by Marc Lindsay
“Jason, pull up, pull up now!” Selene screamed frantically. At the very last minute Jason pulled up and skimmed across the tops of the trees. Selene let out deep breath and relaxed her grip slightly with one hand and slapped the stallion’s neck with the other.
“That was too close, I nearly wet myself.”
“Ew, that would have been gross.”
“You would have deserved it too, scaring me like that.”
“Hey, I was in full control the entire time,” Jason shot back.
“I know, but it was still pretty scary.”
“I’m sorry, I just thought a little fright and you might hug a little tighter,” Jason said candidly. Selene smiled, despite herself.
“Hey if that’s what you want, all you have to do is ask.”
“Maybe I will,” Jason whispered. The pair flew near the lake but detoured away when they could see lights coming from the east side.
“What do you think that is?” Jason asked.
“I don’t know, probably just some locals going fishing.”
“You don’t think they saw us do you?”
“Nah, it’s still pretty dark and we were fairly quiet.”
“I think so too. I promised Ulysses that I would act responsibly and remain out of sight,” Jason said soberly.
“Yeah, I’d imagine he wouldn’t be too impressed if there were regular sightings of mythical creatures soaring across the skies,” Selene replied.
“It does go against the whole idea of being covert, doesn’t it,” Jason said as they started to descend to the outskirts of the forest.
“Is everything alright?” Selene asked, concerned.
“Yeah fine, I just thought we’d land somewhere without the possibility of prying eyes catching us.”
“Good idea, we’re not too far from town and we can walk the rest of the way in. I was thinking I could take you to breakfast if you want and I know the perfect place,” Selene said wryly.
Jason and Selene followed a winding trail through the forest. They passed a clearing and stopped to take in the view before them. The sun was just coming over the range, the light catching the clouds and casting a beautiful array of purple and orange hues. Jason was struck dumb by its beauty.
“I don’t know what to say,” Jason whispered.
“Then don’t say anything,” Selene replied, taking a hold of his hand. They eventually cleared the forest, both now dressed casually in jeans, hiking boots and hoodies. Selene dragged him along the road.
“Hey, what’s the hurry?” Jason growled good naturedly.
“Trust me, after you eat, you’ll wonder why we weren’t running instead of walking,” Selene replied. Jason rolled his eyes and let himself be led on.
They entered a small diner that was located on the outskirts of town. The interior was plain but neat, vinyl trimmed stools lined a stainless steel bench that ran the length of the eatery. There were no customers seated, but noises could be heard from within the kitchen, as well as a cacophony of delightful aromas.
“That smell is to die for. Grab a seat and I’ll see if I can get us some service,” Selene said. Jason sat down at the first available seat.
“Hey, hello? Anybody there. Selene called out.
“Be right there,” a gruff voice called back, Selene pulled up a stool next to Jason.
“So what do you think?” Selene asked.
“It’s alright I suppose.”
“You suppose? Take a good look around, feel the atmosphere.”
“I mean, sure, the retro look is pretty cool, but I haven’t eaten yet, so I’ll reserve my judgement till then.”
“And I expect nothing else from any of my patrons,” a voice said sharply. Jason and Selene looked up to find the owner and head chef walking out from the kitchen. Something didn’t quite appear right with the way he moved. Jason tried to peer over the counter without appearing too obvious. He saw was a series of ramps and ledges running within the kitchen workspace. The owner was walking along one of the ledges. He was extremely short, standing a mere three foot tall and sporting a bald head and grey goatee. He had the most remarkable broad shoulders on his stunted body.
“Ash how are you?” Selene exclaimed with delight.
“Selene, I’ve been good, how about yourself” Ash replied with a wry grin. “And who have you brought in on this fine morning?”
“This is Jason. He’s new to Perigord but with old ties to the community, and a dear friend so please look after him.”
Ash regarded him a moment, his weathered features lined. He squinted his eyes, looked Jason up and down, then nodded and held out an abnormally large hand.
