Dolphin Child

by James Carmody

  The visibility was poor, but they were able to compensate by using their clicking as sonar to detect underwater obstacles. They spotted a couple of mooring ropes stretched tight across their path and swum around them just in time. They each took particular care to sense the waters, so that as soon as the tide began to turn and to flow out again, they would know and be prepared to get out.

  Suddenly the deep channel that they had been swimming up appeared to finish. Instead, in front of them was a submerged mud-bank, with three distinct streams of water flowing in, each with a different taste and character. There was much less clearance between them and the mud below them now and suddenly they both became aware of the risk they were taking by going any further.

  ‘Which way shall we go then?’ asked Dancer uncertainly. Spirit had little more idea than she did, but he knew that the human town called Merwater lay to the left of them and he guessed that it was more likely to be in that direction than the other.

  ‘This way’ he said as he swam into the narrower channel. Dancer followed him, but she was bigger than Spirit and was feeling increasingly vulnerable and uneasy. It got narrower and narrower and at the same time the taste of the water seemed to become fresher. They both realised that this was some tiny stream feeding into the estuary waters and they only just had enough room to turn in to go back.

  ‘I suppose we’d better try the next channel’ said Spirit, once they were back in the deeper water.

  ‘We don’t have much time’ warned Dancer anxiously. ‘Remember we’ve got to do this before the tide turns, or we’ll be stuck here’. The two dolphins headed up the next channel, which became deeper and broader again reassuringly quickly. It was still hard to see though and the soft mud seemed to absorb their echo location clicks. It became much harder to ascertain where the edge was. Spirit broke the surface of the water to look and was alarmed to see the silhouettes of two humans looming above him. They seemed to have long rods in their hands. They stumbled back in surprise at seeing two dolphins in such shallow water. Spirit and Dancer flicked their tails to head on past the two fishermen on the bank. After a minute or so they slowed down again and Dancer paused to sense the water.

  ‘I think the tide is turning Spirit’ she said, ‘we should turn back now.’

  ‘No, just a bit further’ exclaimed Spirit. Suddenly, they both heard something.

  ‘Is it? … It’s the sound of a dolphin isn’t it?’ asked Dancer. Spirit let off a burst of whistles and clicks and then paused to listen for a reply. Nothing. He tried again. This time they heard a feint sound in response.

  ‘Come on!’ Spirit exclaimed, ‘let’s get closer.’ They pushed forward and beyond them was something that looked like it might be a closed-link fence stretched across the channel. But the silt had settled there and as the two dolphins progressed, it boiled up into their eyes and face and then became more solid. Even Spirit could sense now that the waters of the tide were beginning to turn and retreat. The water level would soon drop and with it any chance they might have of escape.

  ‘It’s me! Spirit!’ called Spirit with all his might. ‘We’re going to save you Star-Gazer! We’re going to get you out of here!’ They stopped and listened. Suddenly they heard a reply, the sound muffled by the mud and silt around them.

  ‘I love you Spirit, but get out of the estuary now. Come back after the rains have come! They wash the channels clean of mud! Go!’

  ‘I love you Star-Gazer! We will come back!’ shouted Spirit, but still he lingered there hoping that there was something, anything that he could do to set his mother free.

  ‘Spirit we must go now!’ commanded Dancer urgently. Reluctantly, Spirit turned to follow his friend. They were so close, but the water level had already dropped. It was not safe to stay.

  On the other side of the mud and the fence, Star-Gazer was elated that she had suddenly heard the voice of her son, but was scared for him in equal measure. The inlet where she was trapped was deeper than the channel on the other side and she raced round it in agitation, trying to leap from the water. When she had first been trapped there, she had tried many times to leap the closed link fence, but it was no good. She did not have enough clearance to make a really good leap and there was also a submerged cable stretched a couple of meters in front of the fence which made a good jump impossible.

  Her heart raced and her thoughts burst with a thousand ideas. Meanwhile Spirit and Dancer struggled to get back to deeper water.

  They seemed to be slithering over mud all the time now and Spirit could tell from her movements that Dancer was starting to get panicky.

