by Amy Cross
“That's the woman who left the reviews, right?”
I nod.
“The woman you stalked, Alice?”
“I didn't stalk anyone!”
“Seriously? You tracked the woman down to her home! This isn't funny. It's borderline unstable. How would you feel if it had been the other way round, and she'd come knocking on your door? It's actual stalking!”
“I came to talk to her, but she was already dead!”
“I see. And now you've decided to stick around and investigate, have you?”
“Well, I just -”
“This isn't a movie, Alice!” she shouts. “It's not an episode of some TV show, and you're not Jessica Fletcher!”
“I never -”
“And it's not one of your shitty -”
She stops herself just in time.
“One of my shitty what?” I ask. “One of my shitty books?”
“That's not what I meant.”
“There's something going on here,” I reply, although I'm aware that I must sound like a maniac. “I don't know what, not right now, but I'm starting to understand a little more.”
“You're making excuses!” she continues, taking a step toward me. “I don't know why, but for some reason you've suddenly decided to start poking about in our past.”
“The reviews -”
“It's because of Mum, isn't it?”
I open my mouth to tell her she's wrong, but a shudder passes through my chest as I think back to my nightmare.
“I always knew something like this would happen one day,” Kate continues. “I knew you weren't satisfied with what I'd told you. The fact that you were too young to remember, that you don't even remember Mum's face and we've never been able to find a photo of her... I knew that one day it's all flare up. What I didn't know, however, was that you'd invent such a ridiculous, complicated reason to come back here to Curridge.”
“I think somebody has been trying to tell me something,” I reply, trying to stay calm.
“Through a bunch of book reviews?”
“I know it sounds crazy, but if you let me explain the whole thing, you'll see what I mean.”
“And who's that idiot?” she asks, glancing past me.
Turning, I see that Graham is watching us from the pub's doorway. After a moment, however, he heads back inside and I turn back to my sister.
“This isn't a game,” she continues, “and you're not going to dig up anything from the past.”
“What's a soul auction?” I ask.
“What's a what?”
“Did you ever hear anyone mention a soul auction?” I continue. “Did Mum ever mention it, back in the day?”
I wait for a reply, but she's staring at me as if I'm completely crazy.
“I'm just looking into some things,” I add, “and I'll be done in a few days.”
“You're looking into some things?” she replies, rolling her eyes. “Do you suddenly think you're Miss Marple? Or Poirot or someone like that?”
“There's so much I need to tell you,” I continue. “Why don't we go inside and you can get some lunch, and I'll tell you everything I've found out so far.”
“We can get lunch on the road,” she says firmly. “We're leaving, Alice. Right now!”
“What?”
“We're leaving! It's not good for you to be here!”
“Absolutely not,” I reply. “No. I can't leave, not when I'm so close to...”
My voice trails off as I realize that I'm not even sure what I'm trying to do here. I came to Curridge to track down Dora Ohme, and I guess that trail has gone cold.
“I'm really worried about you” Kate says, stepping closer and placing a hand on my shoulder. “You don't seem well, Alice. I reckon the bad reaction to your new book has sent you tripping off down a dark and twisted path, and you need to snap out of this right now!”
“This isn't to do with my book!”
I wait for her to make some fresh, snarky comment, but suddenly I realize that she's looking past me. I wait a moment longer, before glancing over my shoulder and seeing nothing but the bare beach spreading past the end of town and out toward the distant cliffs. When I turn back to Kate, I find that she's still looking past me, and that now there are tears glistening in her eyes.
“What?” I ask. “What is it?”
She pauses for a moment longer, before turning to me.
“Are you okay?” I continue.
“You want to stay here?” she replies, her voice trembling slightly. “Fine. Sod it, let's stay a night.”
“Kate -”
“No, I'm serious!” Taking a step back, she sniffs away her tears. “I should have come here with you a long time ago, shouldn't I? I should have shown you the place where Mum died.”
“Kate, you don't have to be here...”
“Yeah, well, I want to be!” she snaps. “And if I couldn't force you to leave, then you sure as hell aren't gonna make me drive away. So are there any more rooms at that pub, or do I have to sleep in my car?”
“Kate, I just -”
“I'll go check!”
With that, she turns and stomps across the beach, hurrying toward the pub. I want to call after her, but to be honest I'm shocked by how suddenly she seemed to change her mind. Ninety seconds ago she was telling me to get out of here, and now she's the one who's insisting we stay.
Turning and looking along the beach, I try to figure out what she saw and why she changed her tune. All I see, however, is the bare and long beach.
Chapter Forty-Six
Lizzie
Thirty years ago
Sitting alone in our room at the pub, I wait for the latest bout of dizziness to pass.
I came up a few minutes ago to start packing Kate's things, but suddenly I felt as if the room was spinning all around me. I sat down on the end of the bed, convinced that the sensation would soon pass, but if anything it's getting worse. At least there's no pain.
