Journey to Death

by Leigh Russell

  ‘Race you to that rock,’ she shouted and set off swimming as fast as she could before he had a chance to react. She laughed out loud as a shoal of little fish passed below her, tails flicking, black and silver bodies twisting from side to side as they glided through the clear water. The rock was further away than she had realised. Her legs, already tired from the walk in the sun, felt heavy. As she swam on the water grew deeper until she could no longer feel the bottom. She had the impression there was a sharp dip in the ocean floor as the water suddenly became colder, but she was a strong swimmer and besides, she had challenged Adrian to a race. She kept going.

  Without warning, something gripped her left ankle, dragging her downwards. Spluttering with alarm, she struggled to wriggle out of the thick tendrils of seaweed wrapped around her leg. It felt as though a hand was clutching at her, tightening its grip as she gulped for breath and fought to free herself. Then something trapped her other ankle so she could not kick. Looking down she glimpsed something moving. She felt sick with terror in case a shark had caught hold of her legs. About a year before there had been reports in the media about a shark attack somewhere in the Seychelles. She seemed to remember a man had died on his honeymoon. As she was pulled under, she looked down again. Through the clear water she made out a blurred outline. It looked as though a woman was swimming beneath her. Looking through the wavering water, she realised her eyes must be misleading her. With no one else there, it could only be Adrian pulling her down.

  Cursing him for playing such a dangerous prank she struggled frantically as he tugged her right under the water. She held her breath until her lungs felt as though they would burst. The sea roared in her ears. Her eyes stung from the salt, and a bitter taste of brine in the back of her throat made her gag. Gathering all her strength, with a desperate burst of energy she kicked down with all her might. Her feet hit against something hard. On the impact her legs were abruptly released and she thrashed her way to the surface, choking and gasping for breath, her vision blurring as she became dizzy.

  Strong hands gripped her under her arms and she was aware that Adrian was towing her towards the shore. Reaching shallow water he half carried, half dragged her onto the sand where she lay, gasping and shivering, her eyes stinging painfully.

  ‘What happened to you out there?’ he asked, his black eyes wide with concern. ‘Are you OK?’

  ‘What the hell do you think you were you doing?’ she demanded.

  Her throat felt tight and she almost choked with the effort to speak.

  ‘What was I doing? I thought you got cramp. One minute you were swimming ahead of me, then you just disappeared.’

  Lucy was trembling with anger and shock. It was hard to credit his cheek. It struck her that she did not really know anything about the dark-skinned stranger who had brought her to this isolated spot, led her into the water and then nearly killed her. More than anything, she was furious with herself. Off guard, she had fallen for a stranger, misplacing her trust once again.

  ‘Next time you go playing a stupid game like that—’ She broke off, coughing. ‘You nearly drowned me out there. What the hell were you thinking?’

  Adrian pulled away from her, a startled expression on his face. ‘What are you talking about? It was your idea to swim out to the deep water. I was following you when you went under. If it was dangerous you’ve only got yourself to blame. How was I to know you weren’t up to it?’

  ‘Don’t pretend it wasn’t you.’ She was furious now. ‘You pulled me under. It wasn’t funny.’

  Adrian looked surprised. ‘What are you talking about? I just saved your life!’

  ‘After you nearly drowned me!’

  ‘There’s no way I pulled you under the water. What kind of an idiot do you take me for? You really think I would play such a dangerous trick on you out there? That’s crazy.’ He stared at her in consternation. ‘Look, Lucy, I’m sorry you caught a fright out there, but there’s no need to get in a state over it. You’re not the first person to get into difficulties in the waters round here, and I don’t suppose you’ll be the last. However strong a swimmer you are, the currents can catch you out, and there’s seaweed and fish down there, and it’s easy to get confused when you’re frightened. Just don’t ever go out there on your own. That’s when accidents happen.’

  ‘I’d know if it was cramp and it wasn’t,’ she muttered. ‘Someone pulled me under.’

  ‘Could it have been a fish?’

  Lucy shook her head. ‘A fish? It wasn’t a fish. I think I know the difference between a human being and a fish.’

