by Fabian Black
The sky darkened further snarling a challenge as the sea monster continued to rise and swell. Lightening flashed only to be swallowed by the virulent mass of water.
He sent Lin in front of him, shouting all the time for him to keep running, not to look back. Reaching the end of the wall they threw themselves from it just as the surge wave exploded against the sea defence sounding like artillery from a hundred battlefields.
David braced a foot between two of the giant natural boulders that crowded the sand at the base of the towering cliff. Grabbing Lin he shouted above the scream of the water as it boiled over them. "Hold on to me! Just hold on!”
The Devil’s Pier fulfilled its duty, breaking the force of the wave, preventing it slamming its full might into harbour and beach, but the onslaught of water was still powerful enough to tear Lin from his arms and suck him back towards the concrete balustrade. They lunged for each other. Their flailing arms caught and locked and they clung together for dear life as the remnants of the wave crashed and foamed around them.
“Shoes,” spluttered Lin, as the wave at last receded, “I’ve lost my shoes. They were pulled off my feet.” He sleeked his sea sodden hair back from his face with his hands.
“Thank God that’s all you’ve lost.” David wiped a shaking hand across his face. “Let’s get out of here while we can.” He tried to move, but found his foot was lodged between the boulders. The force of the wave had caused them to move closer together and what had been protector had now turned aggressor, a stone trap holding him in a vicious grip. He struggled to free himself.
“What’s wrong, David," panic sounded in Lin's voice, "what the hell are you doing?”
“My trainer is wedged.” David tried to sound unconcerned. “I’ll be okay. You go ahead, get off the beach as fast as you can. This storm is by no means over.”
“Not without you.” Lin plunged his hands down into the water swirling around the base of the age-old rocks groping for David’s ankle. Sinuous seaweed twisted around his wrists as sly as a mermaid's hands trying to ensnare a sailor. He shook it off.
“Go, Lin. Do as you’re told.” David fought back a cry of pain as Lin tugged at his ankle. It was jammed tight.
“NO!” Lin stubbornly pushed at the boulders. “I’m not going without you. Try to wiggle your foot out of your shoe.”
“I am trying. It won’t budge.”
A colossal flash streaked across the sky as Neptune hurled a burning trident from the sea in temper. A crack assaulted the air as it struck land. Lin, already ghost white, paled further as he looked over David’s shoulder and saw a dark seam begin to open up in the cliff face behind them.
David twisted his head around, his stomach lurching as the seam began to widen. Little stones began plopping into the water around them. “Get off the beach, Lin, away from the cliff before it comes down.” He twisted his leg desperately, shouting. “Do as you're told. MOVE!”
Lin refused to even acknowledge the words. He tore at the boulders with his hands, screaming with rage until his nails tore and his fingertips bled. They refused to give up their prisoner. Dragging off his wet t-shirt he wrapped it around his hands and tried again, sobs of terror and frustration tearing from his throat as larger stones began to spatter the water around them. One skimmed the edge of his shoulder and he cried out with pain.
"Get off this fucking beach, Linval, now!"
"I won't leave you. I won't." Lin wept, tears mingling with brine. He wound his arms around David's neck in a desperate hug.
"I love you." David held Lin tight, fiercely kissing him. "Now do as I tell you and go. I want to know you're safe." He tried to push Lin away from his body, but he clung with obstinate determination.
The sky decided to add to their misery. Opening its portals it spewed forth a deluge of water that seemed certain to add to the risk of the cliff falling down on them.
Storm In A Teacup
Eleven
“Well I allus knew you two were queer, but I didn’t realise you were queer enough to go paddling in the middle of a freak bloody storm.”
The sound of George Crooks voice had never been sweeter.
“Move ower, Mr Larkin, let the dog see the rabbit.”
Neither had his cousin Seth’s.
Lin added his weight to theirs as they heaved and shoved at the massive stones holding David prisoner.
David let out a cry of relief as the boulders finally yielded and he was able to pull his foot free of their cruel embrace. He tried to put his weight on it, but the pressure of the rocks had cut the circulation and it was heavy and useless.
The cliff let forth more sounds of distress and he shouted. “It’s going to collapse!”
“Best get you out of here sharpish then hadn’t we, gaffer.”
Half carrying, half dragging David between them, the Crook’s got him onto the tiny slipway and from there to safety. Drenched by sea and sky they stood behind the esplanade rails watching as a portion of the cliff disintegrated, crashing tons of debris onto the sands where moments earlier they’d been standing.
“By hell.” Seth slapped David heartily on the back. “You two buggers don’t half know how to live on the wild side!”
David gave a shaky laugh, “and you two don’t half know when the right moment to turn up is.” He wasn’t one of life’s casual huggers and observation had taught him that you didn’t lightly hug a Yorkshireman. Instead he offered his hand first to George then Seth, saying a heartfelt, “thank you. Thank you so much.”
