Remember by Barbara Taylor Bradford Read Free Book Online Page B

understanding the politics involved, they were aware that the situation could only worsen in the next twenty-four hours.
    Now, suddenly, the troops who had been firing shots into the air turned their guns on the citizens and students crowding the sidewalks. Unable to believe her eyes, Nicky stood frozen as the people, howling like wounded animals, rushed forward, hurling bricks, rocks, pieces of iron pipes and primitive gasoline bombs at the troops, their anger spiraling into an immense rage. The soldiers replied by firing lethal bursts at them. People fell as they were hit by the bullets, crying out in terror.
    The carnage had begun.
    Appalled by what she was seeing, Nicky found herself unable to move.
    She stood staring blankly, as chills shook her. A Chinese woman next to her roused her by grabbing her arm and saying in English, “The People’s Army are killing us—civilians. They are murderers!
    Bastards!”
    “Don’t stay here, go home!” Nicky said to the woman. “It’s dangerous here. Go home.” The woman simply shook her head, and remained standing where she was.
    The drone of helicopters circling overhead made Nicky lift her head and gaze up into the night sky. She remembered what Yoyo had said about tear gas being dropped by the choppers. Opening her shoulder bag with a shaky hand, she pulled out one of the surgical masks and stuffed it into her pocket where it would be handy if she needed it.
    Changan Avenue had become a battleground. Tanks and truckloads of soldiers armed with machine guns were rolling inexorably down the avenue, one after another.
    God help the students, she thought, moving away from the road.
    Fires were beginning to break out everywhere. Overturned buses, which had been used as barricades by the people, blazed at various intersections, and a number of military vehicles were burning on the avenue. They had been set on fire by the infuriated Beijing residents, and orange and red flames shot up into the dark sky, an inferno in the making.
    Much to Nicky’s amazement, people were continuing to emerge from the apartment buildings and houses that lined Changan. They were on a rampage, intent on fighting back, using any makeshift weapons they could find—brooms and sticks and bricks. Some of them were armed with Molotov cocktails, which they hurled at the tanks and armored personnel carriers. Gunfire increased and the stench of cordite and blood hung heavy on the warm night air.
    Nicky was suddenly overcome by nausea. Bullets were whizzing over her head and it was clear that she had better try to get back to her hotel.
    A cart trundled through the crowd, carrying a wounded man
    and woman.
    When the people saw it they began to curse and shake their fists at the troops and, in response, the soldiers began to fire again. Nicky dropped to the ground to protect herself as tear-gas canisters exploded close to her. She pulled out the gauze mask, tied it around her face to cover her mouth and nose, but still she began to cough and splutter.
    Pulling herself up, she inched her way over to the far side of the pavement, where she sought refuge under a clump of trees. Leaning against a tree trunk, coughing and gasping for breath, Nicky groped for tissues in her pocket and wiped her streaming eyes.
    Some sixty or so soldiers were advancing with fixed bayonets down Changan. Pessimistic though she had been, she had not anticipated anything quite like this. Then, happily, she saw Arch a few yards away, and she knew that he was looking for her.
    Running forward, she cried, “Arch! Arch! I’m here!”
    As she reached him, he swung around and grabbed hold of her.
    “Nicky! You’re all right!”
    “And you, Arch,” she said.
    “Have you ever seen anything like this?” he cried grimly. “The way they are killing innocent civilians, and the avenue is so jammed with tanks and trucks, the ambulances can’t get through!”
    “It’s inhuman,” she said.
    Crouching low, they ran down the pavement under