gregory looked , but the sky was empty of the many carpets that had been there only seconds ago then he saw the flailing , falling bodies , and the fluttering swathes of cloth ; unlike balloons , the carpets had no hot air to keep them up ; the falling must have been screaming , though gregory couldnt hear them : he saw them hit the spire and explode in red spray , or just break and lie there limp and unmoving ; there was other movement at the piers : people locked in brutal scuffles whats going on ?