‘Oh it’s not quite so lovely when you’re milking cows at six o’clock on a cold winter’s morning. I do my fair share of that too you know.’ They sat in companionable silence for a minute or two, both lost in their own thoughts.
‘Darren,’ Lucy asked eventually ‘are there folk stories about dolphins round here?’
‘Oh yes, there are plenty of them. Haven’t you been to the Merwater town museum yet? There’s a whole display about them. Dolphins are famous round these parts. They’ve been part of the town for centuries. Before engines and radar came along, dolphins used to lead our fisherman out to find shoals of herring, or so they say. Doesn’t happen now of course, we’re all too modern and have forgotten the old ways. Look at me, I spend all day tapping at a computer.’ He chuckled and took another sip of coffee.
‘Darren, what’s a Dolphin-Child? Lucy asked. Darren sucked in his breath.
‘Oh those poor souls’ he said. ‘Sometimes a youngster would become enchanted by dolphins and have some sort of special thing with them you know? They’d slip away at night to be with them and then never come back. Or so I’ve heard tell. Not that it’s happened for a very long time as far as I know. There was some story or other about one when I was a kid I think. I forget what happened as a matter of fact. Nothing too dramatic I don’t suppose or I’d remember.’ He glanced at Lucy. ‘Where did you hear about Dolphin-Children anyway?’
‘Oh, you know, from some kid in town’ replied Lucy warily.
‘Don’t you go believing everything that the kids in town tell you now will you. Sometimes they like to tell tall tales to gullible tourists. There’s generally a simple explanation for most things that happen. I like a good folk tale myself, but they’re best taken with a pinch of salt, you know?
Just then Bethany’s visitor got in his car and rattled over the cattle grid and up the lane. Darren looked at the bottom of his empty coffee mug.
‘I think I might get my overalls on and go and help Mary for a bit’ he said. ‘I expect she’s got some job or other for me to do if I ask.’
‘See you then Darren’ said Lucy, getting up. She walked back over to the studio. Inside Bethany was in an expansive mood.
‘Hey Kiddo!’ she exclaimed when Lucy walked in. ‘What do you say to going out for some celebratory fish and chips tonight? I’ve just got myself another commission!’ She seized Lucy’s hands spontaneously and danced her round the room.
‘Sound’s good’ replied Lucy. ‘I’d better phone Dad before we go though.’
Lucy missed Dad, but was glad to have a bit of freedom from all his rules during the summer holidays. Things seemed less heavy when he wasn’t there. She realised that it had been pretty difficult for him too when they’d lost Mum, but sometimes he was hard to be around. He was coming down for a week in a few days and they were going to do some day trips to see the local sites and go walking on the coastal paths. When he came she wasn’t sure how much she’d be able to see Spirit and so she was determined to see him as much as possible before Dad came down to join them.
Lucy went over to the farmhouse to use the phone there. Bethany didn’t have a landline and the mobile phone reception was very erratic. Bethany had an understanding with Mary that Lucy could use their phone to call Dad whenever she wanted. She called his mobile number, but after a few rings, it went straight through to voicemail, so Lucy left a message instead.
‘Hey Dad’ she said after the beep, ‘Just phoning to say hello. We went into town today and I met some local kids. Bethany’s got a new commission to paint a portrait so we’re going out to celebrate with fish and chips tonight. We might not be around if you call later. Missing you!’ Lucy hung up the phone. She always felt awkward leaving a message. Dad was probably in a meeting or something when she called.
When Lucy walked back over to the studio, she sat down at the kitchen table whilst Bethany had a quick shower before they went out. She took the chance to reach out with her mind to Spirit, swimming not so far away in the cold waters of the sea. She had to focus her thoughts and then relax them, so that somewhere between consciousness and sleep, she could find the hidden gateway that led through to Spirit’s watery world. It was still hard to do, but she was getting better at it and after one or two attempts, she suddenly felt herself falling and the next thing she knew, she was gliding along effortlessly through the cold salty water at Spirit’s side.
‘Hello Spirit’ she said.
