Beach Bodies: Part Two. Ross Armstrong

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СКАЧАТЬ 4.29 p.m.

      Dogger. Fisher. German Bight. Humber. Thames. Dover.

      Many miles away, the comforting sound of the voice that reads the shipping forecast describes still waters around the United Kingdom, but the sea around its furthest flung territory rises and falls with venom, like a great dark blanket shifting high into the air and crashing down many metres below. The water’s fingers shooting white spray into the air after crashing themselves onto the unfriendly rocks of Tristan Da Cunha.

      The island’s two trawling ships are in, having retreated for the day after an early start in the navy-blue morning. Their modern motorised winches pulling in huge ancient nets, rudimentary things compared to those of many fishing vessels that sail the rest of the wide world, but strong enough to feed the residents of the island.

      The British developed the first kind of trawler and christened it Dogger. A name that later was given to a patch of sea off the east coast: the pathway to Holland, co-star of the shipping forecast. It also happens to be the name of the larger of the two outrigger trawlers lying in wait, left to be beaten down in the harbour until the storm relents, which is scheduled to be some time tomorrow.

      The Dogger’s fishermen left an hour ago, dressed in work-boots thick with various slimes. Above them begin the bib and brace overalls, a wet blackness at the ankles soon dissipating into the luminous orange they are intended to be. Rising to the stomach, they become caked in the grey remnants of assorted innards, and higher still, spackles of various hues of red, that are especially thick around the barrelled chest of one man in particular, dripping rain-diluted blood, from fish guts and whatever else, which fall down onto the front door step of the villa.

      It is this that greets Simon, backed by his two makeshift henchmen, in the open doorway. The man in the stained overalls that once were orange. A long blunt instrument in his right hand, that rests low at his side for the moment.

      ‘HI!’ Roberto shouts, the noise escaping from him, far louder than intended. But Simon says nothing, waiting for the shock to settle as he looks at the fisherman’s face, shadowed by the premature darkness the storm has brought with it.

      He is bearded and his eyes shine, though their intent can’t be judged with any accuracy at this point. Within the beard, his glistening red lips, caught by the light spilling from the hallway, open.

      ‘Storm on the way,’ he says, a growl in a minor key with little effort behind it. And as he says this, the one streetlamp blurred in Simon’s vision behind the man’s left shoulder flickers, then goes out, the orange glow disappearing from the wet concrete.

      ‘Thank you,’ says Simon. ‘We know. But it’s very good of you to—’

      ‘You’ll need things. I brought some.’

      Lance watches that blunt instrument in his hand.

      ‘Er… what – what like?’ Simon bumbles.

      The fisherman lifts his weapon, Roberto bundles Simon out of the way and grabs the cold steel pipe. The fisherman lets it go and stands back.

      ‘Decent torch, for a start.’

      Roberto nods, puffs out a short breath, mostly composed of embarrassment, as he examines the weight of the metal in his hand. ‘Hmm, thanks.’

      ‘You fellas… all right?’

      ‘Of course,’ says Simon, a little too like he’s got something to hide.

      ‘Bit scared… by the weather,’ Lance says, finding himself completely outmanned by the wilting look he gets back.

      ‘Making TV, right?’ the fisherman says, examining the three of them in turn.

      ‘That’s right,’ says Simon.

      ‘Going to ask me to come in?’

      Roberto backs away a touch, thinking about that body upstairs. There’s no reason for the man to want to go up there, he supposes. No reason he can think of.

      ‘Yes. Do come in,’ mumbles Simon.

      And as the fisherman places a sodden foot on the tiles of the villa, making his way past the three men, he mutters, ‘Thank you, Simon.’

      Floundering, Simon gasps, ‘How did you know my—’

      The front door closes and they follow the fisherman’s long strides inside as the rain pounds on the makeshift street beyond.

      Liv is the first to flinch when the unannounced fisherman appears in their living room. He raises his hand in greeting, then reaches back and slings his waterproof pack from off his back onto the ground between them. It lands with a wet thump.

      Liv catches Lance’s eye, as he follows behind. And you’re supposed to be a bouncer? she thinks. She feels stupid for what she clutched before he came in now – for what she still has in her hand, obscured from everyone including the fisherman, behind the kitchen island. She grips it, looking for a neat way to get rid of it before anyone sees her with it.

      Summer’s fingers twitch by her sides, the tension hardly dispelled by their new guest. A hand slides along her back. Dawn’s. Summer has never been big on inter-female touching, but appreciates the contact is intended to calm her.

      ‘Cold?’ the fisherman says.

      ‘Sorry, what?’ Summer says.

      ‘Cold,’ he repeats, flat and expressionless. ‘You will be.’

      Summer stills her hand by placing it on the small of Dawn’s back, trying to look comfortable.

      ‘Storm. Heat’s always first to go. Light’s next.’

      ‘We’ll be fine,’ says Simon. ‘Thank you, but we’ve got back-up generators, we’ve thought of all eventualities. The electricity will stay on.’

      Simon throws this out to them all with an unfounded confidence, but one he needs to keep if he’s to convince them these cameras are still watching over them…

      To be watched is to be safe, keep being observed, keep playing the game, it’s the best way to stay alive.

      ‘If you say so,’ says the fisherman, with a single shot of doubting laughter.

      Zack crouches down to place his hand on the tiles. ‘He’s right. Underfloor heating’s gone already.’

      A few noises of concern from surrounding boys and girls, who are now shivering with folded arms. Psychosomatic, Simon thinks. Tell them they’re cold and that’s what they believe. You could put whatever you want into heads like these.

      ‘Lights next,’ Justine says, with her eyes all over Simon.

      ‘No,’ says Simon, turning back to the fisherman. ‘We have a system.’

      ‘System, eh?’ says the fisherman, immediately triggering Simon.

      ‘I СКАЧАТЬ