I passed him one of the spare bottles we had stashed for later and could have kicked myself that we’d not thought to do that much at least. ‘I’m going to see what I can find to make a splint for you, then I’ll be back, okay?’
‘What’s your name?’ he asked me.
‘Skye.’
‘Are you up for a challenge?’
‘Course,’ I said.
‘Will you look for something sturdy that I can use to splint Alice’s leg? And if you can get your hands on something soft and dry that we can use to cushion either side of it, that would be even better. I need to find some antibiotics fast. That leg is infected.’
Even though I nodded, I felt my heartbeat quicken at the thought of going down to the hotel lobby. The chances of finding anything on this roof were slim. I didn’t want to leave what had become a safe haven. Ben must have read my mind, though, as he said kindly, ‘the water’s receded, I think that’s it. Medical help will come soon, but we might have to go look for it. And there’s no way we can move Alice until we get that leg splinted. Okay?’
‘Okay.’ I was surprised at how strong my voice sounded.
‘I’ll come with you,’ Maria said, jumping up, but Daisy screamed out in protest.
‘No, you stay here. I’ll be back in ten minutes, tops.’ Before she could answer I made my way back down the stairwell and into the lobby of the hotel. I looked outside and watched a stream of people pulling each other up the hill, supporting each other, as they made their way up high to safety. Some called out the names of loved ones as they went. Others were silent, save for the sound of their sobs.
‘Have you seen a little boy?’ A woman suddenly clutched my arm, running into the lobby. ‘He’s only four years old. Blonde, wavy hair. His name is Graham. He’ll be searching for me, he hates it when he’s not with me. Graham, Graham.’ Her face was covered in blood, a giant gash across her forehead. I steadied her, I thought she was going to fall down.
‘You need to get that head treated,’ I said to her, ‘why don’t you go up to the rooftop, there’s a paramedic there, called Ben. Maybe Graham is up there too?’
‘You saw my Graham? You think he’s up there? Oh thank you, thank you,’ she sobbed.
And before I could tell her no, that I didn’t say that, she was running up the stairwell, screaming for her boy. I’ll never hear the name Graham again without remembering her face, her terrorised, traumatised, broken face. I added Graham’s name to my list of people that I wished were found safe. It was getting quite long.
The water was still up to my knees, so I had to feel my way through it, hoping to come across something suitable. I stopped in front of the manager’s desk and saw the letter message board beside it, welcoming the guests who had recently arrived.
The Hilton Ban Thai, welcomes:
The Hermann Family
The Schmidt Family
The Murphy Family
Mr and Mrs Drew
When we checked into our hotel a week before, I felt like a celebrity when I saw our name up on their noticeboard. ‘Would you look at that? I always knew one day our names would be up in lights,’ Dad had said.
I walked behind the reception desk, into the manager’s office, and felt guilty, as if I were trespassing. But I was on a mission and I didn’t think Lau Lin would mind. There was a tall cupboard at the back of the office; it looked as good a place as any to search. And for the first time since the nightmare happened, the universe gave me a break. Inside the cupboard was a broom. I figured that would work as a splint quite nicely. And up on the top shelf was a large first aid box. Bingo. There might be some paracetamol there too. I grabbed it and ran back up the stairwell, onto the fourth floor, and walked down the corridor. There were people in rooms, I realised. I could hear them. The water hadn’t made it up this high. I kept going until I found an open door and went inside, grabbing a couple of white pillows. There was a child’s sun hat on the bedside locker. I hoped whoever owned it wouldn’t mind, but Daisy could do with that. With my loot, I ran back up the stairwell to the rooftop. I didn’t intend staying long, though. Now that I had been outside, my bravery had returned. I was itching to go back down to the beach, to properly start searching for my family.
‘You did great.’ Ben approved and he started to rifle through the items in the first-aid box, smiling as he took in its contents. ‘I think we can sort you out with this lot, Alice. Don’t go anywhere yourself, Skye. I need to dress that.’
