by Bethan Lewis
Letting go of the rail, she turned expecting to find Dan, but she could see nothing. The fog was wet and cold, and she shivered. She had to get back inside. Reaching out, she grabbed at the air. This was like the horror film she had watched with the kids, except there were no pirates running up the beach brandishing swords ready to kill her. Or maybe they were there, and she just couldn’t see them. Erin giggled at the absurdity of her thoughts.
‘Dan. Are you there?’ she called out, but received no reply.
Where was he? Had he fallen off the balcony to the beach below, or had he wandered off and gotten lost in the fog?
Temporarily forgetting that she was mad at him, fear clutched at her heart and her chest tightened as she started to panic. Stumbling blindly, she tripped over a chair and landed heavily on her knees. The pain knocked the breath out of her, and tears sprung to her eyes. She got to her feet and limped slowly forward with her hands outstretched, trying to feel her way back inside. The fog had disorientated her, and she was unsure if she was going in the right direction. Maybe it was best to stay put until it cleared, she thought.
‘Is anyone there?’ Still no answer.
As suddenly as it appeared, the fog started to dissipate. She was about three feet away from where she was originally standing and Dan was still there.
‘Why didn’t you answer me when I called out?’ Erin demanded.
‘I didn’t hear you. Are you alright?’ he asked, noticing her cut knees.
‘I am fine. I want to go back to the Seabeach.’
‘If that’s what you want. We need to go back into the restaurant first.’
‘Why?’ she asked.
‘You need to pay the bill.’
‘Me!’ she shrieked. ‘You invited me out.’
‘I did, but the other day you said you would have dinner with me only if you could pay, so I didn’t bother bringing my wallet.’
Oooh the nerve of the man, Erin thought as she stalked back inside to settle the bill. Who did he think he was? Were all men this arrogant?
As they walked back Dan tried to converse, but Erin ignored him, and he soon fell silent. Humiliated, she picked up the pace and hurried along, eager to get away from him and back to the safety of her room.
Erin was thankful that the hotel was only a short distance away, and after saying a stilted goodbye she left him standing in the lobby. She closed the door and leaned against it, then she sunk to the floor and wrapped her arms around her knees. Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks. How could she be so foolish? Why had she let her guard down so easily with him? Megan had warned her to be careful, but she hadn’t listened.
She wiped her eyes, then stripped off her dress and stood naked in front of the mirror. She didn’t look that bad. Okay, she could do with losing a couple of pounds and toning up a bit, but she didn’t need surgery. That was too drastic a measure. If Dan couldn’t accept her as she was, then he wasn’t worth bothering with.
Changing into her pyjamas she curled up on the bed with the laptop. She connected her phone and uploaded the photos she had taken that day. Five minutes later, she sat staring at them in dismay. The quality was rubbish, some were too dark, and others had shadows or sunlight glinting off them. None of them were clear enough to put out there for public inspection, and Erin doubted there was an editing programme that could improve them. She sighed, the kids had been right after all, blogging was not going to be easy.
Chapter 10
The days flew by, and by the end of the first week Erin was exhausted. She had visited every tourist site, museum, shop and craft centre within walking distance and had a bag full of souvenirs to take home. She would probably need to pay for extra baggage at the airport, but she was certain Lily, Marcus and Megan would love what she bought.
In the evenings she worked on her blog, and with the help of google she learnt how to take better photos and was improving on a daily basis. She now had a portfolio of professional snaps which she was happy to share with the world.
She spotted Dan a few times, but managed to avoid him and it came as no surprise that he made no attempt to contact her either. Once Erin had calmed down and discussed the situation with Megan, she was slightly embarrassed by her behaviour, and wondered if maybe she had overreacted a bit. She would never admit it to him though, and she certainly wasn’t going to apologise, as he had behaved just as terribly.
