‘Well, I guess we are at an em pass, sir.’ Oliver raised his voice higher.
‘I think you mean impasse!’ snapped the milkman as Mrs. Greengage smothered her laughter.
‘I probably do, but since it’s that bitch’s fault I don’t give a shit!’ Oliver screamed. He hated being corrected. He knew he wasn’t the smartest pencil in the box and hated it when people pointed it out.
‘Right!’ shouted the milkman, storming down the drive. ‘We’ll see about that.’
‘Yes, we shall!’ Oliver yelled, not sure what he meant by it. And pretty sure the argument had got away with him a little at the end. He leant against the now closed door and giggled. He felt strangely better.
Then he laughed until his sides hurt.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: MAËL
The next morning started early, and team building was uncomfortable. Everyone seemed to be expected to recite an essay on their lives but he got away with a line or two, and the most ridiculous applause. All the regional sales teams had been divided into groups of ten. Ginger had been assigned to another group, which he was pleased about.
They went at it all morning until they were begging to be set free. Mike thought it was all going to be about the book, and the life changing values the book promoted. But he was wrong. This was about selling the book to more people, the more people who bought it the better for the company – and the world, of course.
They were released in time for an early lunch, a meal put on by the hotel staff. It was beautifully presented, tasty and filling. Then they were set free to use the hotel’s facilities until that evening when the next talk was scheduled. This was why, an hour after lunch, he was poolside trying to get some colour into his milky white skin.
Greg lay on the next lounger with similar ideas.
‘What I can’t understand is how he doesn’t know,’ he overheard.
‘Keep your voice down, he’s only over there.’ Mike glanced up, trying to locate the speaker.
‘Sorry, I didn’t realise.’ There was a pause. ‘But why doesn’t anyone tell him?’
He tuned them out and sipped at the strange juice he’d ordered.
And then someone caught themselves on his leg, followed by a complete drenching of something sticky and sweet, and a bikini clad body.
‘Argh!’ came the female yell.
‘Argh!’ Mike wailed back. He looked like he’d pissed himself, and he had some strange woman sprawled across his lap, struggling to get up, elbows digging into unguarded flesh.
‘Sorry, so sorry.’ She was muttering as she pawed and wiggled across his sticky legs and torso. She wasn’t getting anywhere. Greg leapt to the rescue and pulled her to her feet. ‘Oh my gosh, thank you so much.’ She oozed all over Greg. ‘I’m soo sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going and the sun was in my eyes and…. let me buy you both a drink?’
‘Sure, that would be great.’ Greg smiled.
‘I’m going to go for a swim.’ Mike stood up and strode across to the pool. ‘Could you see if someone will get me a clean towel please?’
‘Sure thing buddy,’ Greg responded.
‘You’re his buddy?’ the girl schmoozed as Mike’s head went under.
He swam the length of the pool twice before resting on the poolside and looking out to sea. He wondered if anyone would notice if he hopped over the side and wandered down to the beach. Get away from all these enthusiastic people. He would kill for some peace and quiet.
He glanced at the others and realised more than a few were looking in his direction. Guess he wouldn’t be escaping without being noticed. He swam back across and climbed out, water sluicing off him and flying from his hair as he gave it a shaggy dog shake. He was far enough away from the sunbathers for the squeals to be minimal.
Smiling at Greg and the girl he picked up the fresh towel and dried off, sitting to down the drink replacement.
‘I’m going to go for a walk on the beach. There’s a little path leading down. You want to go?’ he asked, hoping the answer would be in the negative.
‘That would be…’ Greg began.
‘No thanks, you enjoy your walk.’ The girl cut Greg off with a hand on his knee. ‘I want to get to know Greg a little better, maybe we’ll catch up with you later?’
‘Okay,’ Greg said surprised.
‘Sure, have fun.’ Mike grinned.
The breeze from the sea was refreshing, and as he descended further he realised the beach was completely empty. Soft waves lapping at the shore. High cliffs providing shelter. And yards and yards of soft white sand until the cliffs met the ocean. The sand was cool on his bare feet and litter-free. He could just hear the distant chatter from the hotel above. And the further he walked, the quieter it became. Until the only noises were the seabirds and the waves.
He sat in the sand facing the water, propped up on his hands, gazing out to the blue horizon. Emptying his mind. Finding the quiet. The occasional brave fish leapt from the water and glistened in the bright sunshine before disappearing back into the depths. No ships blotted the view. No planes. Blue sky, blue ocean. White sand, high cliffs. Quiet. Settling, quiet.
From the distant point, where the cliffs met the water, a figure emerged and walked along the shoreline. Its progress consistent, like a heartbeat. Dressed in light trousers and shirt sleeves, both rolled in acknowledgement of the warmth. He wore a hat that caused a shadow over his face. He neither looked left nor right. Didn’t look up or down. Just continued across the beach, through the surf, across the view in front of Mike. He paused, appearing to pick something from the sand – a shell perhaps – before continuing into the distance.
