It was perhaps the most dramatic scene she had ever witnessed in her life, grandeur that took her breath away. Its size was staggering and had she been with a companion it would have been impossible to hold a conversation. Even the noise was on a magnificent scale.
She was too close. She realised that at once and she looked round impatiently to find a spot where the camera could do justice to this striking scene. Fortunately the basin stretched for some way and, turning, she drove slowly back until she could turn from the road and drive across rough ground to the edge of the river.
Here, there was an astonishing haven of tranquillity. The river seemed to spare a moment to recover from the shock of the falling water; it swirled in to the bank, rippling across shingle and red earth, crystal clear and dazzling in the sun. From the bank she could turn and take shots of the falls in peace because now the noise was less intense.
She settled to her task, ignoring the heat and her thirst, promising herself a drink when she had finished, promising herself too the luxury of a few moments dabbling her feet in the clear water. She was utterly absorbed, spellbound, her face filled with the excitement of the shots, her mind seeing the television camera's final scanning of this. Perspiration slid down her face but she ignored it, finally sighing with satisfaction and turning back to the car for her drink and packed lunch, the whole thing more than worth the effort..
The sight that met her eyes as she turned chilled her even in the heat. The car was axle deep in the earth. What she had taken to be the hard sunbaked earth of a river bank was in fact some sort of quicksand, not unusual in this sort of terrain. It was not deep and dangerous but the weight of the car had been enough to activate the slow drag down.
The danger was all too real. It was the danger of being here alone, a few sandwiches, a soft drink and then what? Natalie remembered the last part of her drive, the narrow track, the enclosing jungle. She would have to walk back, risking anything she might face en route. Kip had made sure that her car was mechanically sound. He hadn't reckoned on sheer stupidity. Nobody would look for her until much later, in fact, she might not even be missed until morning. For days she had been wandering around until late evening, often eating in her room. The people at the hotel were quite accustomed to her odd hours.
Natalie opened the car door and sat disconsolately on the seat, her eyes staring unseeingly at the river and the mighty falls, her feet out of the car. She jumped up and moved hastily as the soft earth began to drag stealthily at her feet, already submerging the soles of her track shoes.
She sprang away from the car and turned on harder ground to see that it had sunk even further. One thing was sure. She couldn't lock herself inside it as evening came and sit it out hoping to be rescued. She would never sleep because now she had no idea how deep the quicksand went.
She was staring at the car, her face slick with perspiration, her shirt sticking to her back, when unbelievably she heard the sound of an approaching vehicle. For a minute she was dazed and then she ran out to the track, waving her arms frantically, a frisson of unease sliding over her when she saw a Land Rover coming at speed and recognised the furious driver.
Kip stopped right beside her and she could see that rage was beating inside him as he sprang out and bore down on her with an air of menace that almost had her backing off.
'You stupid little fool! You're no more capable of looking after yourself than a disobedient child!' He grabbed her arms and yanked her forward, ignoring her distress. 'Have you ho more sense than to come up here alone? Do you imagine I've got nothing better to do with my time than to chase all over keeping an eye on you?'
He looked as if he was going to shake her and she was so upset that she wouldn't have resisted if he had. He seemed to get a grip on himself though and let her go, turning away in disgust.
'Get in your car and drive back. I'll escort you to the hotel.' ^
'I—I can't.'
He spun round furiously to glare at her but his eyes followed hers as she stared disconsolately at the car, now well and truly wedged in the soft earth of the river bank. For a second he swore under his breath until she thought the air might turn blue and he was not amused when she interrupted.