CHAPTER 6An insect hummed, circled with a shimmer of wings and settled to feed. Kevin swore, slapped at his cheek, slapped again as the insect, unharmed, winged on its way. Watching it he tripped and fell into a bush, vicious thorns ripping at pants and blouse. One caught his hand leaving a thin trail of blood. Another clawed at his scalp. Carefully he pulled it free and climbed to his feet.
“I’ve told you before about watching your feet,” said Malvern from one side of the bush. “That could have been a patch of bog or something with teeth. Quit worrying about a few flies.”
“They bite,” said Kevin.
Malvern shrugged. “So they bite. What did you expect? I warned you that it would be rough.”
Which was a classic understatement, thought Kevin. For a week they had been climbing, pressing deep
