CHAPTER TWENTY
After lots of goodbyes, complicated handshakes, hugs and from Cass many, many expressions of gratitude, she and Usain set off. She had the walking stick again although Usain seemed to manage without one. Eventually they got back to the road, which now had no surface; it was all scree. It was not easy to walk down but the air was very clear, the sky blue and the day was full of promise.
‘It’s like this after a hurricane,’ said Usain. ‘It’s like the island’s been through the washing machine with a fast spin. It’s really shaken up, but it’s clean.’
‘It’s hard to believe how it was yesterday.’
‘I know. It’s like the world was made fresh again, with a new start.’
‘I don’t think it’s a new start for me,’ said Cass, aware how devastated the thought made her. ‘I think this is the end of the road for me. But I’ll always love Dominica.’
‘It gets into your heart and bones, doesn’t it?’
She nodded, suddenly unable to speak and reluctant to let him see she was crying.
After a few stumbling steps down the hill whichwas now like a riverbed without the river, Cass had no more time to feel sorry for herself. She needed to think about every step. Usain took her arm and she found she was leaning on him for balance. Then they came across a huge crater and paused.
‘It’ll be easier around the edges,’ he said.
They stumbled on for a few steps when suddenly Usain said, ‘Listen!’
Cass listened but couldn’t hear anything.
‘A vehicle! There. It’s stopped now.’
Cass wasn’t sure if Usain had incredible hearing or she was just unable to focus but she stayed quiet and still anyway. Then she heard a car door slamming.
‘They’ve run out of road,’ said Usain. ‘Whoever it is, is walking now. Let’s just wait.’
Once she let herself relax and just be in the moment, Cass enjoyed the peace and quiet. Sounds from the forest were all there was to hear and tuning into them made her calm.
Then she heard a roar. ‘Cass!’ came a voice.
She saw Ranulph, running up the slope towards her as fast as the slippery surface would allow. She found herself moving to meet him and in seconds she was in his arms.
‘I thought I’d lost you!’ he murmured into her hair. ‘I thought I’d never see you again.’
The feeling of his arms around her, holding her so tightly she could hardly breathe, was so wonderful she could barely take in what was happening.
‘I thought you’d died in the hurricane,’ he muttered, not letting her go. ‘When we realised that you andAustin were gone, we spent the whole night thinking you were both dead.’
He gave her a final squeeze and then released her.
‘Usain came out of the forest and rescued me,’ Cass said.
Ranulph took Usain’s hand and shook it. ‘How did you know Cass was out here?’
‘You can see the road from my house,’ he said. ‘I saw the pick-up, and came out to check it wasn’t in a ditch and I found Cass.’ He smiled broadly. ‘She’s a great girl to spend a hurricane with!’
‘I was so lucky,’ said Cass, looking at Usain.
‘Far luckier than you deserved to be,’ said Ranulph, moving from relieved to stern with horrifying speed.
‘I did what I thought was best, Ranulph,’ she said stiffly. She had regretted her actions for what seemed like a lifetime and didn’t want to be told off about it now, however justified the telling-off was.
He sighed deeply. ‘Let’s get you home. I have Bastian’s pick-up to get us there.’
‘Bastian lent you his pick-up?’ said Usain. ‘Man! That boy would lend you his heart and both his kidneys before he’d let that pick-up out of his sight.’