Lin didn’t give a toss about the propriety of hugging Yorkshiremen, as far as he was concerned they’d just saved the life of the man he loved and they were going to be hugged whether they liked it or not. A handshake just wasn’t good enough. They took it well, considering.
“Ee, geeoer, Mr Larkin,” said Seth, “even the missus doesn’t get that close.”
“Then how the hell you’ve got as many kids as you’ve got is beyond me,” said Lin with spirit. “What do you use, a blowgun?”
George burst out laughing. “Nice one, Mr Larkin.”
"How's tha foot, Mr Jordan," asked Seth, "does it need the hospital?"
David shook his head, "it's a bit painful, especially now the blood is pumping back into it, but I don't think anything's broken, Seth."
The rain lashed down harder. Fired by a storm wind it peppered them with wet shot. Another flash of lightening lit the sky. David shuddered. "Come on, let's get the hell out of this. Come back to Sandstones. I reckon Lin and I owe you a drink."
By the time they reached the house all four of them had fallen silent as if the enormity of it all had just registered.
Storm In A Teacup
Twelve
Beneath the protective layers of the light oilskins they'd been wearing Seth and George's clothing was damp, as much from body heat as seawater, but both declined the offer of dry clothing. Damp clothes were a way of life for fishermen they said and nothing to fuss on about. They towel dried their hair and left it at that. David and Lin being soaked to the skin had to change completely.
Lin's shoulder was bruised where the rock had struck him, but nowhere near as bruised as David's foot, which was a tender mass of black and purple from ankle to toes. His knee had also taken some strain from the encounter and was swollen and stiff. Neither complained. A few bruises were nothing compared to what might have been. They applied simple first aid, comfrey salve to the bruises and blue plasters to the skinned patches on Lin's fingers.
Dry clothing might have been rejected but Seth and George took up the offer of a meal with enthusiasm.
David set four places at the long oak table in the kitchen while Lin, despite his sore fingers, cooked creamy seafood pasta with expert ease. He served it up with a simple salad and crusty bread.
The silence remained largely intact as they ate. The only sounds made were in appreciation of good food and the balm it offered as the storm continued outside.
David was first to speak. Picking up his
wine glass he raised it in tribute to George and Seth once again thanking them for their timely intervention. Lin added his thanks making both men blush as he declared them to be heroes.
"That's not what his missus called him when he forgot their wedding anniversary last week," quipped George, winking at Lin and David. "Locked him out of the house from what I heard. He had to sleep in the shed."
"I did nowt of sort our George, so don't you be spreading bloody rumours." Seth paused to take a drink of red wine before adding. "I slept in the car as it 'appens."
The remark set them all laughing and further eased the path to talk about what had occurred on the seashore.
“How come you were both at hand out there?” Lin ladled a second helping of pasta onto Seth's plate. "Help yourself to salad and bread." He reached for George's plate and replenished it and then David's. His own he left empty, his appetite had been small to begin with.
George answered his question. “We were on the other side of the cove mending lobster and crab pots. Still as could be it was with barely a stir of air when all of a sudden the pots started this weird vibrating. Then the boats started rocking in their moorings all gentle like they do when a swell is coming in, only we soon realised it was no ordinary swell."
Seth took over as George paused to fork pasta into his mouth. "Aye, we couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw that bloody great wave bulging up on the horizon, never seen the like before. George spotted Mr Larkin on the wall. We started waving and shouting at him to get down, but he didn't so much as look ower."
"I didn't hear you. I remember seeing the water start to rise. I knew I had to move, but I couldn't." Lin picked up his wine glass, but put it down again without taking a drink when his hand began to tremble. "Then the next thing I knew David was beside me."
"Aye," George nodded at David, "we saw you vault over the rails onto the sand and head for the wall like an Olympic runner. We both headed over the beck as fast as we could in case you needed help. We thought you'd both made it clear at first until we saw Mr Larkin here shoving at those rocks and realised you'd gotten trapped."
“What the hell was that thing, Seth," David toyed with his food, "do you know?”
“I reckon it was a mini tsunami, a freak surge wave. Happens in the pacific usually, rare here, though my granda did tell us about one he saw when he was a lad.” Seth's weather roughened face split into a grin, “he was a right lying bugger our granda. I thought he was mekking it up, until today.”
“Whatever it was,” said George solemnly, looking to Lin. “I reckon you’re lucky to be here to tell the tale. Not many folk survive being hit by the full force of a wave like that. If you hadn't moved off the wall it would have swept you out to sea like straif. You escaped by the skin of your teeth.” He raised his glass of wine, “to the Devil’s Pier. Ugly it might be, but 'appen it saved most of the old harbour cottages and businesses from being scuppered today.”
They all drank to that, even Lin.
By the time they'd finished eating the storm had abated. The wind dropped leaving behind a calm rain, like cleansing tears after an angry outburst. George and Seth departed for home, or more likely for the Golden Lion to swap wine for their preferred beverage of beer and to tell tales about what had happened.
David secured the front door after them and then returned to the kitchen. After locking up the back door he turned to Lin, surveying him for a few moments before saying, “the seawall and the chapel are completely out of bounds. Do you understand me, boy?”