Friday morning she was sat in the dining room eating her breakfast, texting her children, and pondering if anyone sent postcards anymore, when Dan walked in and seated himself at a table opposite hers. Was he still ignoring her, or had he genuinely not seen her? As he opened his newspaper Erin decided to sneak out. He was facing away from her, so she was certain she could reach the door without him noticing. Stealthily, she pushed back her chair and got to her feet.
‘Morning Erin,’ he said without lowering the paper.
Damn, he had seen her. Now she was faced with a new dilemma; ignore him and act like she was still mad, or acknowledge him. Good manners got the better of her.
‘Hello Dan,’ Erin answered and started walking away.
‘How is the holiday going?’ he asked, again without looking at her.
She halted in her tracks, if he was being civil, so could she. ‘I am enjoying thank you.’
‘Good,’ he finally raised his eyes to hers. His deep blue ones bore into her green ones so intently she was sure he could see right into her head.
The tension in the air grew, and Erin shifted uncomfortably. He raised a dark bushy eyebrow and the look he gave her was expectant. What did he want?
‘If he is waiting for an apology, he is going to be sat there an awful long time’, she thought.
‘I should go,’ she mumbled. ‘See you around.’
He stared at her a moment longer, then sighed, ‘You got me all wrong. I am not the person you make me out to be. Enjoy your day out.’
Erin scooted out of the room as if it was on fire. What did he mean? What had she got wrong? Megan had said something similar when she spoke to her the previous evening. Perhaps she should give him a chance to explain and redeem himself.
Pushing him from her mind, she left the hotel and hurried to the bus station; she was venturing further afield to explore some more of the island’s treasures. The previous day she had gotten into a conversation with the receptionist who mentioned another castle, which was situated in a village a quarter of an hour away. The sales pitch in the leaflet enticed her and Erin deemed it worthy of a visit.
The bus stopped in a picturesque fishing harbour, and Erin immediately sighted her destination. The impressive medieval fortress was built on top of a steep hill overlooking the village. Erin took her time, enjoying the fresh sea air, stopping every now and then to take some photographs. Eventually she arrived at the castle entrance, paid the fee and stood for a few minutes regarding the huge stone building which had survived for eight hundred years. The brochure stated the castle contained numerous staircases, towers and secret rooms and Erin couldn’t wait to start exploring.
A path wound its way up the hillside, and Erin marched along until she came to a set of steep stairs, which flanked the perimeter of the castle walls. Erin slowed down to catch her breath. The day was starting to heat up and beads of sweat dripped down her face. At the top of the stairs she rounded the bend, and came face to face with another set, much steeper than the last. Half way up, her legs burning from the exertion she stopped, clung to the wall and waited for the black spots to stop dancing in front of her eyes. Sinking down on the stone step Erin glugged thirstily from her water bottle.
‘It’s the heat of the day,’ Erin thought, not wanting to admit she was unfit.
Promising herself that she would start working out when she got home, she got to her feet. The muscles in her legs protested, but she gritted her teeth, ignored the pain and soon reached the first room. Like most old buildings it was dark and damp. Green moss and mould covered the thick walls, the floor was uneven and in the d
im light Erin struggled to find her footing.
The next room was lighter and contained statues and posters with historical facts on. She read them all, eager to find out the history. Working her way to the next part of the building she was dismayed to come to another staircase. With her leg muscles screaming in agony, she climbed the spiral staircase to the top of the tower.
But the climb was worth it, as the tower offered unrestricted views. The east overlooked the harbour full of fishing boats and to the south-west, across the clear blue sea, Erin could make out the coastline of France in the distance.
Determined to capture the moment she took out her camera. As she leaned over the wall she made the mistake of looking down. Below was nothing but jagged rocks and the sea. Heights didn’t usually bother her, but the sheer drop made her legs wobble and her head spun in a sudden wave of dizziness. Gripping the wall for support, she accidentally loosened her grasp on the camera and it plummeted over the edge and shattered into tiny pieces on the rocks below.