‘Hello Lucy’ replied Spirit. ‘It was great to be with you this morning. We had so much fun, especially Dancer. She’s been talking to everyone about it all afternoon.’
‘Me too’ replied Lucy. I want to see you everyday if I can, before my Dad drives down here.’ Spirit wondered what driving was, but didn’t ask. Lucy could tell from the way that he moved and spoke that Spirit wasn’t quite his normal self.
‘What’s the matter Spirit?’ she asked.
‘Oh something Dancer said reminded me of my mother before she disappeared’ Spirit answered.
‘I know what you mean’ replied Lucy sympathetically.
Lucy chatted away to Spirit for a few more minutes and then she felt her strength fading. Before she knew it, she found herself back sitting at the kitchen table in Bethany’s studio. Bethany came down the steps from the sleeping and living area.
‘You ready?’ she asked.
The next morning was stormy and wet. Huge foaming white waves crashed in against the shore at the foot of the cliffs and the rain beat down rhythmically on the roof above them. Lucy got up at dawn with the idea of setting out to see Spirit again, but even she realised that it just was not possible on a stormy day such as this. Spirit, Dancer and the rest of the pod would be riding the waves out at sea, away from the danger of submerged rocks and cliff faces. Lucy sat disconsolately and watched the rain drumming against the windows of the studio. It was disappointing but there was nothing she could do about it, so she decided to make breakfast for Bethany instead.
That morning Lucy mooched around the studio whilst Bethany worked on her commission. She was too restless to read her book but paced the floor before idly working on a drawing of her own while she waited for it to stop raining. She was looking forward to going round to Thelma’s house that afternoon, not only to get out of the studio but because it felt really comfortable and cosy in Thelma’s kitchen. What’s more, Thelma was really good at baking things. Bethany wasn’t bad, but certainly wasn’t in the same league.
Eventually it was time to set off. The rain had eased, but it was still wet and they ran to the Land Rover quickly and clambered in. Bethany started the engine but no sooner had they set off up the lane towards the main road, than the windscreen fogged over and Bethany had to pull over to wipe it clear again.
Thelma and Nate Merryweather lived on the edge of town in a relatively modern semi-detached house. Nate had been born in a fisherman’s cottage, but they were too expensive for the local people to live in now and the one that Nate had been brought up in was now owned by some out of towner from London who only came down three or four times a year.
Nate and his first mate Bob went out in their trawler, ‘the Lady Thelma’ each morning to check their lobster pots and then Bob would take any that they caught round to the local restaurants to sell them. In the afternoon they both worked on one of the boats that took tourists round the harbour and out along the coast to try and spot seals and maybe if they were lucky even a dolphin or a basking shark. As Nate was still at work, it would be just them and Thelma. Her children had long since grown up and left home.
Bethany pulled up off the road and parked the car. Thelma came out to welcome them.
‘Hello there Bethany. Hello there young Lucy. Get yourselves inside and out of the rain why don’t you?’ Lucy gladly ran up the drive with her coat over her head and in through the side door into the kitchen. When Lucy had read the Famous Five books when she was younger, this was how she imagined tea in a country kitchen to be. A big home-made cake was positioned in the
middle of the kitchen table and a couple of plates of sandwiches sat alongside it. Thelma brewed up the tea in an old brown teapot kept warm with a tea cosy. Lucy was hungry and couldn’t wait to tuck into all the food that Thelma had made.
They sat down, chatting away as Thelma got even more food out. They talked about Lucy’s holiday down in Cornwall, Thelma’s work in the surgery and Bethany’s latest commission. Lucy could tell that Thelma was curious to know more about her mother. Every so often she would slip a question into the conversation to elicit more information about her.
Bethany would tell her what she could about her sister Megan, but Lucy got the feeling that Thelma wanted to know more about what Mum had taught Lucy when she was younger. Lucy was very fond of Thelma, but wasn’t ready to open up to her about Mum. What memories she had were very precious to her and she didn’t want to cheapen them by telling them to everyone, or even someone like Thelma. She was already worried that she could not remember exactly what Mum’s voice sounded like and details about what Mum did and said and laughed at were not as clear as they used to be. She felt that the more she talked about Mum, the less personal her memories would become.