“Well any friend of the spitfire here is a friend of mine,” Ash said. Jason took his hand which seemed dwarfed in his and shook.
“Pleased to meet you too. Sir, Selene has been raving about your food.”
“Ah, she’s too kind. Compared to her grandmother’s culinary expertise I’m afraid my simple cuisine might pale in comparison,” Ash said humbly.
“Don’t sell yourself short, you’re the best cook in town,” Selene added. Ash gave a chuckle but was clearly chuffed by her words of praise.
“So who is your kin here in Perigord?” Ash said, changing the subject.
“My uncle was Plato Wyngard,” Jason replied. Ash’s features softened and he looked genuinely saddened by this information.
“I’m sorry for your loss. Your uncle was a decent gentleman, something lacking in these parts.”
“Thank you. I didn’t get to meet him but I feel I’ve gotten to know him better since I moved here.”
“Yes I’ve heard all about you.” Ash said with a grin.
“Oh don’t believe everything you hear.”
“I’m not gullible, but I do believe that where there’s smoke there’s fire, plus there’s nothing wrong with a decent campfire,” Ash said.
“So what’s on the menu this morning?” Selene asked, her eyes glinting in anticipation.
“Oh you’re in for a treat. I’m cooking Swedish rye blueberry pancakes with cinnamon twists,” Ash said, kissing his fingers.
“Sounds heavenly,” Selene said. Jason nodded in agreement.
“Well why don’t you put some tunes on and I’ll get your meals ready. They’re just about done, I personally guarantee you’ll love it,” Ash said. Without another word he disappeared into the kitchen nimbly, moving along the runs built behind the counters like a mountain goat.
Selene hopped down from her stool and walked over to the jukebox. It was an old 1947 Wurlitzer, beautifully lit with coloured lights. It looked as if it had been recently cleaned as the glass sparkled and surfaces shined. After a short deliberation Selene fed some change into the coin slot, then pressed in her selection. The machine clicked and clunked as the interior mechanics picked up the vinyl record and placed it onto the turnstile where the needle delicately moved into position. Selene walked back over to Jason as the textured sound of the needle on vinyl filtered through the speakers, followed by the earthy sound of a guitar. Selene climbed back onto her stool and faced Jason.
“This is different, what’s it called?” Jason asked.
“It’s called kind hearted woman blues by Robert Johnson.”
“Why do I know that name,” Jason asked.
“He’s probably one of the most famous names in blues. You probably heard of the musician who went to a crossroad and sold his soul to the devil?” Selene explained.
“That’s him!”
“Yep, that’s him”
Just then Ash returned bearing a large tray containing two plates of blueberry pancakes and a side order of cinnamon twists. It was both visually and aromatically arresting. Jason could feel his hunger double instantly.
“Would you like some coffee as well? It’s a Rwandan blend, very nice. Both Selene and Jason nodded.
“Great,” Ash said and poured them each a steamy cup of the dark roasted coffee.
“We’ll I’ve got to start organising
lunch, please enjoy,” Ash said and disappeared back into the kitchen.
“Thank you,” Jason called out and was met with the sounds of a whisk on a metal bowl.
“Very efficient, isn’t he?” Jason remarked.
“Yeah, he’s in the zone when he’s here. You might not believe this but he’s a very talented dancer and quite popular with the ladies around here.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it at all. A man who owns his own business, can cook and dance, what’s not to love?” Jason said with a grin.
“That’s what I love about you, I don’t need to spell it out,” Selene replied before placing a forkful of pancake into her mouth with a moan.
Chapter 29
After breakfast they went their separate ways, each wanting to chase up information for Ulysses before their afternoon at the lake. Jason arrived at Selene’s house around eleven and after being greeted at the door by Selene, he tentatively entered.
“So is it safe to come in?” Jason asked.
“Of course, we’ve done nothing wrong,” Selene snapped, then seeing Jason’s reaction, softened.