‘No!’ Erin cried out.
The camera which she had purchased during her ‘creative phase’ as the kids liked to call it, had cost a fortune. She had enrolled on a photography course, and it seemed like a good idea at the time, but she didn’t stick with it, something she deeply regretted now.
Climbing down from the tower she followed the corridor and entered the next part of the castle. The rooms led from one to another. She stepped into a white painted room with a portrait on the wall. Confused, Erin looked around her. Hadn’t she already been in this room? Going through another door she carried on walking, turned down the corridor, went through a doorway and… how had that happened? She was back in the white portrait room. She stared at the face in the painting, convinced the eyes were mocking her. The castle was a maze. Was there no way out once you were in?
Eventually she found the exit, but groaned in dismay at the sight of another steep staircase. Convinced the castle would be the death of her, she wearily climbed up them. By now she was completely disoriented. She had clambered up and down so many steps she didn’t know what side of the castle she was on, or what floor.
Stepping through the last doorway, Erin was relieved to find herself back at the entrance. Descending the stairs was easier and faster, and within minutes she was at the bottom. Situated next to the castle, overlooking the sea, was a little tea room, and Erin hurried over, desperate for refreshments. She ordered a cup of tea and a cake and found a picnic bench under the shade of a tree.
Replenished, she mooched around the gift shop before heading down the hill to the bus stop. The village was busier than when she first arrived. Tourists walked up and down the pier, whilst others sat on the wall slurping their ice creams and watching the boats.
According to the timetable there was a little wait for her ride, so Erin wandered off to browse the handful of shops that lined the sea front. Entering one of the jewellery shops she ambled around until something caught her eye in one of the display stands. As she stood admiring the silver necklace with the creamy pearl, she sensed a presence at her side.
‘Hello dear. Fancy seeing you again,’ a croaky voice said.
Erin swung around, her face breaking into a smile. ‘June, Arthur. How lovely to run in to you,’ she greeted the elderly couple.
‘Don’t worry, we aren’t stalking you,’ June laughed. ‘Jersey is a small island. We were bound to bump into each other again. Have you seen the castle?’
‘Yes, I have just come from there and was killing time waiting for the bus.’
‘I am trying to persuade Arthur to buy me something for my birthday, as it’s a special one,’ June said, gazing wistfully into the display case.
‘I would never hear the end of it otherwise,’ Arthur grumbled and rolled his eyes.
There was a twinkle in his eye and Erin realised he didn’t mean it. After so many years of marriage, the love still shone from them and Erin was overcome with sadness as she would never experience that bond or the same kind of love.
‘Well, we might as well enjoy it, we can’t take our money with us when we die,’ June said prodding Arthur with her walking stick.
‘That is true. Gosh is that the time, I must go or I will miss the bus. Goodbye.’
Erin rushed across the street, but was too late, the bus was already pulling away. She run down the road waving her arms, but the driver failed to see her and drove on. She walked back and sat on a bench hoping the next one would be along soon. Hearing a commotion she turned and witnessed June and Arthur wrestling with a young lad as he tried to steal June’s handbag.
‘Oi you, stop that! Leave them alone,’ Erin shouted as she sprinted across the street.
The youngster seized the bag and wriggled free, then ran off down the road, followed at break-neck speed by Erin. In school, she had been a champion sprinter, and even though it had been years since she had run anywhere, she was gaining on the youth. Reaching out, she grabbed his collar and yanked. The thief lost his balance and fell to the floor, and Erin promptly jumped on top of him. All around her people cheered and applauded. Erin blushed, aware she was now the centre of attention.
A police car screeched to a halt, and a burly police officer handcuffed the thief and put him in the police car before pulling out his notebook. ‘We need to take a statement from you miss. Can you tell me what happened?’
Eager to go and check the elderly couple were okay, Erin hurriedly recounted the events of the last few minutes in as much detail as she could remember.