  It sounded so ridiculous, she could not help laughing. Adrian smiled, seeming relieved that she had recovered from her alarm. As they walked back to the hotel, she mused over what had happened. In the sea she had been convinced that Adrian was messing around under the surface. Now she doubted her own senses, particularly as she had been out in the sun all day. She had been sure that someone had pulled her under the water. Who else could it have been but Adrian? Yet to begin with she had thought a woman had been swimming below her in the water. Maybe it had just been a shoal of fish that had caused her to panic. Perhaps she had imagined seeing a figure in the water below her. Her memory of the incident had already begun to blur and she was confused about what had happened.

  ‘So if it wasn’t cramp, and it wasn’t a fish, where could this mystery attacker of yours have gone?’ Adrian asked.

  Gazing out over the turquoise ocean, Lucy refrained from suggesting that someone could have swum round out of sight behind the rock. It was possible, but it sounded absurd. There was no reason why anyone would do that.

  ‘And why would anyone behave like that?’ Adrian went on, voicing her own question.

  ‘I guess it must have been cramp,’ she mumbled, embarrassed. ‘Thank you for rescuing me. It was lucky for me you were there.’

  ‘It could just as easily have been the other way round,’ he replied. ‘Only an idiot would swim out here alone.’

  6

  ANGELA DOZED OFF, WAKING to see George snoring gently on a lounger at her side, legs outstretched, hands resting comfortably on his paunch. Sometimes she was caught off guard, startled by how old he looked, his hair still thick but completely white, his limbs somehow shrunken. Only seven years older than her, it was odd how her husband had become an old man when she did not feel any different to the young woman who had fallen in love with him, except that she tired more easily than when they had first met over a quarter of a century ago. Preoccupied with Lucy’s disappointment in love she had not been paying George much attention recently, but looking at him now she could see that their daughter’s trouble had taken its toll on him too. Family tragedy was supposed to bring people closer together but Angela and George had dealt with the situation independently. They had hardly been able to discuss it. At least they had agreed it would be a good idea to insist Lucy accompany them to the Seychelles. They had both hoped the change of scene would do her good, and Angela had been pleased to see Lucy enjoying Adrian’s company.

  ‘Adrian seems very nice,’ Angela said as they sat down to dinner that evening.

  ‘We don’t know anything about him,’ Lucy said without looking up from her plate.

  Angela sighed. Naturally warm and trusting of others, Lucy had become distrustful. It was understandable. Having been so badly let down, she was bound to be more circumspect in future. Angela just hoped she would not allow her painful experience to prejudice her against every man she met.

  ‘It’s over,’ she said softly. ‘Not every man is untrustworthy. Where’s the harm in giving someone else a chance . . .’

  Always protective of Lucy’s feelings, George gave his wife a warning frown.

  ‘I don’t know what you mean, give someone else a chance,’ Lucy protested in a furious whisper. ‘Please tell me you’re not going to start fantasising about any man who happens to talk to me.’

  ‘Let her sort herself out in her own way,’ George agreed.

  L
ucy turned on him. ‘What do you mean, sort myself out? I’m fine. I don’t need sorting out.’

  They sat, heads down, studying their food.

  Angela broke the silence. ‘This fish is so soft.’

  ‘It’s gorgeous,’ Lucy agreed, and Angela relaxed.

  In spite of Lucy’s lukewarm response to him, Angela was disappointed when Adrian did not join them that evening. They had all been getting on so well. George had clearly enjoyed the exchange of entertaining anecdotes about hotel life. Angela could hardly go looking for him, but as they were leaving for a stroll in the gardens after dinner she spotted him seated in the bar.

  ‘Oh, look, there’s Adrian,’ she said brightly.

  Lucy looked away.

  ‘You two go on,’ Angela said, pausing in her stride as they left the hotel. ‘I’ve eaten way too much and I need to sit down for a bit.’ She patted her stomach with a moue of regret. ‘I’ll go and sit by the pool and you can come and find me when you get back.’

  Promising not to be gone long, George and Lucy wandered off into the gardens, lush and mysterious in the moonlight. Angela watched them go. As soon as they were out of sight, she hurried back to the bar and accosted Adrian.