Lucy wondered what Mum would say if she was there drinking tea and eating cake with them. She often liked to imagine Mum there next to her, doing or saying something familiar as she used to before she died. She pictured Mum now, sitting on the fourth chair of Thelma’s table, leaning forward on her elbows and smiling as they chatted. Lucy took another bite of cake and then glanced back, but the vision had gone. It was just an empty chair.
Eventually the conversation came round to the children that Lucy had encountered in town the previous day. Bethany mentioned that she’d been slightly alarmed when she found out that Lucy had disappeared up the walled stream and hoped that there were no rats about down there.
‘Oh the children love running up and down those gullies’ said Thelma. ‘My own lot were always mucking around down there when they were growing up. How did you get on with our local kids then?’
‘I don’t really know’ replied Lucy. ‘The other children seemed to be picking on this one boy and then two of the older kids chased him up the stream. I went after them to make sure he was okay. I got to speak to him a little bit, but then he disappeared.’
‘And who was that then dear?’ asked Thelma.
‘He was a couple of years younger than me, a bit small, but with lots of curly hair. Do you know him?’ asked Lucy. She really hoped that Bethany might. Bethany seemed to know everyone in town and Lucy was not disappointed.
‘Yes I know him, or I’m pretty sure I do’ replied Thelma. That would be Mrs Treddinick’s son. Paul his name is. Paul Treddinick. You’re right Lucy. He’s a couple of years younger than you, about ten I’d say, but very thin.’
‘How do you know him?’ asked Lucy.
‘You know I work in reception at the doctor’s surgery?’ replied Thelma, ‘Well his mum Rachael Treddinick comes in to the surgery all the time. She’s a troubled lady.’ Thelma seemed to suddenly realise that she’d said a little more than she should do and stopped.
‘You mean she’s receiving treatment for depression or something like that?’ asked Bethany.
‘Something like that’ replied Thelma. ‘She’s alone with two kids, got no job and can’t pay the bills. It’s enough to get anyone down.’
‘Where do they live?’ asked Lucy curiously. She wanted to speak to that Paul Treddinick again and find out why he said she was a Dolphin-Child. Bethany, Thelma and her husband Nate knew that Lucy had a special relationship with dolphins, but she hadn’t realised that there might be other children out there with the same gift. What Darren at the farm had said worried her a little, but she thought that the boy might tell her something that the grown-ups wouldn’t.
‘Oh they don’t live far from here’ replied Thelma. ‘You know the recreation ground on the Truro Road, they live in the end-of-terrace house there. Can’t miss it. Needs a lick of paint mind, that house and the front garden is a mass of weeds’.
Bethany and Thelma started talking about country doctors and Lucy began to lose interest in the conversation. She’d eaten and drunk as much as she wanted and had nothing in particular to keep her at the table. It had stopped raining now and Lucy thought that she could do with some fresh air. When Thelma poured another cup of tea, she took her opportunity.
‘Can I go up to the swings for a while? I’ll be back in half an hour.’ Bethany agreed and five minutes later Lucy was walking up the Truro Road to the recreation ground. She wouldn’t be brave enough to knock on the door of Mrs Treddinick’s house, but she thought that she might just bump into Paul if she went past where he lived.
Lucy got to the recreation ground and walked in. The grass was sodden and rain still clung to the swings and the slide. Because it had been raining so much, it seemed like everyone was indoors. Lucy could see the Treddinick’s house at the end of the terrace. It did look a bit run down she thought. It didn’t look very inviting.
Lucy glanced around her. A hedge ran round three sides of the recreation ground and five or six chestnut trees grew up out of the hedge. Glancing up, she suddenly realised that there was someone sitting in one of the trees, on a low branch not far from the ground. Lucy walked over. She recognised the curly hair. It was Paul Treddinick. As Lucy approached she could see that he seemed to be whittling a stick with a penknife and was quite absorbed in what he was doing.