Mike watched until he vanished and returned to watching the empty continuation of life before him. But something nagged at him. He glanced again to where the man had so recently disappeared. Was he a guest? Had he seen him before? There was something familiar about him. Despite the lack of acknowledgement. Despite the shadowed face. Despite the brief strangeness of the encounter. Perhaps he’d passed him in one of the corridors, shared a lift with him, been introduced on the first night.
Mike just couldn’t put his finger on it.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: RED
Task: That thing you know you must do today? Don’t do it. That piece of work that you are meant to finish, just don’t bother or take so long over it that people start asking what’s wrong with you. You’ll have to huff, sigh and procrastinate all day.
Not convinced her actions of the previous night were a good thing she read the day’s task over coffee. She’d drunk more than she intended but she hadn’t drunk enough. And a little tendril of guilt squirmed in her belly. She’d left him standing there in the cold. Acted like a guy. It made her feel ashamed. Poor thing hadn’t even been able to finish he’d been so drunk. He probably wouldn’t remember any of it.
But as for today’s task she had no idea how to achieve it. Perhaps she should take a drive over to the next town and just leave the house alone and unattended until nightfall. But it was a house and that didn’t seem like it was accomplishing the task. She finished her breakfast and went through to the living room to stick a movie on.
There were only ten minutes left when she noticed the snow falling. She’d been left instructions to salt the drive if it looked like it was going to be icy. When her aunt had it resurfaced the company had forgotten to mention just how slippery their fake cobble would be under ice. There was a portion of the drive that sloped down just before the front porch. And last year the postman had taken a tumble and fractured a couple of bones. Well, she wasn’t planning on going anywhere and she wasn’t expecting company so salting the drive could wait till tomorrow. Besides the snow wasn’t even laying, the ground was too wet.
She finished her movie and put another on. This was why she’d agreed to house sit, as much as she loved exploring, she wanted to catch up on all the movies she’d missed.
The snow was beginning to lay as she tried to decide what to have for her tea. She was goin
g to take a break from movies to watch the snow out the kitchen window whilst she ate. But the phone rang. Jamie apologising for the previous night’s speedy departure.
‘I could come around and watch movies with you, maybe bring pizza and soft drinks?’ he sounded nervous but he was sweet and she did want to get to know him better.
‘Sure but watch the drive, it’s super slippery.’
‘You should have put some salt down,’ he scolded.
‘I forgot to get some when I was in town,’ she lied.
‘I’ll be careful then,’ he promised and hung up.
Suddenly she realised she was still in her nightclothes and hadn’t been washed all day.
‘Oh crap,’ she said dumping the unused dishes in the sink and running through the cottage. She should just have time to shower and change.
She was just combing her damp hair when she heard a thud and a yelp from the front door.
‘Hey,’ she told him as she opened it and he slithered in.
‘Very slippery out there, think the surface water might have frozen before the snow started to lay.’ He was rubbing his pink face. She couldn’t work out if it was because it was cold or because he’d used his face to land on the door.
‘Come in, get warm.’ She pulled at his sleeve; the icy air and snow blowing in. ‘You might not be leaving again anytime soon.’ She’d meant it as a joke but he turned towards her surprised and pleased.
The next morning, she woke warm and enclosed. It took her a moment to remember why. Wriggling out of his arms, what she saw when she stood up made her forget she had ever needed to pee. Her eReader lay on the pillow beside his head. She crept to retrieve it. Realised it was on sleep and woke it up again. Letting out a muffled groan as she realised he’d been reading from where she’d left off. He’d read into day five but hadn’t read any of the rest. She didn’t know what it meant. She took it with her to the toilet and read the next task. She hadn’t experienced any of the loss of senses the book had mentioned. So, she assumed she was still in the game. She’d have to go out to do her task.
Dressed, she woke him with a mug of coffee and plate of toast.
‘I’m going to nip out and get that salt and something good for lunch. I feel like making a huge warming stew.’
‘With dumplings?’ he mumbled as he took the offered coffee and toast.
‘Sure if you like,’ she smiled. ‘I won’t be too long, water’s warm if you want a shower.’
She pecked him on the cheek before heading out. Skidding on the snow covered icy patch as she left. She headed to the local farm store. Hoping they would have the grit and an argument she could get involved in.
She felt drained. It hadn’t crossed her mind before that something bad could happen, but now that she might have screwed up, the possibility was beating at the inside of her skull. She hoped it wouldn’t affect Jamie. Her stomach churned as she pulled up at the store.
She didn’t look like a farmer in her long coat and pink winter boots as she wandered the aisles, looking at feed she didn’t need. She picked up carefully carved birdhouses. Tried on several waterproof hats and felt the thickness of welly socks, considering adding a pair to the grit purchase when she found it.
As she approached the counter a huge bloke was having a red-faced argument with the store clerk. The merchant was arguing back. She wondered whose side she should take. Trying once or twice to butt in, the store clerk told her to wait. Then the customer did. Then a manager came out and told her to wait too.
She didn’t feel confident enough to butt in anymore. In fact, she felt like crying. In the end she yelled but it wasn’t going to help the argument.
‘I just want the fucking salt!’ she almost threw the bag on the counter. And glared at the clerk. Handing over her card without saying a word and when he handed it back, she grabbed the salt and yelled ‘Thank you.’ They must have thought she was nuts.
