The Jump

The pilot turned round. 'Are you ready?' he said. Rod nodded. 'Yes,' he shouted. He took off his flying helmet. The little two-seater biplane was flying low over the railway line. Rod climbed out of the seat and stood up. The wind caught him and nearly knocked him off the plane. He held the wing above his head and slowly and carefully climbed onto the bottom wing and then climbed down the ladder. The plane moved suddenly to the right. Rod felt sick. He looked down. The ground seemed very close. The plane went slower and slower. Then Rod could see the train. It was moving very quickly just below him. He looked at the pilot. 'OK,' he shouted. The plane flew lower and lower. Now it was moving at the same speed as the train, only two metres below the plane's wheel.

'Now,' shouted the pilot. Rod breathed deeply and jumped. His feet touched the roof of the train and Rod threw his body forward. He held on tightly to the roof. There wasn't much time. He could see the bridge in front of him. Rod stood up. There was a pain in his left leg. The ground was rushing by below him. The bridge was near, very near. The engine went under the bridge, then the first carriage, then the second carriage.

Rod jumped up and forward. He hit the bridge and held on tightly. The train was still moving below him. One slip and he was dead. He pulled himself up and onto the bridge. His hand was bleeding. He jumped down onto the road and ran. He counted… one, two, three, four, five, then he threw himself on the ground. There was an explosion. Rod felt stones and dirt falling on him. Then he got up and ran towards the car.

He stopped at the car. Phil Steinway was standing beside the car.

'Rod! That was fantastic. Absolutely amazing. It's the best thing in the film.'

'Thanks,' said Rod. His leg was hurting badly now.

'Are you all right?' asked Steinway.

'Yes,' said Rod.

'Good,' said Steinway, 'because there was one problem.'

'What was that?' asked Rod.

'Well, there wasn't any film in the camera. Can you go back and do it all again?'