The Wrath of Pachacuti E-Book

alastair macleod

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

In 2017 Peru, bordered by the Pacific in the West and the high Andes in the East  was struck by exceptional torrential rains. Large mudslides carried away villages, parts of the roads, and towns were inundated. many people on the roads lost their lives. Although El Niño was expected this was an exceptionally big event, perhaps a portent of things to come as the climate warms.

This is the story of ordinary Peruvians caught on the road, some losses, some heart rending stories, and some miraculous escapes.

"Esmerelda leaned up to kiss Francisco. She was dressed in tight jeans, a hip length gilet and a woollen hat. They were getting wet.

This close he inhaled her fragrance of Ambrette; she always spent on a luxury perfumes; an alluring scent, it was crafted with Peruvian hibiscus, bergamot, musk and mandarin.

“The weather forecast is not good.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t last, we will be able to walk in the mountains in the cool air.”

She pressed against him.

“I wish we could travel together.”

"Back up the road Mayra Yupanqui sheltered with her children under a roof of palms. A noisy flock of green parrots flew out of the nearby jungle and down into the gorge.

She distracted the children by getting them to build a shrine of leaves and branches - a shrine to Pachacuti – The Earth Changer."

Leseprobe

Alastair Macleod

The Wrath of Pachacuti

To the drivers and people of Peru; may Ekeko be with them. Disclaimer: The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

The Wrath of Pachacuti

  Rodrigo Garcia Fernandez stood in the office addressing the small gathering.

“Roads have been Don Pedro’s life. He once said to me that they were the veins and arteries of Peru and that we were the doctors.” He raised his glass, “Here’s to a long and happy retirement Don Pedro,”

Don Pedro Aquilera Rivera rose,

“Here in Lima we get an false impression of what roads are. Here we have asphalt, pavements and street lights. Out there,” he said with a sweep of his hand, “Peru’s roads stretch out into deserts, climb mountains and thrust through jungle. A driver once said to me,

“Señor engineer, you think you know this road? Only the driver knows this road, its treacherous bends, its broken surfaces, the shrines to the dead, the landslides; we, the drivers, live the road, you merely see it on a map." Don Pedro paused,

"For us road builders Pachacuti calls the shots; it is he who shakes the ground, it is he who bakes the mud and it is he who opens the heavens and lets down the deluge sweeping all before him in the mud slides of the huayco.

But, wrestling with such a powerful god makes life interesting.

There was a lot of truth in what that driver said,” continued Don Pedro, “remember to keep the driver’s eye view as you go about your business. This not an easy job. Our country is not wealthy, we have to make do and fight for resources for our roads.”

“Don Pedro, on behalf of the Roads Department; a happy retirement;”

“A happy retirement,” echoed the staff.

“We want you to accept these gifts”.

Rodrigo handed over a framed map of Peru and a small monkey puzzle tree in a pot,

“For your extensive garden.”

A large bunch of flowers was also handed over by one of the secretaries,

Don Pedro began speaking again;

“Thank you. I will have more time to grow my plants and see my grandchildren but I intend to travel my roads and see for myself how well we have done. I might even send back reports.”

There was laughter.

That was six months ago and Rodrigo, the new head, had been engrossed in the detail of taking over the department. There were various projects underway. A new bridge here, a large culvert there, a road widening scheme near Lima, and resurfacing, always resurfacing.

Many of the roads beyond the capital were compacted gravel. The lower slopes of the Andes were made up of loose volcanic gravels and stones. In dry weather this surface would do; it was dusty but it compacted down well. It could cope with light rain; it drained quickly.

Where the soil content was high though, you got mud, rutting and slippage. Many of the vehicles were adapted for these roads. Four wheel drives were common, even the buses. The latest trucks were enormous articulated beasts; long, all wheel drive capable, multi wheeled freightliners.