‘Thank you, Miss Turnbull. Should I require any more information I will be in touch. If you remember anything else, don’t hesitate to contact us.’
The policeman pocketed his notebook and returned to his car. A female officer was deep in conversation with June and Arthur, and Erin rushed over to hand the bag back to its rightful owner. The elderly lady took it with a shaky hand, and Erin detected traces of tear marks down her face. The officer finished questioning the couple and went to talk to a few by-standers.
‘Come sit for a minute,’ Erin said leading June to a bench. ‘Are you okay? You received quite a shock.’
‘The youth of today have no respect for anyone!’ Arthur said angrily. ‘I hope they lock him up and throw away the key.’
‘You were so brave running after him. Thank you for getting my bag back,’ June said patting Erin’s hand.
‘Brave? Stupid more like. The little thug could have been carrying a weapon. I just didn’t think, it was a spur of the moment reaction. At least you got your bag back, and the delinquent is now in police custody. Hopefully, he won’t do anything like this again.’
‘Well young lady I think you deserve a reward,’ Arthur said. ‘How can we repay your kindness?’
Erin shook her head, ‘I wouldn’t dream of accepting anything. My reward is knowing the pair of you are alright.’
An ambulance pulled up, and the paramedics jumped out and headed towards the female officer, who pointed in their direction. Only then did Erin notice the cut on the old man’s head, and the ashen complexion of his wife.
‘I better leave you to it. Here is my number, give me a call if you need anything,’ Erin said squeezing June’s hand.
‘You have done more than enough dear. You restored my faith in humanity. I always believed there were decent people in the world,’ June said. ‘Don’t let this ruin the rest of your holiday.’
‘Oh, I won’t. Take care,’ Erin said and on impulse leaned over and hugged the frail body.
The paramedics led the couple to the ambulance and seated them inside. The doors closed and Erin watched as the ambulance drove away. The crowd that had gathered started to disperse. A bus pulled in to the stop and after reassuring the officers that she was fine, Erin climbed on and was whisked back to the hotel. As she passed the bar she grabbed some snacks and refreshments, then continued up to her room.
In no mood for company, she locked the door and belly-flopped down on to the bed.
‘That
was one eventful day’, she thought as she rubbed a hand across her face; the long trek to the castle, hundreds of steps (which she was sure she would be dreaming about), losing her camera and then the mugging. She was glad every day wasn’t as hectic as this one.
Without bothering to undress she climbed into bed, unwrapped a chocolate bar, picked up the remote control and found a movie to watch. Perhaps tomorrow she would stay by the pool. Nothing could go wrong if she stayed put.
Chapter 11
The next morning, Erin was sat at the breakfast table nursing a mug of hot tea. After the events of the previous day she had decided a lazy day was in order. Once breakfast was done, she was going to take her book and curl up on a sun lounger by the pool. Out of the blue a newspaper slammed down on the table, startling her.
‘You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?’ Dan drawled pointing at the front page.
Confused, Erin looked down and her hand shot to her mouth in shock. The headline read, Holidaymaker to Hero, and underneath was a colour photo of her straddling the bag snatcher and waving the handbag in the air. The colour drained from her face, oh no, everyone was going to see this.
Before she could utter a response her mobile phone started to ring, and Erin glanced at the number in surprise. Why was Marcus ringing her at this time of the morning? Had something happened? All sorts of terrible scenarios began to go through her mind.
‘Hi honey. How are you? Is something wrong?’
‘I am fine thanks mum. How is your vacation going? Anything exciting happening?’ Marcus asked.
‘It is going fine. Just doing touristy things,’ she glanced at Dan, who raised an eyebrow and pointed to the newspaper. Waving him away she continued, ‘You know sightseeing and stuff…’
‘Mum, don’t lie to me,’ Marcus interrupted. ‘You’re all over the internet. They are calling you “the handbag hero”.’