucking . . . leave,’ he repeated.
    Bill tried to focus through the fog of his thoughts. He had to stay awake, had to fight the crippling lethargy. The seconds stretched. He felt his consciousness dip and the darkness drag at him. For the longest time, nothing happened. All he could hear was the noise of his own chest, heaving up and down. There was nothing except the blackness clouding the edges of his vision, slowly sinking in on him.
    ‘Luca . . . please.’
    Bill’s voice was nothing more than a pathetic murmur, his last thoughts fading on his swollen lips. Then, somewhere through the haze, he saw Luca’s silhouette move closer until he was standing directly overhead. Bill felt a hand on the front of his climbing harness and his body being hoisted forward towards the edge of the cliff.
    He reached up, trying to grab on to Luca’s arm. He was balanced right over the long drop of the cliff beneath.
    When Luca finally spoke, frustration thickened his voice.
    ‘Come on then. Let’s get the hell out of here.’

Chapter 3

    There was no natural light, only a collection of squat candles connected by long rivulets of syrupy wax. From their flames came a low aureole of light, illuminating the outline of five seats carved directly into the stone walls.
    The seats were arranged in a semi-circle, following the natural shape of the chamber. All but the middle one