  ‘Don’t worry Dancer’ we’re almost there now he tried to reassure her. They shot past the two humans who seemed to want to wade into the water to greet them and swam quickly on until the channel merged with the deeper water of the estuary.

  ‘Wow, that was scarily close!’ exclaimed Dancer, breathing a sigh of relief. They made their way back to the open sea to tell the rest of the pod what had happened. There was only one thought going through Spirit’s head though. ‘Star-Gazer’s alive. She’s alive!’

  Chapter Fifteen:

  Lucy had had an exhausting, emotional day. Not only had she used all the powers of her mind to find and talk to Star-Gazer, but she had summoned up enough energy to speak to Spirit too. She felt drained and weary. Despite her tiredness though, Lucy’s mind was racing as she lay in bed.

  Lucy had been so happy to be able to tell Spirit that his mother was alive, yet her friend’s reaction had in a way surprised her. Normally he seemed warm and happy to be around humans, but the thought that his mother had been captured by some human had made him steely and determined.

  ‘I am so lonely here’ Star-Gazer had told her. ‘I miss Spirit, Summer and the others so much. Please help me if you can’.

  Like Spirit, Lucy wondered what sort of a person would capture a wild creature such as Star-Gazer who had spent her life swimming the wide open sea and imprison her instead in a muddy lagoon. Perhaps Spirit was right to learn to fear humans she thought and the harm that they could bring. It would be safer for him that way, than if he thought everyone could be trusted like her.

  Lucy’s mind wandered on to Paul. He had seemed so small and abject as he stood there surrounded by those kids, throwing clumps of earth at him. She knew that dolphins could be mean too sometimes, but not like this. ‘They’re more civilized than people’ she thought. Maybe she was romanticising the lives of dolphins. Perhaps they could be as cruel to each other as humans, but she didn’t think so.

  As they had walked down the bottom of the walled stream to where Dad was waiting in the car park and while Paul still shook with tears and shock, he’d said to her ‘I want to be with Spirit. I want to be a Dolphin-Child like you. You’ve got to let me.’

  Lucy had not known what to say. She didn’t know how she’d become a Dolphin-Child, or why. All she knew was that for as long as she could remember she’d dreamt every night of dolphins; vivid dreams that had been almost as real to her as her waking moments. She hadn’t even heard the term ‘Dolphin-Child’ until Paul had used it. She’d had no idea before her trip to the museum that someone like Susan Penhaligon had once lived, or that there had been other children like her over the generations. She didn’t think you could choose to be a Dolphin-Child.

  ‘It’s not like there’s a magic spell I can teach you to turn you into a Dolphin-Child’ she said as they carefully stepped from stone to stone.

  ‘You can show me’ replied Paul. ‘I can learn from you and copy you. I swum with Spirit didn’t I? I can do that again. I’ll learn’ he continued earnestly. ‘You’ll see!’ Lucy wasn’t so sure. It was something that had to come instinctively, from deep inside you. It wasn’t a skill that you could learn, like riding a bike, or doing tricks on a skateboard.

  ‘I can certainly let you swim with Spirit again’ she reassured him, though really Lucy did not know exactly what to say to the small boy. It sounded as though he was still very close to tears
and she did not want to upset him again. Paul nodded.

  ‘I’d like to be a dolphin and swim away for ever’ he said ‘as far as I can get from this dump’ he added. Lucy smiled despite herself, but at the same time she felt uneasy, though she couldn’t say exactly why. Paul paused.

  ‘Up here’ he said. They had reached the point where the walled stream had passed under the High Street, but the tide was part way in and sea water had flooded up the stream from where it flowed into the harbour. There were hand and foot holds in the steep stone sides and Paul climbed up to the top of the wall with ease. Lucy followed him more slowly and cautiously, wary of slipping backwards. When she got to the top Paul pointed down a narrow alley.

  ‘Car park’s just down there’ he said. ‘We’ll find your Dad’s car in no time.’ Lucy glanced at her watch. She was much later than she’d promised to be and she didn’t like to think what Dad would say when she turned up with a strange boy all covered in mud and smeared tears. Still, she had to do something. Things had got too serious. A grown-up needed to know what was happening to Paul. He obviously couldn’t cope on his own anymore or… Well, she didn’t like to imagine.

