Chapter 2. A new found friend

It was mid-afternoon. Innis was dragging the last body

through the shallows when he thought saw movement on

the cliff tops above.

He came to a stop and the body bumped against him.

Two peregrine falcons squabbling over a catch flew off.

Innis breathed a sigh of relief and rolled the uniform clad body

over and looked at the bearded face.

"You ever get the feeling that something's not quite right

but you can’t put your finger on it."

Water poured slowly from the dead mans’ open mouth.

Florry called out from the beach.

"When you’re finished chatting with your new found friend

can you give me a hand with this fat bitch."

Innis laughed and looked up. He was about to say something

when he thought he heard a noise behind him.

He turned around and stumbled back in surprise.

Standing further out was a woman.

Only her head and shoulders showed above the water.

Her eyes were closed and her face was tilted toward the sun.

He was stunned - why hadn't he seen her until now?

"Do you need help?"

When the woman didn’t respond, he called out again.

The woman put a finger to her her lips and breathed in slowly.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"There is a sweet irony in all of this. Forgive me for taking

a few moments to savour it."

Innis had no idea what she was talking about.

"Were you on the ship that ran aground?"

"Indeed I was." the woman said as she started to wade

toward him. "The ill-fated Loch Ard, under the command

of the recently departed Capt. Gibbs."

She paused midstep.

"To whom I believe you were just speaking."

Any thought of trying to make sense of how the woman had

survived the wreck or her unexpected appearance, vanished

from his mind. There was no way of telling what she'd seen

or what she might say if she ever left the inlet.

"Let me help you." Innis held out a hand.

With his other hand he reached for a knife he kept in the

small of his back.

An expression crossed the womans' face that he couldn't read.

When she took his hand Innis told her he was sorry,

then stabbed her in the neck.

It was steel against steel. Pain shot the length of his arm.

The knife twisted and cut his hand as it fell into the water,

its tip and blade broken.

The womans' hazel eyes shimmered.

"There’s no need to be sorry." she said.

Every part of him had rung like a bell, and now he was

paralysed. Still holding his hand she moved closer.

"You really should be more careful who you shake hands with."

She turned her head from side to side and looked intently at

his face. It reminded him of the way a bird of prey looks at

what it has caught in its talons.

"Hello Innis." the woman said.

She let go of his hand and he fell backwards into the water.

"My name is Eurides."

He gasped for breath and almost retched at the thought

of how easily she could have killed him.

"I hope we can get past this awkwardness. I thought you

were reaching for some sort of religious trinket."

"Never put much store in such things." Innis spluttered.

"Neither have I." Eurides said.

Innis got slowly to his feet. He winced as he held his cut

hand close to his chest. "What are you?"

Eurides hummed to herself for a moment.

''Nothing more than a traveller who no longer believes in

coincidence, so I find myself wondering Innis - just what

exactly, you are."

He felt like an insect in a glass jar.

Eurides looked past him to the shore line and Innis realised

he'd forgotten about Florry. He turned to shout a warning,

but the words caught in his throat.

Florry stood motionless in knee deep water facing them.

His eyes were closed and his arms hung limp by his side.

"You have a decision to make Innis." Eurides said.

"Your friend Florry can’t come with us."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

Dread started to creep over him.

"If hurting Florry is part of a bargain or a test of some kind,

the answer is NO. I want no part of it."

"Would he say the same about you, if I asked him?"

Innis looked at Florry. "I don’t know."

"Your being too kind." Eurides said .

"He would leave you in ditch by the side of the road if

he had to, and you know it."

"Maybe he would." Innis said. "I wouldn’t hold it against him."

Eurides called out Florrys' name.

Florry opened his eyes and the blank expression on his face

was replaced by a look of childish happiness.

Happier than Innis could ever remember seeing him.

"Hello Gert." he said. "Is Elky here?"

"Of course she is Florry. Can you do something for us?"

"You can count on me." Florry stood at attention.

"Can you collect some firewood for a bonfire tonight soldier?"

"It will be the best bonfire ever Captain." Florry said.

He saluted and marched to the shore.

"What was that about?" Innis asked.

"Florry had two older sisters who he adored. Both of them died

when he was young."

"He never said anything to me about them." Innis said

"You never told him you were a Pastors’ son."

How did she know that?

Innis could hear Florry singing to himself as he combed

he beach for driftwood.

"Florry and I have some work to do before nightfall."

Before Innis could say anything he felt his body straighten and

start to walk toward the shore.

Then his mind went completely blank.

*