“I’m sorry, I guess I’m still a little sensitive about what happened.”
“I know it’s not my place to say, but try and take it easy on her, after all she was only doing what she thought was right.”
“On one level I know what you’re saying is right, but it still hurts to know that she had been skulking around behind our backs. I’ll forgive her, but its gonna take time and a huge amount of sucking up on her part,” Selene said with a wicked smile.
“That’s my girl.”
“Oh, I’m your girl, am I?” Selene said with her hands on her hips and a defiant look on her face. Jason was just about to retract his last statement when Selene added.
“Relax tiger,” she leant over and grasped his hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze, followed by a kiss on the cheek.
“Have you had lunch yet?” Selene asked.
“No, I wasn’t sure what you were doing.”
“Great, I made something light and there’s more than enough for both of us,” Selene replied. She led Jason out onto the back terrace where she had a platter of fruit and cheese and a jug of iced tea waiting.
After eating lunch they sat on the timber bench seat in a comfortable silence enjoying the sunshine and view. Ursula’s backyard consisted of beautiful sprawling wild flowers and garden herbs meticulously arranged in a way that allowed for easy upkeep, but also looked natural and abundant.
“I think I could easily sit here for the rest of the day,” Jason observed. Selene moved closer to Jason on the seat and rested her head on his shoulder, sliding an arm around his waist.
“Yeah, I could do the same,” she replied. Jason wrapped an arm around her shoulder and let out a satisfied sigh in response. Just then a car horn sounded out by the street, followed by a young man’s voice calling out. Selene grumbled and pushed herself off Jason.
“Great, I’m pretty sure that’s Hector out front,” Selene muttered.
“Yeah, I was kind of wondering when he was going to turn up.”
“I guess we better go and have some fun then,” Selene said miserably.
Hector was sitting alone in his beat-up convertible four wheel drive directly out front of Selene’s house. The engine was running and hip hop music flooded out into the street. He hadn’t noticed Jason and Selene approach, his face was set in an irritated scowl.
“Hey sorry to keep you waiting,” Jason called out, Hector spun around in his seat, his brow furrowed in thought. Almost immediately he turned on a thousand watt smile.
“Hey, I was beginning to think I might have to come and get you two,” Hector replied good naturedly.
“Are we good to go?” Selene said, as she tossed her bag into the back seat, Hector appeared a little annoyed by her comment but threw it off straight away, keeping his attention primarily focused on Jason.
“Grab a seat and we’ll get going,” Hector said. Jason and Selene climbed into the vehicle. They had barely sat down when Hector floored the accelerator as his car took off down the street like a rocket.
The three of them sped through town. Hector was very adept behind the wheel and knew his way around, finding the shortcuts and missing most of the small town traffic. He also proved equally skilled on the dirt roads that lay through the forest. They made it to the far side of the lake in a short time. Jason and Selene gripped the undersides of their seats and tried to remain calm and indifferent to Hector’s wild driving. The four wheel drive eventually came to a skidding halt in a small clearing where a handful of similar styled vehicles were awaiting them.
“This is our stop,” Hector said with a grin. Jason and Selene looked around at their destination. It was one of many small inlets that made up the vast Greymeade Lake. Jason was taken aback by the beauty of the spot. A couple of large trees stood on the edge of the bank, their vast branches reaching out over the dark and shimmering water. Rope swings were suspended from the branches and all were in use by girls and boys Jason’s age. The kids were climbing tall rope ladders high into the tree tops then swinging down and out across the lake, letting go at the last second as they were flung out above the water’s surface, then landing with a gleeful scream and splash. A few of the boys called out to Hector as the three of them approached the bank’s edge. Jason noted one of them was Tiberius.
“This is quite a setup?” Jason said, impressed.
“Yeah, kids have been coming out to this spot for years,” Hector replied.
“Have you ever been here before?” Jason asked Selene. She shook her head quickly.