  Once they’d driven back to the cottage, Lucy asked Dad if she could wander down to the farm and the studio. Dad said he’d be down in a few minutes and hoped that whatever Bethany had cooked was going to be good, because he was feeling hungry.

  The late afternoon sun flooded the valley and swifts wheeled above her in the air catching midges and flies on the wing. There was a low hum of insects in the hedgerow. It felt strange not to be living with Bethany in the studio anymore. It was great being with Dad in the luxury of the holiday cottage, but it felt somehow as though she were missing out on the fun of Bethany’s bohemian lifestyle.

  As Lucy walked in from the lane into the farmyard, she saw Mary and Darren sitting on the doorstep of the farmhouse, each with a mug in their hands. Darren raised his hand in greeting.

  ‘Hello there young Lucy!’ he called in a friendly voice.

  ‘Had any adventures today then Lucy?’ said Mary. Lucy walked up to them, but hardly knew where to begin.

  ‘I heard you helped out a young lad who was in a spot of bother’ continued Mary before Lucy had a chance to reply. Lucy looked surprised.

  ‘I know, I know. News travels fast round here’ Mary said. ‘I was in town and I couldn’t help but over-hear while I was picking up a few things in the shop. Mrs Treddinick is very upset about what happened to her Paul.’

  ‘Well, you know, I had to do something’ was all that Lucy could think to say in reply.

  ‘You were a brave girl and you did the right thing’ added Darren. Lucy felt awkward and embarrassed. She changed the subject.

  ‘Mary, Darren, do you know a big house with its own lagoon in the woods off the estuary?’ she asked.

  ‘Why let me see’ said Darren thoughtfully. ‘That would be the Penrose place wouldn’t it?’ Mary nodded. ‘It was bought twenty years ago or more by Norman Penrose who if memory serves was some fellow that had made it big in banking in London. Came down here to retire with his wife. Do you know anything about that place Mary love?’ he asked, looking at his wife.

  ‘Oh I think he was into sailing boats. Had one moored by the mouth of the river and liked to race. Don’t know what’s happened to him. It’s gone quiet down there recently.’ They chatted a bit more.

  ‘You go and find Bethany’ said Mary. ‘A very tasty smell has been wafting out of the kitchen of the studio this last hour or so. I think you and your Dad are in for a treat this evening.’

  Lucy gave them a little wave and strolled on round the corner to the studio. There was a small patch of grass between it and the hedge of the field and Bethany had set up a trestle table and brought the kitchen chairs outside. Crockery and glasses were set on the table. Lucy walked into the studio and was confronted by a warm and savoury smell from the oven. Bethany looked up from her cooking and gave her a brief affectionate hug.

  ‘I thought we could all eat outside this evening and enjoy the late afternoon sunshine’.

  ‘Lentils?’ asked Lucy, inspecting a pot. Bethany laughed.

  ‘No I just told your Dad that to wind him up’ she explained. ‘I’ve made two types of quiche, got new potatoes with mint, salad and freshly cooked bread. There’s even a splash of wine for us grown-ups. Not a lentil in sight’.

  ‘Mm! Sounds good’ replied Lucy. Bethany busied herself with the finishing touches to the salad and Lucy wandered back into the work area where Bethany’s oil paints and canvasses were arranged.

  Recently Bethany had done some sketches of Lucy. One was of Lucy sitting on a large rock at the edge of the sea, her legs folded beneath her, looking back over her shoulder towards the lapping waves. Lucy had felt self-conscious posing for Bethany while her aunt sketched with rapid strokes of her pencil. Yet she was pleased with the result and Dad had asked whether he might have a copy when he had seen it. The sketch was pinned to a piece of board now leaning against the wall.

  Next to it was a sketch of a woman in the same pose, seated upon the very same rock looking out to sea. It was unmistakably a picture of her mother.

  ‘I’m sorry Kiddo’ said Bethany coming up behind her and laying a hand upon her shoulder. ‘I should have put that one away. It’s just that…when I look at you I can’t help but think of Megan’.