I looked down to my side, which, to my surprise, had started to bleed heavily. I’d forgotten all about it. ‘It doesn’t hurt,’ I said.
‘That’s good to hear. But it still needs to be treated. I don’t want you passing out.’
‘I’m going to place one of the pillows on either side of this splint, okay,’ Ben said to Alice, working quickly. Her knuckles were white as she clasped either side of the sun lounger. ‘That will do the job Oxo.’
‘My dad says that,’ I said to him.
‘You must be Irish so,’ he asked.
‘Yep. From Dublin.’
‘My mam was from Clare. One of her favourite sayings. How you doing, Alice, holding up okay?’
She nodded once, but her face told a different story. ‘It won’t be long now before help arrives to take the injured to the mainland and hospitals. I bet they are on their way already. In the meantime, I’ve got some painkillers that will help you out. You’re doing great, you really are.’
He cleaned the wound again and dosed it liberally with antiseptic spray. When he lifted her leg onto the pillows she screamed out in agony and I grabbed her hands between mine and told her she could squeeze as hard as she liked.
Then Ben placed the broom handle beside her leg and began to wind the bandages around it all. ‘There, not the best I’ve ever done, but under the circumstances, not a bad job.’
He stood up and said, ‘Don’t move about Alice, stay where you are until I can get that help to you, okay?’
Despite the fact that she looked like she was about to faint, she still joked, ‘You both make me laugh. Skye said the same to me earlier. Don’t move, Alice. I’m not sure where you both think I might head off to!’
Ben then turned his attention to my side and cleaned it with some bottled water, before spraying antiseptic onto it. He gave me a brief nod of sympathy when I grimaced in pain at the sting. He then took out a large pad and taped it on.
‘That will stem the bleeding. Take it easy, though. Don’t overdo it. You’ll need a stitch or two in that, I would think.’
I sat down beside Alice and whispered, ‘I think he likes you.’ She rested her head against my shoulder and said back, ‘What’s not to like? I’ve never looked hotter.’
‘I’m going to go back down. Look for my family.’
‘Of course you are. But stay here for a little bit? Rest. If only for a few minutes.’
I agreed, reluctantly, and listened to Maria sing lullabies to Daisy, who had fallen asleep again. And we all did our best to ignore the big fat elephant on the roof that was our missing families.
Every now and then a new batch of people would come up the stairwell. We got used to people walking up to us, peering into corners, looking for their missing loved ones. We got used to the sound of whispered names floating in the air. We would gently shake our heads sadly, and tell person after person, that no, we hadn’t seen whoever they were looking for.
Until suddenly I heard Alice’s name mentioned.
‘Did you hear that?’ I prodded Alice, who was drifting off to sleep. She opened her eyes quickly, pain etched onto her ashen face. ‘What is it?’
‘I heard your name! I’m sure of it.’ I jumped up and scanned the rooftop.
‘Who is looking for an Alice?’ I screamed. Everyone turned to look my way, and then I saw them. I knew, before they raised their hands to acknowledge my question, that they were her family. Because the woman walking towards me was the image of my new friend.
‘Over here,’ I screa
med excitedly, ‘Alice, your mother, she’s over here!’
Anna and Corey ran towards us, faces alight with renewed hope and joy, their bodies bloodied and bruised, but very much alive.
‘They made it,’ Maria said, clasping my hand tightly. Alice’s daughter and husband were here and even though I had never met them before, I genuinely wanted to weep with relief that they were okay. Two less on my list of wishes and I felt hope soar once more.
We were all going to find our families. We were all going to be okay.
‘If they made it, then Kevin and Alfie did too,’ I said to Maria, who was watching Alice and her daughter embrace.
‘I’m sure of it,’ Maria said, tears running down her face. ‘And your parents and Eli.’
‘She’s broken her leg, but she’s okay,’ I said, but they weren’t listening. They were on the ground, sobbing with joy, huddled together in a glorious reunion.
