Page 82 of Escape to the Sun

42

Hannah squeezed her eyes shut as she lay on the wet Tarmac. Wondered what would happen first. Was transported back in time to the only other time she’d feared for her safety in this way, when she’d been cornered on a bus on her way home from school. That time the bus driver had come to her rescue. He’d halted the bus short of its next scheduled stop and told the pair in question to vacate, before he showed them just how he’d earned his black belt in a martial art the name of which now escaped Hannah.

But there was no bus driver here. Nobody even to see and ignore what was happening.

‘Hey there. Let me help you up…’

Hannah opened her eyes, looking up at the faces again. Still surrounding her but now with varying expressions of concern. Then she noticed an outstretched hand.

‘Are you OK, lady?’

She frowned, focusing on the hand, gesturing for her to take hold. Reaching out, she felt firm fingers around her own, then a strong upward movement, which had her on her feet.

‘You get caught out in the rain with no coat or hat or anything? You from a cruise ship?’

She nodded, still unable to speak.

‘This weather isn’t good for the ships today. Normally it’s all fine by now, man. This rain is ruining our smoking time.’

The others laughed and at last Hannah felt herself relax.

‘I lost my bearings on my way back to the ship,’ she said.

‘And we frightened you?’

She nodded.

‘Some bad men around. Not us, though. My wife would kick me good if she thought I frightened you.’

‘Yeah, and his wife is my sister, so you can imagine what she do to me…’

‘I’m sorry – I feel so stupid.’

‘Don’t. We all hear the stories.’

‘Can you tell me which way the dock is?’ she asked.

‘Nah, not in this weather. Saul will go get his moped. You travel in style, yes?’

While they waited, Hannah took shelter with them under the awning beneath which she’d originally seen them.

‘You wan’ one of these?’

One of the men held up a hand-rolled joint, and Hannah shook her head.

‘Guaranteed to make you feel a whole lot better.’

She grinned. ‘I’m sure it would. But no thanks.’

The moped ride to the harbour took minutes, but when they arrived Saul slowed the machine, his hesitance compounding Hannah’s disbelief. There was no mistaking the empty dock, even through the sluicing rain.

The Ballygowan was gone.

‘I don’t understand.’

Her composure melted again, and her tears mixed with the rain already soaking her face.

‘Hey. Don’t worry. This wind is strong. They probably moved the ship out of the harbour to be safer. It’s on a layover, right? They’ll come back when the wind drops. I seen it happen before.’