Someone had hammered some six inch nails into the tree to act as steps and Lucy was halfway up before Paul realised that someone was joining him. This time he couldn’t just run away.
‘Hi’ said Lucy, as she sat down on the branch next to him.
‘Oh it’s you’ said Paul gruffly. Lucy got the feeling that he was trying to be tough, but wasn’t really. ‘What do you want?’ He stopped whittling and looked across at her. If he thought she was a Dolphin-Child, then he must be curious about her too.
‘Are you a liar like those big kids said you were?’ Lucy asked, hoping to throw him off guard.
‘I am NOT!’ he replied defiantly.
‘When I saw you yesterday you told me that you dream about dolphins. What do you dream about when you do?’
‘I dream about what I saw’ Paul answered.
‘And what’s that?’ asked Lucy simply.
‘Who wants to know?
‘I’m Lucy, Lucy Parr. I’m twelve years old and staying with my aunt over the holidays. You said you thought I was a Dolphin-Child, but I don’t even really know what that means. Tell me what you dream about dolphins.’ Paul thought. He didn’t seem to know whether to tell her or not. Then, as if he could not keep a secret, he went on.
‘I often go out cycling on my bike out of town. I like to get out of the house and away from Baz, Mike and the rest of their gang. I hate them. I like to go all over the place on my own and often I’m out all afternoon. There’s this inlet off the estuary where the river comes out at the sea. It’s part of the grounds of this big house and you have to shinny over this old wall to get to it. Then you have to creep through the wood and watch out for the guards. The last bit is a rhododendron thicket, then you come out at the inlet, which is a bit like a lagoon coz there’s a fence across the end blocking it off from the estuary. In this lagoon there’s this dolphin. I think they keep it as a prisoner there, but it should be free. That’s what I dream about. In my dream I remember that dolphin looking out of the water at me all sad-like’.
Chapter Four:
As the light crept over the horizon the next morning, Spirit swam alone towards the mainland a couple of miles away. He felt more confident to swim out on his own now and happily looked forward to seeing Lucy again. The seas had been rough the day before and he’d not been able to see her. Every day that they could meet felt precious and he knew that these days of being together in real life may not last long. Her father would be coming soon and then he would take her back far from the sea again. It was a pleasure to swim together t
hough while they could.
As he neared the cove, Spirit could see the silhouette of Lucy standing on the shore line in her black wet-suit, up to her shins in the sea. Humans had very thin skin and even in the summer they could get very cold very quickly in the sea. Lucy waved as he got near and then waded into the water and started to swim. She swam up close to him and stretched out her hand, holding it lightly to his flank and looking into his eyes. As she did so, Spirit could feel the tingling energy passing through her hand into his skin. After a while Lucy pulled herself up onto his back, using his dorsal fin to hold on with and he swam off with powerful strokes away from the shore.
Spirit would have loved to have been able to dive with her now and show her the landscape at the bottom of the sea, but he knew that she couldn’t breathe down there and wasn’t able to hold her breath very long either. Anyway, he could still show her the depths when she stretched out to him with her mind. He wished that he could do the same and visit her world above water, but he just did not know how to. It was frustrating having to wait for her to come to him every time.
He knew that like him, Lucy loved to swim along the coast line and see the rocky inlets and caves that they passed as they swam along. Spirit wanted to show Lucy a particular formation of rock along the coast that looked like a dolphin. It made him smile to see it and he thought Lucy would enjoy it too. It wasn’t too far to get to and when Lucy saw it, he felt her laugh in recognition.
Laughter was a strange thing that humans did when they enjoyed themselves. Their chests convulsed and the noise that came out of their mouths did not mean anything. Spirit thought that Lucy’s laughter sounded like music. They explored the coast together for an hour or so, but eventually he had to bring her back to the cove they had met at. He was supposed the join the others to fish together and knew that Lucy would get tired and could not hang on to his dorsal fin forever. Humans seemed so weak and vulnerable, he wondered how they managed to survive at all.
Dolphin Child Page 4
