Whats keeping Matt? asked Mrs Samson fretfully.
Hell be along, said John Peterson. You know Matt slow but reliable.
Eric put the lid back on to the stove. Then there are the fridges and the cold room, all with no power. A good thing this didnt happen in summer.
Eric put the lid back on to the stove. Then there are the fridges and the cold room, all with no power. A good thing this didnt happen in summer.
For Christs sake! said John irritably. Use your bloody brains for once. How in hell could it happen in summer?
Eric paused in surprise. I was forgetting. What I meant was...
To the devil with what you meant. If you cant talk sense, shut up!
Tempers were becoming uncertain. McGill said calmly, I think we ought to begin without waiting for Mr Houghton. We can fill him in later.
No need, said Phil Warrick. Hes here now.
Houghton walked up the aisle towards the group around the stove. I know we agreed to meet this morning, but this is beyond a joke. Do you know the time?
John Peterson raised his hand. Theres been an avalanche in the Gap, Matt. Its blocked completely. Theres so much snow in there you cant see the top.
You mean we cant get out?
Not in cars, said McGill.
Houghton looked about uncertainly, and John Peterson said, Sit down, Matt. When theres been one avalanche there can be another. I suggest we apologize to Dr McGill and listen to his suggestions.
No apology needed and heres my first suggestion. McGill surveyed the small group. There arent enough of us here. I want more men brought in; strong men who dont scare easy. And women, too; but no shrinking violets I want the bossy kind. Three people started to speak at once and he held up his hand. Mrs Samson, will you act as secretary. Take down the names of those who are suggested.
Eric said, Theres paper and pencil at the cash desk. Ill get it.
Ten minutes later McGill said, That ought to be enough. Mrs Samson, will you go out immediately, round up all those people and see they get here as soon as possible.
She got up. Theyll be here.
Ballard gave her a note. Give that to Joe Cameron. I think youll find him at the mine, not at his house.
Mrs Samson left. McGill looked outside at the thin light. The first thing that should be done is to let outside know whats happening here. As soon as it gets light enough I want men to climb out; two teams of two men each, for insurance. Ill write letters for them we dont want the information garbled.
Ballard said, Youll need a secretary for that stuff. You can have Betty from the mine.
McGill nodded shortly. If what comes down the hill is a powder avalanche which it might be then this store is going to go.
You think it might? asked Eric.
Im certain, now the trees are gone.
For Gods sake! snapped Eric. Every time I ask a question he blames me for cutting trees.
McGill hit the side of a display stand with the flat of his hand. It made a noise like a pistol shot and Warrick jumped visibly. Now listen to me, said McGill in a harsh voice. Well all get on better if there are no recriminations. I wasnt blaming anybody; I was just stating the obvious.
Ballard chipped in, and pointed to the door. Therell be a lot of people coming in just now, and were going to tell them theyre facing disaster. Theyd better not find out that the town council has had the information for nearly twenty-four hours and has been sitting on it. Got the picture, Eric?
Johns voice was cold. I told you once, Eric: if you cant talk sense then shut up. He nodded to McGill. Go on.
All right. Accept that this place is likely to go. I want all these shelves stripped and the food taken to a safe place. His eyes shifted and settled on Phil Warrick. Could you organize that, Mr Warrick?
Sure, said Warrick. But wheres a safe place?
Turi Bucks house for a starter Ill let you know of others later. Begin with staples leave the chocolate biscuits until last. And if you can find some empty drums you can drain off fuel oil from the tank that Eric mentioned. If were hit well need heat as well as food.
Right, said Warrick with decision. Ballard thought that Warrick was a good man as long as he had to take orders and not give them.
Dont forget the stock-rooms at the back, said John Peterson.
Houghton said, Thats all right for the food, but what about the people? We cant put the whole population in Turi Bucks house. I think we all ought to go up the east slope.
Thats out for a start, said McGill. He leaned forward. I hope it doesnt happen, Mr Houghton, but if a powder avalanche comes down the west slope it will cross the valley bottom and go clean across the river. I dont know how far it will go up the east slope. Houghton looked sceptical, and McGill tapped him on the knee. It will be moving very fast, Mr Houghton. Not only faster than you can run, but faster than you can drive a car.
Is that your guess, McGill? asked Eric.
Thats my estimate. The snow in the avalanche at the Gap was a bit too dry for my liking. The drier it is the more likely it is to form a powder avalanche, and the drier it is the faster it moves. Whats more, the more the temperature drops the drier it will get. McGill nodded to the window. The temperature is dropping very quickly.