Lin's stomach lurched in response to the words and the way they were spoken.
'Boy' was a term usually reserved for moments of intimacy to express affection or illustrate sexual dominance. In this instance its use, rare use, was an assertion of a different aspect of David's authority and the duty Lin owed to it. On one level he resented it, but on another it excited him, if excitement was the right word. It wasn't exactly a joyous feeling, but it tapped into some elemental part of his psyche. He wanted David's authority over him and moreover he needed it.
Lowering his eyes he gave the required answer. “Yes, David, I understand.”
“Clear up and then come up to bed.” David limped out of the kitchen.
Lin stacked the used pots into the dishwasher and set the cycle. He cleaned the table and swept the floor before walking upstairs with leaden steps.
David was waiting. He was sitting on the bed, the slipper beside him on the floor. He'd laid out Lin's summer pyjamas, shorts and a tee. He picked up the tee, holding it out. "Get undressed and put this on."
Lin obeyed, silently undressing, conscious of David's eyes on him, conscious too of the semi erection he was sporting in reaction to the charged atmosphere. The cock was a barometer of a whole spectrum of male emotions from desire and excitement to fear and dread or a mixture of all.
"Come here." David pointed to a spot on the floor to the right of him.
Lin moved to stand as directed feeling vulnerable wearing nothing but a top, his lower half exposed. He crossed his hands in front of him, covering his semi-stiff penis.
“Do you disobey me, Linval?”
“No.” Lin swallowed a nervous accumulation of saliva, his penis softening as the process of discipline got underway.
“Then why did you leave the house after I’d told you several times not to?”
“I was upset and mad at you. I wanted some space.”
"That's no excuse. You've been fighting me all day and I won't have it. I made plain why I closed The Venus. I'm not going over it again. You'll accept my decision without any more aggravation."
Reaching for Lin's wrist he pulled him forward, positioning him over his lap. Picking up the large slipper he laid the smooth leather sole against his bare bottom. “You don’t disobey me, you don’t go against me.”
Raising the slipper high David then brought it down hard on the meatiest portion of Lin's left buttock watching the muscle flatten under the power of the stroke and then spring back when the slipper was lifted bringing a bloom of colour with it.
Lin's eyes widened and he yelled, bucking as the fierce sting blossomed. Bracing his hands on the floor he tried to push up off David's knees, but was held fast. The slipper rapidly struck again on his right buttock this time and he roared dismay at its savage bite. The action was repeated four more times at full force alternating between the left and right cheeks of his backside leaving it pulsing with hot pain.
“That was for leaving the house." David rested the slipper in the centre of Lin's crimson bottom. "Now there’s the matter of your disobedience on the beach to deal with.”
Lin interrupted, twisting his head to look up at David, blurting. “No. You can’t punish me for that. It wouldn't be fair. Your authority holds no sway in those kinds of circumstances. You risked your life to get me off the wall. Do you seriously think I was going to leave you stuck there while the cliff tumbled on top of you?”
He burst into heavy tears, sobbing, “we’re accountable only to ourselves at such times. No one has the right to dictate what choices we make. We both did what we thought was right. You came for me and I stayed for you. I'm sorry for going behind your back this afternoon and for storming out but that's all I'm sorry for.”
Dropping the slipper David eased Lin to his feet, standing up with him. Picking up the pyjama shorts he helped Lin put them on and then pulled him into his arms comforting him until the tears dried.
“You could have died today." He rested his cheek against the brown-gold hair. "You could have been swept away and I would have had to live the rest of my life without you.”
Lin’s mercurial mind flashed an acidic quip about that being a bonus, but he left the words unvoiced. Such self-deprecation would not go unpunished and his bottom was sore enough. His throat contracted painfully as he suddenly realised David was shaking as much as he was. He hugged him tighter. “You're shaking. It’s all right, babes, its just delayed shock, we’re okay.”
They held each other
for a good few moments and then David took charge again, ushering Lin into bed. He stripped off and joined him, gathering him into his arms. Neither spoke. Touch was enough.
They slept soundly, waking to a serene bright morning punctuated by the familiar call of sea birds.
Lin, his head resting against David’s smooth bare chest, suddenly recalled something and sat up, his voice shrill with indignation. “You slapped me, yesterday, when I was on the wall. You slapped me right across the face!”
“What did you expect me to do?” David hooked an arm behind his head and gazed at Lin from unrepentant eyes. “Tickle your feet? There was several hundred tons of seawater heading your way and you were glued to the spot. There wasn’t time to do Yoga. I had to be brutal.”
He pulled Lin back down beside him. “Getting you moving was my only concern.” He kissed and then sucked the lobe of Lin's ear, drawing it between his teeth, murmuring. “We’ve got all day. Let me make it up to you."
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Visit author's 'postcards' page on her website for a glossary of unfamiliar dialect words
Other Books in the Postcards Series
Fresh From The Sea
Sailor Take Warning