“You can't afford to be sick,” I whisper, trying to force the discomfort away through sheer force of will. “You have to stay healthy. Kate and Alice need you.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Alice
Today
“No,” I reply, talking to Brad on the phone in the pub's back room, “she's acting really strangely. She's just been drinking all afternoon and -”
Before I can finish, I hear Kate laughing again in the main bar area. She's had at least six glasses of red wine, and my attempts to slow her down a little have been met with resistance; in fact, I've stopped saying anything to her, because she seems to drink even more whenever she thinks I don't approve. Now she's laughing louder than ever, and a moment later there's the sound of her banging her hand against a table. She's really holding court in there.
“She's drunk,” I continue. “I want to stay here, but I think she should leave. Well, not tonight, but in the morning.”
“Kate's always a heavy drinker,” Brad points out, with the sound of a busy Scottish pub in the background of the call. “Maybe she's just letting her hair down.”
“It's more than that,” I reply with a sigh. “She changed, right on a dime.”
“And you're sure you're not reading too much into this?”
“Kate's never really wanted to talk to me about what happened when Mum died,” I remind him. “I mean, she's talked about it, but only very reluctantly. I don't blame her for that. After all, I was just a baby but she was five years older. She remembers bits of it. That's why the idea of her suddenly wanting to spend a night here in Curridge is so strange. I can't help thinking that maybe it's my fault she's in this state.”
“Never blame yourself for your sister's actions!” Brad says firmly. “I've told you that before.”
“I know, but -”
Suddenly I hear more footsteps upstairs. I guess the elusive Mr. Goodman is in his room, but I have bigger problems right now.
“I should go and check on her,” I continue. “When I came out to call you
, she was rambling onto Graham and some other guys about how Curridge is such a quiet little town. Honestly, I think she might start dancing on tables soon.”
Once the call is over, I take a moment to get my thoughts together and then I head back through to the main bar. I spot Graham and some other men at the table next to the window, but as I get closer I realize that Kate isn't with them.
“Where is she?” I ask, trying not to panic. “Is she okay?”
***
“Kate!” I yell, hurrying across the dark beach. “Kate, stop!”
I can just about see her in the distance, silhouetted against the darkening sky as she races away from town. I have no idea what's wrong with her, but Graham said that she suddenly rushed out of the pub without saying where she was going. Apparently she was laughing and giggling about something, and as I start to catch up I realize that I can see she's still holding a half-full wine glass.
Finally she comes to a stumbling halt, allowing me to reach her.
“What are you doing?” I ask breathlessly, as waves crash against the shore just a few meters away. “Kate, you scared me!”
“I'm looking for something,” she mumbles, barely able to walk straight as she heads over to some nearby rocks.
“Let me help you,” I reply, grabbing her arm to steady her, only for her to quickly pull away. “Kate, don't you think you're a little drunk to be wandering about like this?”
“It's here somewhere. I remember it.”
“What do you remember?”
“All of it!” she yells, holding her arms out at her sides with such suddenness that she spills half her wine. “I remember this whole bloody place so well! It's like I was only here yesterday!”
“Lucky you,” I mutter, before trying to grab her arm as she clambers up onto one of the large, gray rocks that rise high from the pebbles. “Be careful, Kate! You could actually hurt yourself if you fall and -”
Suddenly, as if to prove my point, she slips. I grab her legs, but she just about manages to cling on to the rock, although in the process her wine glass falls and smashes against the pebbles.
“Come down!” I yell, but she's already laughing as she clambers up onto the top of the rock.
“I used to climb on these when I was little,” she explains, still slurring her words. “Mum used to tell me it was dangerous, but I did it anyway.”
“Mum had a point!” I reply, watching in horror as she makes her way on all fours over to the other side of the rock. “Kate, don't you think this is kind of crazy?”
“You're the one who brought us here.”
“I didn't actually mean -”
“I wouldn't be here if you hadn't come here this week, so can it.” She almost slips again, before taking a moment to steady herself. “I know it's here somewhere. It can't have worn away already.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask wearily. “Kate, let's get back to the pub and find something to eat. Seriously, you need food in your stomach to soak up some of that alcohol.”
“Here it is!” she yells suddenly, sounding utterly triumphant. “I knew it!”
“What have you found?” I ask.
“Come and see!”
“I really don't want to climb up there.”
“Then you won't see it, will you?” she replies, leaning down as if she's fascinated by something that's on top of the rock. “You'll live the rest of your life in blissful ignorance.”
Sighing, I look at the nearby rocks and realize that climbing up wouldn't actually be that difficult. I mean, Kate managed to get up there, and she's drunk out of her mind. I'm pretty sure that a sober person shouldn't have too much trouble. Finally, figuring that Kate might agree to come down once I've taken a look, I start clambering up over the rocks until I reach the top, where I find my sister on her knees.
She's running a hand against a section of the rock's surface, and I can just about make out some kind of carving.
“Isn't it pretty?” she whispers, before moving her hand away. “I don't know why I remember it so well, but I did.”
Clambering closer, I'm shocked to see that she's found a carving that looks identical to the shape that I saw at the church. There's a letter A mixed with a backward letter C, almost as if somebody once carved their initials up here.
