“I suppose I was.”Priddy rested his brow on Merou’s shoulder,swallowing in relief when the strong arms closed round him.“Howcome you’re wearing my clothes?”
“Seemed the simplest solution, if you’re still set on doingthis.I needed some gear for my shopping run, and...well, I knowwhere your ma hangs out her washing.Got another set for you overmy arm here.”
“Somebody must’ve brought them back from the lighthouse forher.”Priddy backed up, distractedly admiring the breadth of hislover’s chest in the borrowed shirt.“Was she washing them?Did yousee her?Was she...was she upset?”
“Come and sit down, sweetheart.I’ve got sandwiches in thejacket pockets, and I know you’re getting to like the raw fish, butyou still need some nice landling bread and cheese fornow.”
By thetime Merou had led him back to the comfortable crescent of sandwhere he’d been sleeping, Priddy had worked out the answer to hisquestion for himself.He helped extract the sandwiches, settleddown gratefully in the circle of Merou’s arm.“You don’t have tochange the subject or lie to me.She had everything packed up,didn’t she?Ready for the Oxfam run.”
“I don’t know about that.Everything was packed up, yeah.Jeez,Priddy—I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.It wouldn’t even have been her idea, because shenever had one.She’d just have been doing what Vigo told her todo.”
“If it makes you feel any better, Kit’s mum is sitting on theharbour wall crying her heart out for both of you.”
“In that case I definitely have to go back there.As a human,even if only a temporary one.I’ve got to talk to her, tell herwhat happened.”
“Have your sandwiches and coffee first.”
“What, no pommes de mer?”Priddy settled back against him.“Where did you get those things from, anyway?How did you magic upthat picnic?”
“It’s hard to explain, but you’ll get it soon enough.There arecurrents as well as directions in time.If you’re in a place whereyou lack a thing, you can sometimes grab a current—like surfing awave—to take you to a place and time where that thing is.LikeLyonesse in August, when the sea-orchards bear their fruit.OrSainsbury’s next July, when I’ve learned all the things you like toeat, and for some reason I’m in there with some money.”
“That sounds almost insane enough to be true.Is that how yougot these sandwiches?”
“Oh, no.The Portuguese chef who lives in your bedroom now hasset up a snack bar on the harbour, that’s all.And you left atenner in these jeans.Listen, my Priddy—I don’t know how you couldget this across to Kit’s ma, but those currents in time sometimesshow us futures that never happened.I saw one where all the seaswere silent.No-one left to sit on the rocks and sing and combtheir hair.That was the future Geoff Blades would’ve made, and Kitdid his best to make sure it never came about.”
“He was a good lad.Especially because he didn’t even know ifhe was doing the right thing.Wouldthey ever have been able to cure all thosediseases he was talking about?”
“Maybe one of them, one day.But human genetic research is inits infancy.By the time enough scientists realise they’ll need acouple more centuries even to begin to break down our membranes andregenerative tissues, the seas will have been fished dry.So guyslike Blades will keep netting and abducting us one by one in thehope of a quick fix, like he did with...”
“With Francis.Say his name to me, Merou.I always want you tobe able to do that.”
“All right.Francis, then.And I want you to be able to talk tome about your lost friend, too, about...”He fell silent, raising ahand to shield his eyes from the light bouncing and blazing off thesea.“Oh, for God’s sake.”
Priddysat up.He followed the direction of Merou’s gaze.All he could seewere shapes against the sunlight, four kids in their late teensmaking their way along the beach towards them.“Shit.I’d betterget dressed.”
“I don’t think so.”
No,maybe not.Three of the group were as naked as he was.Two ofthem—the boys, Priddy could see now—were dashing in circles roundthe others, leaping up and down the rocks, as if nothing had everbeen so weird or so much fun as running about on two legs.Thethird was a girl.If this had been summer, she’d have dropped everystraight male jaw on the beach—possibly a few of Priddy’s team,too—and Goddess help the lesbians.She was walking proudly, nakedas day, her long hair swinging down her back.
Thefourth, waterlogged and stumbling, clinging to her arm, was Kit.Priddy jumped to his feet—promptly tripped over them, newly awkwardas he was without his fluke—found his balance and ran.Kit spottedhim from ten yards out, let go his queenly escort and tried to runtoo.He and Priddy met with a bone-bruising thump.“You’re alive!”Priddy said, dropping with him to his knees on the sand.“Oh, mate.Your ma’s gonna kill you.”
***
“He bought me a gym membership, and lots of new clothes a sizetoo small so I’d have an incentive.”Kit wiped his eyes.“It wasvery thoughtful of him, I suppose.The fucker.”
Priddylooked at Merou over Kit’s head.They each had an arm around him,warming the space between them where he sat.“D’you think he’s allright?”Priddy asked.“He’s not making a lot of sense.”
“He’s disoriented.Happens sometimes, when a hatchling’s made arescue.It’ll pass.”
The girlwas crouched behind them on the sand.She hadn’t said a word, butwhenever Kit made a sound of distress, she reached to stroke hishair.The boys were sitting at a respectful distance on the rocks,looking like freshly-delivered young gods.“A hatchling?”Priddyechoed doubtfully.“These are all...Mer people, then?”
“Oh, yes.Every one.”
“But they’re adults.”
“In some ways.In some they’ve got an awful lot tolearn.”