  ‘Come and join me for a drink.’

  He exchanged a glance with the group of men he was sitting with but followed her without demur as Angela led him to a corner table.

  ‘Adrian, I’m not going to pry,’ she began.

  He raised his eyebrows with a guarded expression.

  ‘Mrs Hall—’

  ‘Please, hear me out. I won’t keep you long.’

  He nodded but looked uncomfortable, or perhaps bored, as Angela leaned forward and spoke rapidly, glancing towards the gardens every few seconds.

  ‘Adrian, I was wondering . . .’ She hesitated before plunging on. ‘I wondered if you might like to take Lucy out on a trip, sightseeing somewhere? She’s making the best of things, stuck here with us, but George and I are happy sitting around the pool most of the time – we’re not that young any more – at least not compared to Lucy – and I’m sure she’d appreciate someone younger showing her around.’

  She felt her face go red, and hoped it did not sound as though she was trying to palm her daughter off on him. Not that Lucy ought to need any help in finding a boyfriend. She was undeniably pretty, with a small nose that turned up at the end, like a little blob of putty, and pale blue eyes, large and round as though the world never ceased to amaze her. Considering both her parents were blond, it was not surprising that her hair had been almost white when she was a child, and she remained a natural blonde.

  Adrian’s eyes narrowed. He cleared his throat nervously.

  ‘Mrs Hall—’

  ‘Please, call me Angela.’

  ‘Angela. I took Lucy to one of the lovely coves along the beach this afternoon. Did she tell you?’

  Angela shook her head uneasily, wondering what she had blundered into. The last thing she wanted to do was embarrass her daughter.

  ‘Thank you. I’m sure she had a lovely time,’ she replied, suddenly formal, uncertain what had happened between Lucy and Adrian.

  ‘We went for a swim. It was fine, but she’s – well, she’s a little highly strung, isn’t she?’

  ‘Highly strung?’

  ‘She was disturbed by an encounter with a fish in the water. It wasn’t a shark or anything like that. I mean, there was no reason for her to be scared. But she became – well, upset. I’m not sure it would be a good idea, my taking her out for a day. She seems—’ He stopped abruptly as though he had just remembered he was talking to Lucy’s mother. ‘I mean, absolutely nothing happened, it really was nothing, but at first she seemed to blame me for what happened. I’d be happy to take you all out, show you around—’

  He broke off again, clearly afraid of sounding rude in refusing to take Lucy out alone.

  Angela nodded, suddenly serious. ‘You might not think it, seeing her now, but normally Lucy’s very level-headed, and always so positive about everything. But she’s not herself at the moment.’

  She only paused for a second. Lucy might thank her one day for telling Adrian about her disastrous love affair.

  ‘They had been living together for two years and it came completely out of the blue that he’d been two-timing her for so long,’ she concluded. ‘I think it was the betrayal of trust that upset her the most. We were all shocked. He seemed so nice. It was going on right under her nose and she knew nothing about it.’

  Adrian nodded awkwardly, but said nothing.

  ‘The thing is,’ Angela resumed, ‘I think it’s made her wary of men. She’s not usually one to make a fuss about anything. She’s – well, she’s good fun, as a rule, but this has hit her very hard.’

  ‘I can see that such an experience might have that effect.’

  ‘She used to be so trusting. And now . . .’ She sighed. ‘She’s so vulnerable. But she’s getting back to her old self. She just needs time. I know she’ll bounce back. That’s why we brought her here with us. She needed to get away. She thinks she’s over him but it’s not always so easy to recover from something like that.’ She shrugged. ‘I’m talking about love.’

  ‘Yes – I mean, no, I’m sure it isn’t.’

  Adrian stifled a yawn and Angela wondered if she was making a fool of herself, confiding in a complete stranger. He seemed very young. He probably did not understand what she was talking about, but she had to voice her concerns to someone and she did not want to worry George. He would pretend to dismiss her anxiety as a fuss about nothing, and then fret in silence. She pondered what else to say, while Adrian fidgeted in his chair, no doubt waiting for an opportunity to extricate himself from his position as unwilling confidant.