“What is it?” I ask.
“It's beautiful.”
I watch as she runs her fingers across the grooves. It's almost as if she's mesmerized by the sight of the letters, and for a few seconds her drunkenness seems to lift, replaced by a kind of deep fascination. A moment later I realize that her lips are moving, although she's whispering far too quietly for me to hear exactly what she's on about. I lean closer, hoping to pick up a few words, but I still can't quite manage.
Suddenly she turns and looks straight at me.
“You don't need to worry so much,” she says calmly, and then she forces a big grin. “That's always been your trouble, Alice. You worry about every little thing.”
“I'm not -”
Before I can finish, she turns and slithers off the other side of the rock. Startled, I rush over to check whether she's okay, but to my surprise I see that she's already running back along the beach, heading toward the pub.
“Wait!” I shout, struggling to find a safe way down.
I consider jumping, but then I spot a safer route so I clamber down and then set off across the pebbles. Kate might be able to run fast, but I can barely get above walking pace and by the time I reach the pub several minutes later, there's no sign of my sister. I guess she must have gone inside, so I head to the door. And then, at the last moment, I realize I can hear her voice somewhere nearby.
I look around, before spotting her in the distance, silhouetted against the setting sun.
She's with a man.
Kate seems to be talking frantically, and I can just about make out occasional comments from the man. I hesitate for a moment, trying to make out exactly who this guy is, and then I start making my way toward them. They're a couple of hundred meters away, and the darkening sky casts their long shadows toward me.
“Kate! I call out, making my way around one of the beach huts, briefly losing sight of her. “What are you doing?”
As soon as I emerge from the other side of the hut, I see that Kate is alone now, and she's walking toward me.
“Who were you talking to?” I ask, looking all around but seeing no sign of anyone.
“Are you hungry?” she asks as she gets closer. “I think you were right, I need something to eat. Does this place do good food?”
“Who was that man?”
“What man?”
“I saw you talking to a man!”
She stares at me for a moment, before glancing around and then turning to me again.
“You were talking to someone!” I continue. “Who was it?”
“Which of us is drunk here?” she replies. “Honestly, Alice, I was just admiring the view. I wasn't talking to anyone, and there wasn't anyone to talk to.” She nudges my arm. “It's just you and me, baby!”
Stepping past her, I look around again, but there's absolutely no sign of the man. I guess he could have hurried away, but I still find it hard to believe he could have run fast enough to completely disappear in the time I was walking past the hut.
Suddenly hearing footsteps nearby, I turn to see that Kate is trudging toward the pub.
“Come on!” she yells. “Dinner's on me!”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Lizzie
Thirty years ago
Waves crash against the shore, and I feel a light spray hitting my face as I stand in pitch darkness. It's late and the girls are in bed, and the landlady's listening out in case they wake. Right now, I'm standing alone on the beach, trying to get my head straight.
All evening, I've been feeling strangely out of my own head, as if I'm floating through everything. I managed to get Kate and Alice fed, and then I got them to bed and did all the usual Mummy stuff, but deep down I
can tell that something's not right. It's everywhere at once, filling my body, and I'm starting to think that maybe I should see a doctor when I get back to London. I can't afford to be sick, but then again I might be fine so long as I catch it early.
I don't even care about myself. I only care about Kate and Alice.
Turning, I look back toward the pub. For a moment I watch the windows, and I can see a few locals inside, supping on their pints. There's something very peaceful about this town, and about the way the residents try to live their lives with minimal interference from outsides. A few seconds later, however, I spot a brightly-lit window in one of the cottages, and I realize that I can see Dora Ohme sitting at a desk, frantically searching through a book. I feel bad for her, but I'm honestly starting to think that she's as mad as a box of fish.
Still, I've been a little rude to her over the past few days, and I figure I should go and apologize.
Setting off across the beach, I struggle a little as some of the pebbles give way beneath my feet, but I manage to get past the beach huts and then -
Suddenly I hear somebody breathing right behind me.
I turn and look, but there's no-one around. I can still hear the breathing, however, and I'm convinced that there must be a figure hiding just around the corner of the nearest beach hut.
“Who's there?” I call out. “What do you want?”
My heart's pounding, but I try to focus on the fact that this is probably a prank.
“Kate?” I continue, trying not to sound too scared. “This isn't funny, sweetheart. You're scaring Mummy. Come out and -”
Suddenly something bumps against my shoulder from behind. I spin around and look, but now all I see is the nearly-empty car park.
“Who are you?” I shout, backing against the beach hut so that at least I can't be approached from behind. Reaching into my pocket, I try to find something I can use for defense, but I only have a set of keys. “I've got a knife!” I call out, even though I doubt anyone would believe me. “Don't come any closer!”
I wait, and I swear I can hear a kind of low, guttural breathing sound coming from somewhere nearby. There are no lights this far out on the beach, so I'd only be able to see someone by their silhouette. Even then, I wouldn't be able to get a good look.