  Lucy didn’t know what to say, but instead leant instinctively in towards her aunt and the comfort that her presence gave. Bethany gave her shoulder a squeeze. Being close to Bethany helped her feel close to the memory of Mum. Curious though the picture was, it felt good to think that Bethany was still thinking of Mum and that she wasn’t just a faded photograph in an album.

  They stood quietly for a moment. Lucy wished that she could walk down to the sea and find her mother on a rock, looking up at her with a smile and waving as though she had never been away. She wished with all her being that Mum could come back to her and for a moment she felt the pang of loss within her again. Then she thought of Spirit and a curious thought seized her that would not leave her.

  Just then Dad walked in through the open door of the studio. Bethany stirred herself into life and quickly covered the picture of Megan before Dad spotted it. Dad was wearing his shorts again but his legs had by now lost the worst of their pallor.

  Dad was full of the news of the day and before long, they were sitting at the trestle table with the food spread in front of them, eating and chatting. Bethany had not yet heard about Paul and the gang of children, but she knew what Lucy had told her. Some local families distrusted Dolphin-Children because of what Susan Penhaligon had done so many years before. Bethany looked at Lucy with quiet, insightful eyes.

  ‘So what happened when you took Paul to the door?’ she asked Dad, turning her attention back to him.

  ‘She turned a bit funny when I said I was Lucy’s dad’ he explained, a forkful of food half way to his mouth. ‘I don’t know why, but she appeared to shrink away from me as though I had some disease. Like you say Luce, she doesn’t seem to like you does she?’ he said matter-of-factly.

  ‘I don’t think so’ Lucy answered cautiously. She was reluctant to start explaining why.

  ‘Apparently Mrs Treddinick has had her own troubles recently’ Bethany broke in, before Dad could ask any more difficult questions of Lucy. ‘I think she’s a bit off with everyone really.’

  ‘Oh well maybe that explains it’ said Dad through a mouthful of food. ‘She said something about ‘you people’ and looked at me as though I’d just beamed down from Mars or something’ he continued. ‘Anyway I told her what had happened and she looked set to blow a gasket. At the end though she did say how grateful she was to Lucy. It’s a good thing his mother knows, kids can’t cope with that kind of bullying on their own.’

  They chatted on about Paul, where to go in Cornwall, the farm and all manner of other things. The only thing they didn’t really talk about was Lucy’s connection to dolphins and the tim
e that she had spent with Spirit since getting there. She certainly couldn’t tell them both about reaching out to Star-Gazer that afternoon. Lucy could tell that Dad didn’t really want to talk about it and Bethany was wary of raising the subject in his presence too. She and Dad had reached an uneasy truce on the subject. Bethany brought out summer pudding and ice cream and they feasted on it greedily. All the while the thought that had struck Lucy before dinner kept running through her head so powerfully, that in the end she was hardly aware of what Dad and Bethany were saying at all.

  ‘Are you alright Kiddo?’ asked Bethany. It took Lucy a moment to realise that she was being spoken to.

  ‘Oh yes, I’m fine’ she answered eventually. The sun had dipped below the hills and it was practically dark. The candle that Bethany had put on the trestle table was burning low. A couple of moths buzzed around it whilst above them the pipistrelle bats swooped low over their heads.

  ‘I suppose we should be heading on back to the cottage now’ said Dad, glancing at his watch. ‘It’s been a delicious meal, but I for one am exhausted.’

  ‘Oh!’ said Lucy suddenly feeling anxious. ‘I must help Bethany with the washing up’. She shot her aunt an imploring glance which Bethany seemed to understand.

  ‘It’s alright John, I’ll walk Lucy up to the cottage as soon as we’ve finished drying up.’ Dad strolled off up the lane and Bethany and Lucy carried the chairs and plates back to the studio kitchen. Lucy picked up a tea towel.

  ‘Forget the washing up’ commanded Bethany, ‘I can do that in the morning. Sit down and tell me what’s on your mind.’

  Lucy poured out how with Paul’s help she’d been able to focus her mind, find the murky lagoon and speak to Star-Gazer there.

  ‘So you want to help Spirit’s mother then?’ said Bethany thoughtfully.