  George and Lucy approached, laughing together. Angela thought how fragile her daughter looked, how young she was to have been so hurt. They caught sight of Adrian sitting with Angela and came over, George smiling, Lucy trailing behind her father.

  ‘Hello, Adrian,’ George called out.

  The young man rose politely to his feet and greeted George and Lucy.

  ‘Let me get you a drink, Adrian,’ George said, smiling.

  The two men chatted easily as though they were old friends. They had a lot in common. Angela watched Adrian but he barely glanced at Lucy who was listening to their anecdotes and laughing.

  ‘The gardens are lovely in the moonlight, aren’t they, Lucy?’ George tried to describe how the place had changed since he lived there. ‘The rooms, the gardens, it’s all so different, and yet it’s all just the same. The hotel’s been extended, of course, but the beach hasn’t changed. The gardens have been developed. We had a lovely walk just now, didn’t we? Seeing the gardens in the moonlight.’

  ‘I can’t get over how early it gets dark here,’ Lucy said.

  Adrian did not even turn to acknowledge her remark. He drained his glass and stood up, thanking George for the beer. Then he walked away without a backward glance.

  ‘He’s a nice chap,’ George said, watching him go.

  ‘Yes,’ Angela agreed.

  She glanced furtively at her daughter, wondering what had really happened between Lucy and Adrian while she and George had been sleeping by the pool.

  7

  THE FOLLOWING MORNING LUCY felt her mood lighten as she dressed for breakfast. She had slept well, despite her fright when swimming in the sea the previous afternoon. Walking along the beach chatting to Adrian it had been easy to lose track of time. On the way back to the hotel she had been surprised to see how far they had walked on their way to the cove. On reflection she concluded she must have been suffering from heatstroke when she had panicked in the water. She remembered how weak she had felt. It could only have been a fish below her, with seaweed flapping around it, or perhaps a large octopus had caught her in its trailing tentacles. The movement of the water could be deceptive, making sea creatures appear human.

  Whatever the truth of it might be, she recalled with embarra
ssment how she had accused Adrian of dragging her under the water. He must think she was a paranoid fool. Remembering how he had totally ignored her attempt at conversation the previous evening, she resolved to apologise properly for her outburst the next time she saw him. She would prefer to avoid him altogether, but it was only the fourth day of the holiday and with ten days to go she was bound to bump into him again. Her parents had latched onto him, and it might become uncomfortable if the coldness between them persisted. There was nothing else for it but to humble herself and acknowledge she had behaved badly.

  After breakfast she decided to return to the quiet cove she had visited with Adrian. It would be easy enough to find, straight along the shore, and this time she was careful to pack sunblock, a hat and a bottle of water, before slinging her canvas beach bag over her shoulder.

  ‘I’m going for a wander,’ she announced cheerfully and her parents smiled up at her from their sun loungers by the pool. ‘I’ll be back in time for lunch.’

  ‘Where are you going?’ her mother asked.

  ‘Just down to the beach and I might walk along the shore. I won’t go far.’

  ‘Don’t stay in the sun too long.’

  ‘No, I won’t. I’ve got my sunblock, and my hat,’ she added before she set off.

  She walked slowly, admiring the deep turquoise ocean that broke softly against the shore, sparkling with froth. Once she had left the hotel behind her the beach was deserted, smooth and golden. It was idyllic. The online descriptions she had studied before the trip had failed to do the place justice, their hyperbole unable to match the reality of the natural beauty around her. Beyond the sandy beach the land was fertile with palm trees towering over lush vegetation, magnificently green and vibrant, dotted with startling splashes of colour. Reaching an outcrop of massive boulders lying across the sand, she saw a cloud of midges buzzing around a dead fish and almost turned back. Instead she looked away and held her breath as she clambered past the stinking carcase. Glistening grey stone towered ten feet above her. She left the rocks behind and kept going. Just as she was beginning to suspect she had missed the bay it opened out before her in an almost perfect semicircle of shoreline. Sitting on a low boulder in the shade of a gnarled takamaka tree she had a long drink, the water in her bottle already tepid.