I couldn’t take my eyes off them. I knew I was, as my mother would have said, rubbernecking. I should have given them their privacy, but my eyes were glued to their reconciliation.
I had to find my family. They might be like Alice: stranded, injured, waiting for help. I was going to find them and bring them back to safety. Or die trying.
Chapter 39
SKYE
‘These three saved my life,’ Alice declared.
I blushed when Anna and Corey turned to look at us.
‘Anyone would have done the same,’ Maria said, ‘it was Skye, really. She was the one who stopped and insisted on helping. She’s very bossy for one so young.’
‘Anyone didn’t stop, it was you three who did.’ Alice was adamant in her praise. ‘Everyone was running up the hill, frantic, scared and I couldn’t move. I screamed for help, but nobody came. Even though they were fleeing for their lives, from the waves, like everyone else, they stopped.’
‘I’ll never be able to thank you all,’ Anna said.
‘What age are you?’ Corey asked me. He looked bewildered by Alice’s story.
‘I’m seventeen,’ I replied.
‘Well, you are the bravest seventeen-year-old I’ve ever met. This is all so fucked up. Oh, sorry,’ he said to Maria, glancing at Daisy, whose eyes were on stalks, taking in the scene.
Daisy replied, ’Mummy said that for today we’re allowed to swear. It’s bloody awful, isn’t it Mummy?’
That kid should be on stage. She had us in stitches.
‘I found the stretcher,’ Daisy said, eager to get full credit for her part in the tale.
‘Yes, you are the cleverest little girl ever,’ Alice said.
‘Unbelievable,’ Corey said.
‘Yes. Truly unbelievable,’ Anna agreed.
‘A lovely young Australian paramedic has fixed me up as best he can. With a little help from Skye, who went back downstairs to scavenge for this broom handle and pillows for a splint. She even found a first-aid box.’
They kept staring at me, like I was something special, and I was unnerved. I hadn’t thought about my actions, hadn’t planned them. So therefore I don’t think I could be described as brave. I just reacted to the situation as it unfolded.
I thought of all the people I saw walking up the hill. I thought of the others who might still be on the beach. Brave would be going back down to see if any of those people needed help. Brave would be getting within a mile of the sea ever again.
But I think I’m all out of brave.
I looked at Alice. She looked at peace for the first time since we saw her, despite the pain she must be in. That peace came from having Anna and Corey back. And I knew that I’d never, ever have peace again until I found my family.
‘I’m going back down.’
‘No you are not!’ Alice declared. ‘You are staying here. Anna, tell her, she’s staying with us until her family are found. I’ll not hear another word.’
I smiled at her, she reminded me of my mam. Fierce in her motherly concern.
‘There could be more waves,’ Corey said.
‘I have to look.’
‘Your parents won’t want you putting yourself into danger once again.’ Alice was firm.
I felt irritated but relieved that somebody was telling me what to do. But she was wasting her breath.
‘I’ll hold off going down to the beach for a while, but I am going outside.’
I felt Maria’s indecision. She was desperate to look for Kevin and Alfie, but she had Daisy to think about too. ‘I’m not sure she could take going back down there. There’s too much horror …’
‘I’ll ask every man and boy I see if they are called Kevin and Alfie. You can trust me.’
She hugged me tight and I felt Daisy cling to my legs too. ‘Hey don’t worry, kiddo, I’m coming back to you guys.’
‘With my daddy? And Alfie?’ she asked.
‘I’ll do my best, Daisy. But for now, you must be strong for your mummy, okay?’
She nodded and hugged me tight.
I walked downstairs and found Sven and Dil standing outside the entrance to the hotel. They were looking towards the beach. I stood beside them and silently we watched the destruction below us. There were fewer people now making their way up. There was one couple who were lugging their suitcase behind them, which I found ludicrous. I mean, the stupidity of that, trying to hold onto their possessions, when all around them it was as if the world was ending. It made me want to scream.