It wasn’t until she had thrown the heavy bag into the boot that she realised they’d followed her; she hadn’t heard their footsteps. Realising too late that they were saying something to her and she couldn’t hear that either. She realised she was talking too loud when they flinched.
‘I’m sorry, I recently lost my hearing,’ she told them. ‘I don’t need your help thank you.’
Watching them walk away she got in the car and sat, waiting. Wondering what would happen, wondering if she would know when they took her soul.
Gradually her hearing came back. Slowly at first, the tap of the key against the steering wheel, a winter bird outside the window, a car on the road. She put the key in the ignition. Happy to hear the engine roar into life. Maybe it was just a warning because she left the eReader out.
She got pulled over as she headed towards town. Unaware she’d been speeding.
‘You know what I’ve come for?’ the officer asked her as she wound down the window.
‘Sure.’ She leant across to the glove box before remembering it wasn’t her car.
‘I came for your soul.’
‘What?’ she sat back, the stories said it was a Demon with wings. It came from above and dragged your soul out of you.
‘You lied,’ the officer said. Now she looked at him she could see he was an attempt at normal. Some details were a bit wrong.
‘How did I?’ she was stalling.
‘You entered the game without a soul to gamble.’
He stared at her and she stared back. How could she have no soul?
‘You remember that time, back in college, when you went to that party and stole the jewellery?’ he raised an eyebrow. Her heart sunk to her stomach, she did remember. The girl never had a clue who’d stolen it.
‘I meant to return them.’
‘But you didn’t. You wore them to your cousin’s wedding, a Christmas party, and actually those earrings you’re wearing now are from that stash.’ He leant an arm on the roof of her car as he leant in to look at her.
‘But it was so long ago. Why does it even matter now?’
‘Because committing even one of the seven deadly sins condemns your soul to hell. We already own it. We will take the soul of your lover as compensation. You owe us four more if you intend to keep playing.’ The officer tapped the roof of the car. ‘You have a nice day now.’
‘No, wait!’ she called but the officer had already vanished.
She pulled away from the side of the road and into the path of an oncoming lorry as it hit the ice on the curve of the road.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: MAËL
‘I don’t mean to disturb you,’ Ginger said. ‘But they’ll be serving dinner in an hour, I thought you might want to change. Or I could ask them to bring something down here.’
Mike was surprised; he hadn’t been aware of anyone approaching. In fact, he felt like he’d been drawn out of a trance when she spoke.
‘How long have I been here?’ he asked looking around.
‘Hours.’
‘Wow, doesn’t feel like it’s been thirty minutes.’ He lifted his hands up from the sand to wipe them off and heard her gasp. He looked at her, questioningly. Looking where she was looking, down at the sand. There were perfect imprints of his hands on the white sand. Except the sand had turned black. He got to his feet.
‘It’s ok,’ she said. ‘We can mix it in with the other sand, it’ll be unnoticeable.’
She began kicking the white sand over the black residue.
‘I don’t…I don’t understand,’ he said, not moving.
‘It’s ok, you’ve been sitting here for a long time. It was bound to happen with a Demon of your…sorry, I didn’t mean anything.’ She glared at the sand. ‘I’ve been reprimanded twice now for overstepping my boundaries. Once more and I’ll get fired for sure. Please don’t tell anyone I did it again.’ She turned big pleading eyes on him as he got up. He shook his head, then helped her kick the sand until there was no trace of his laziness.
‘I suspect we might both get in trouble.’ Although he was sure he h
ad no idea why. He was trying to reassure her. ‘But I don’t understand why the sand was black, would you tell me?’
‘I...don’t know.’ She turned away.
‘You’re my point of contact. If you can’t tell me, who’s going to?’ he smiled encouragingly.
‘I know you had a strange upbringing. We all know.’ She paused and gestured back to the hotel. ‘It’s sulphur, all Demons generate a certain amount of it. I’m sure you know that much. But if you stay still in one place for a long time, you’ll leave a much more significant, erm, deposit.’
‘So why doesn’t it happen when I’m sleeping?’
‘You move around when you’re sleeping.’ She looked nervous but managed a smile. ‘We should get back. Could I sit with you at dinner? Greg and Lush seem to have taken a shine to each other. I thought if you didn’t mind I could make us up as a foursome, just as colleagues.’
‘Lush?’ he asked.
‘The girl that fell on you. She’s called Luprecious, Lush for short.’ She smiled. ‘I think it suits her.’
‘And she’s into Greg?’
‘She seems to be. They’ve been huddled up talking all afternoon.’ She grinned.
‘Well, then you’d best join us, and save me from the flirtations.’ They began walking back.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: GREEN
God that woman was stupid; didn’t she know he’d been applying for every job that came up? He had qualifications, he had experience, he even had his first aid certificates but he never got as far as an interview. They’d gone over and over his CV, changing this and that to make it more appealing, helping him with aptitude tests and application forms. He was always either over qualified or lacking in experience. She suggested more of the same. The new ones always did, as if she knew better than the other four who’d tried to help him.
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