“It’s usually only couples that come out, right Selene?” Hector interjected smugly. This made Selene blush but she covered it carefully, pretending to brush the hair from her face. Some of the other kids had noticed their arrival and were making their way over to them.
“You guys remember Jason and Selene?” Hector announced to the group, some of whom nodded in response. Others gave a wave or said their greetings. Hector picked up on the nervous anxiety of his friends.
“It’s alright, we’ve had our problems in the past, but we’ve buried the hatchet now, so it’s all cool,” Hector added, Tiberius had joined the group and wore a dirty grin on his face now.
“Hey, enough of all this touchy feely shit, let’s have some fun!” Hector called out. This was met with laughter and cheering. The group broke, some racing for the trees. A few hung around to make small talk with the new arrivals.
“I don’t know about you two but I feel like getting wet,” Hector remarked.
Jason and Selene ducked behind a couple of trees and engaged their alien suits. Jason was the first to emerge, wearing a simple pair of red and black swimming trunks. He strolled over to Hector who was still in the process of retrieving his clothing from the boot of his car. Hector looked up as Jason approached, a look of surprise on his face.
“Hey buddy you didn’t waste any time did ya?” Hector commented. Jason shrugged and realised that he shouldn’t have rushed the change, lest he aroused suspicion. Jason was about to say something when he noticed Hector staring at something behind him. Jason turned to see Selene walking over to them, dressed in a revealing floral two piece swim suit. Her hair was down and it flowed over her strong lean shoulders. It was obvious to both boys that she took her exercising seriously as her exposed flesh was taunt and athletic.
“Is something wrong? You two look a little flushed,” Selene commented oblivious to the effect she was having on Jason and Hector.
“No I’m, I mean we’re good, right?” Jason said, flustered.
“Right,” Hector agreed readily, then muttered under his breath so only Jason could hear. “You lucky bastard.”
The three of them joined the others at the lake side, both Selene and Jason getting their share of approving glances.
“I feel like a piece of meat in this,” Selene muttered. Jason laughed.
“Well that costume of yours leaves
nothing to the imagination, but obviously yours is pretty resourceful,” Jason whispered back. The three of them climbed into the trees and grabbed a rope each.
“Here goes,” Jason called out. He swung down, yelling out in imitation to Tarzan. He released at the last moment. His momentum lifted him into the air, then gravity pulled him back down as he entered the water with a mighty splash. The water was cool, but refreshing. As he surfaced Selene and Hector were mere seconds behind him, making dual impacts in the water near him. Selene was the first to surface, her now wet hair slicked back and a huge smile spread wide.
“That was awesome, let’s go again,” Selene said excitedly. Just then Hector broke the surface and let out a huge whopping sound.
“I love this place,” Hector yelled out. This was met by laughter and cheers of equal agreement.
“Yeah I think this place could grow on me,” Jason said ruefully. Selene playfully slapped water in his direction.
After spending the afternoon in and out of the water, Jason and Selene lay side by side on the grassy bank staring up at the sky.
“You know I think this might be the most relaxing day that I’ve had so far in Perigord,” Jason said, then stretched out as if to prove the point.
“Yeah I’d have to agree, I’ve always thought these guys were real douche bags, but they’ve proven me wrong today,” Selene replied. As if on cue, Hector called out to them.
“Hey you two come here I have something to show you,” he said.
“What is it?” Jason replied, not wanting to get up.
“I mean it, you’ve really got to check this out man,” Hector insisted. Jason looked at Selene, then shrugged.
“You want to check it out?” Jason asked.
“Nah, you go on, I think I’ll just lay here and enjoy the sun.”
“Fair enough,” Jason replied as he slowly got to his feet. “Your loss.” He made his way over to Hector who was with Tiberius and a couple of the other girls Jason had met during the afternoon. Mandy, a tall willowy blonde who started every sentence with “Oh my God” and Jade, a petite redhead who giggled every time she made eye contact with Jason. The four of them were standing at the back of Tiberius’s van.