Some stopped and spoke to us as they went by. They told us that the word was that hotels up high in the hills were being made into refugee camps. They also said that helicopters were on their way. Others said more waves were coming. There was a lot of confusion and I realised that for most of them, they knew no more than I did. They were making it up as best they could.
And you know what was the craziest part? It was now a beautiful day once again. The sun shone and if I closed my eyes, if I could turn the sound off, and goodness knows I tried, I could be back with my family on that beach, safe again. Shoulder to shoulder. Floating in the clear blue sea.
Then I saw Jin Jin, our hotel manager, run by. It was hard to explain but seeing someone from before, someone who knew us as a family, made me very emotional. I grabbed him and hugged him tight.
‘Miss Skye,’ he bowed and smiled, ‘you okay?’ I think he was genuinely pleased to see me too.
I clasped his hand, ‘My parents, my brother Eli, have you seen them?’
He shook his head. ‘I’ve been up a tree for hours, clinging on, waiting for the waves to go back. I kept trying to make a run for it, but then another wave come.’
He shook his head, sorrow puncturing his face. ‘Tomorrow they will come to help. Tomorrow they will bring people to the hospitals in Phuket.’
‘Where are you going?’ I asked him.
‘To my family. I need to see if they are okay.’ He shrugged. ‘Stay up high, Miss Skye. Your family will find you. Have faith.’
I nodded and then he was gone, caught up in another stream of holiday-makers as they made their way up the hill.
Sven turned to us and said, ‘We’re going down to help.’
I didn’t hesitate. ‘Can I go with you?’
‘Sure,’ Dil replied, ‘The waves have stopped for nearly three hours now, it must be over.’
The truth was, it was only just beginning. The nightmare didn’t end when the waves stopped. For thousands of us, we continued to drown, even without water pounding us.
We stopped to assist when we could. There were dozens of Thai residents who helped carry the injured to safety. We cleared debris to free a man who was trapped underneath. When he was pulled to safety, I felt hope beckon to me once more.
Sven climbed a palm tree with ease, to help lower two kids who were trapped up it. ‘Alfie?’ I called out. My heart sank when each shook their heads ‘no.’ Then suddenly they started to scream as a man ran towards them. ‘Papa, papa!’ They fell into his arms, all landing in a muddled heap on the sand. We stood and watched them for a bit and
I began to feel hope grow a little bit more inside of me.
And then, before I knew it, I was back on familiar territory. ‘That’s my hotel,’ I whispered.
Sven caught my hand and squeezed it. I was glad they were with me. Their silent strength gave me strength. We passed the pool, which now had a bus smashed face down into it. If anybody had been in that pool when it hit … images of residents from the hotel we’d shared hellos and goodbyes with over the past week jumbled into my mind. People we’d splashed in the pool beside, dozens of times, while Christmas songs played on the speakers around us.
My anxiety levels grew tenfold with every step closer to the entrance we took. I wondered if any of my family had made their way back to here, to look for me. We walked through the front entrance that was now a gaping hole. The water had actually torn a hole in the cement, such was its force.
Please, let my family be here. Please.
And do you know what? The universe listened. We stopped and turned to our right when a voice shouted out my name.
Chapter 40
REA
72 Derry Lane, Dublin, 2014
‘It’s good to see you.’
Rea couldn’t believe her eyes. Standing before her was George. Her George.
‘You’re back.’
‘Yes.’
‘Oh.’
He stared at her, his eyes travelling from her new clothes, to her face. She smoothed back her hair, self-conscious under his scrutiny.
He moved a step closer to her, the kitchen table now standing between them both. Rea used it to steady herself. She had dreamed of seeing him again. But now that he was here, she was shy and unsure of herself.
‘I shouldn’t have walked out the way I did. It was unfair of me.’
Rea hadn’t expected that. Straight to the chase. George had always been the same, in fairness, never one to beat about the bush. He looked at her, waiting for her response, but she held her tongue. She wanted to hear what he had to say.
‘I’ve had a lot of time to think this through over the past few months,’ he continued.
The Woman at 72 Derry Lane Page 24