Warrick said, If the temperature is dropping what about the mist out there? Youd think it would freeze out of the air.
McGill frowned, then said, Take it from me the temperature is falling. Its dropped a degree and a half since I got up this morning.
So where do the people go? reiterated Houghton.
Well know better when I look at the map we had yesterday. There was a movement at the entrance to the Super market, and McGill said to Warrick, Go up there and keep those folk corralled for a while. Weve got to talk to them all at once. Let me know when theyre all here.
All right, said Warrick.
And dont tell them a damn thing, said McGill. We dont want panic. Just say theyll know everything in He cocked his head and looked past Houghton at John Peterson fifteen minutes. John nodded.
Warrick went away, and Eric said, Of course, theres a perfect place to put the people. What about the mine? Its like a bloody big air raid shelter. Its right inside the mountain.
Hey, thats a thought! said Houghton.
Im not sure its a good one. McGill dropped his chin into his hand. The portal is right at the bottom of the slope and any avalanche is going to go right over it.
Thats all right, said John Peterson. Thats why they build snow galleries over roads. Ive seen them in Switzerland. The snow goes straight over the top.
And if, as you said, most of the snow will go right across the valley, then therell be no trouble in getting out when its over, said Houghton.
Thats when I was talking about a powder avalanche, said McGill. But supposing the temperature starts to rise, then it wont be a powder avalanche. It will be slower and wetter and a hell of a lot of snow will pile up at the bottom of the slope. And that blocks the mine portal. Wet snow sets like concrete after an avalanche.
The mine has the equipment, said John Peterson. If they can mine rock, they can mine snow or ice. They could be out an hour after its over.
McGill stared at him. I dont think were on the same wave-length. Do you know how much snow there is on the west slope?
I dont suppose I do not really.
Well, Ive done some figuring, and my estimate is a million tons plus.
Eric burst out laughing, and Houghton said flatly, Impossible!
Whats so goddamn impossible about it? Youve got nearly two thousand acres up there covered with over six feet of snow. Ten inches of new-fallen snow equals an inch of rain but the rain runs off while the snow stays. But that snow up there has been compressed so I reckon you have the equivalent of about eight inches of water lying up there maybe more. You dont need a goddamn slide rule to work out the weight of that lot. And its been snowing like crazy for the last thirty-six hours, so Im likely to be underestimating.
There was silence. McGill rubbed the side of his jaw with a rasping sound. What do you think, Ian?
As far as the mine goes, Im more worried about the powder avalanche. From what Ive seen of your mathematical description of a powder avalanche Id say you are using fluid dynamics.
McGill nodded. Thats right.
I thought so. Well, if you have a fluid flowing past the portal at the speeds youve been describing youll get some weird effects inside the mine. Itll be like blowing across the top of a beer bottle, but more so.
Suction, said McGill. Goddamn it it might pull all the air right out. I hadnt thought of that one.
Ill talk to Cameron, said Ballard. Perhaps we can build a baffle or gate of some kind.
Lets leave it at that, said McGill. Its something to think of if we run out of other places to go. Lets move on to the next step. Suppose there is an avalanche and someone gets caught. What do we do about it?
There wont be much anyone can do, said Houghton. Not from the way youve been talking. Theyll be dead.
Not necessarily, and its a defeatist assumption no one must make. Freakish things happen during avalanches. Now, what weve got to get over to these people here is the necessity for speed in rescue once weve been hit. We have to tell them what to do.
You have to tell them what to do, said John Peterson.
I accept that, said McGill grimly.
Someone walked along the aisle from the entrance. Ballard turned his head and saw a uniformed policeman walking towards them. A sudden inspiration hit him and he smote McGill on the back. Radio! he said. Pye has a transmitter he must have.
Arthur Pye stopped. Morning, John. Whats the trouble? Ma Samson said you wanted to see me on the double.
Ballard cut in. Arthur, you have a radio transmitter, dont you?
Pye turned. Yes, Mr Ballard, normally I do. But not right now. Its been acting up a bit, so it went in for servicing on Friday. Ill have it back tomorrow.
McGill groaned. Its a flaming conspiracy!
Whats going on? demanded Pye.
Matt Houghton opened his mouth to speak, but John Peterson put up his hand and explained the problem concisely. Pye regarded McGill with interest. This true?
McGill nodded. Thats how the power and phone lines were cut. Has anyone else got a transmitter? No radio hams?
Not that I know of, said Pye. Maybe one of the scouts. Ill ask Bobby Fawcett. He turned to John Peterson. Whats being done about this?