The Dark Rider

CHAPTER Five



Nicola awoke late the next morning feeling tired and disorientated. It had been four in the morning before she fell into a restless dream-filled sleep. Before that she had tossed and turned in the bed, her mind constantly replaying the ending of her relationship, and then all the questions, doubts and anxieties had arrived to hound away any chance of sleep. Now she felt drained and empty, sitting up on the bed surrounded by sheets damp with sweat.

Slowly pushing herself up, she went to the window and pulled back the curtains, flooding the greyness with bright sunlight. The new dawn called to her, and a sudden desire to be outside and away from the empty hotel room made her turn and search for her towel and bikini. Finding them, Nicola changed quickly and then pulled open the patio door of the room and left the hotel. She walked down the cliff path to the beach. Suddenly she found herself alone, with only the sea and the sky for company, yet she found that it made her heart sing for it was true freedom.

Leaving her towel on a rock, Nicola waded into the water, its icy coolness snapping her awake. She got to waist height before slipping down into the sea, allowing the chill to wash away the night as it flowed over her body. It was then that she realized she was not alone, for the life force of nature pulsed and flowed around her in the seagulls soaring through the sky, and in the small fish that darted around her as she swam. She felt life in the heather and flowers that carpeted the cliff tops, in the way the sea danced and glittered for her in the fresh morning light, and in the cliffs that jutted out proudly into the ebb and flow of the sea.

She swam powerfully and quickly, the action of her movements keeping her warm against the seductive coldness of the waves. Soon she felt suitably awakened and relaxed to slow down and move into the shallows where her feet found solid ground again. She stood up clear of the water and walked out of the sea towards the rock where she had put her towel, the sand already hot under her feet. She could feel the strong warmth of the sun and found herself almost dry by the time she picked up her towel and began rubbing herself down.

As Nicola dried herself a sudden uneasiness knotted her stomach, as if something bad was watching her from the edge of her consciousness. She felt her skin tingling, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. She stopped the movement of her towel and slowly turned her head, taking in the wide sweep of the sands and the cliff tops, but she could not see anyone.

Self consciously she wrapped the towel around her waist, for the sensation would not go away, a strong feeling of being watched by something malevolent that was reaching out and tainting her mind. She turned full circle, the bay seemingly colourless, the yellows, blues and greens fuzzy and grainy, like an old film. A silence seemed to hang in the air, the life force that she had felt suddenly gone, trying to hide. Everything felt muted, as if the bay itself was watching her and silently waiting, holding its breath. Waves crashed against the shore but Nicola felt she was seeing them from within a glass cage.

Nicola began walking forward, slowly at first, her head turning, her eyes scanning every rock, every bush, every inch of horizon. The long, empty silence of the muted bay stared back at her, the deserted sands seeming to stretch away forever into the distance. Quickening her step Nicola made her way towards the footpath that led away from the endless beach, her feet slipping and sliding on the sand, the dark malevolence growing inside her. She turned, eyes sweeping the bay behind her, and then hurried forwards towards the pathway enclosed by trees and bushes. She reached the path, stepping from the sand onto dry earth and, as she did so, the feeling suddenly grew in intensity, bursting across her consciousness.

In sudden panic she pulled the towel from around herself and broke into a run, her bare feet pounding along the path as fast as she could make them, kicking up soft earth behind her. Convinced that someone was chasing her she ran on, wincing in pain as her feet landed heavily on sharp stones and thorns scratched her heels and legs.

Nicola broke out of the thick undergrowth where the path began and sprinted across the hotel access road, through the entrance and across the car park turning her head as she ran to look behind her at the mouth of the path. Seeing no one as she reached the steps that led up to reception, she slowed and then stopped. She leaned against the balustrades, panting heavily, her back damp with sweat. She stood for a few moments trying to calm herself down but still ready to run, and all the while she stared intently at the path but no one emerged from the dense undergrowth. She began to shake from the adrenaline rush that had hit her.


*****


Neil and Vicky stood by the tide line on the beach waiting for the next wave to come. They did not have to wait long and were soon running back up the beach shouting and laughing as they tried to dodge the waves, but inevitably the ice cold Atlantic water caught them, washing over their feet and splashing their shins, causing shrieks and more laughter.

The wave washed itself up the beach, and the pair ran back following its wake tumbling back into the sea. Almost immediately Vicky shouted “wave,” and Neil saw a big roller coming in. They both stood their ground daring each other to stay the longest, and as the wave bore down on them Vicky cracked first and leapt away back up the beach. Motivated to appear braver than his sister, Neil mistimed his run, and the wave hit him with a splat of icy cold water which splashed across his back and across his shoulders. Neil cried out as the cold enveloped him and then stood there staring indignantly at his sister while she fell onto the sand helpless with laughter.

Remembering his ability to move Neil shouted “hey,” and started running towards her intent on making her pay for laughing at him. With a shriek she pushed herself up from the sand and felt her legs push against the softness of the beach as she got into her stride. She knew she was faster than her brother in a straight line but this time he had a head start on her.

As she ran away, she could hear the thudding of his footfalls on the sand getting louder. She checked over her shoulder, saw her brother close on her heels making a grab for her but her speed was keeping her out of reach. Still shrieking she put her head down and ran on and then checked behind her again. Neil had slowed down and she had won. Vicky jogged a safe distance from Neil and then fell onto the sand, panting for breath. She looked over at her brother, and grinned.

“Unlucky,” she shouted.

Neil was also lying on the sand. He propped himself up on his shoulder and shouted back.

“Next time you won’t be so lucky.”

“Yeah, any time,” Vicky replied jumping up and walking towards him. She got as close as she dared and then grinned. “So, what are we going to do today?”

Neil sat up, looking up and down the beach.

“Shall we explore the rocks?” he said looking across to his right. “We haven’t been that way yet.”

“Okay,” said Vicky deciding it was now safe to approach.

The two children set off heading across the beach towards the rocks that began along the side of the bay.

“What shall we find?” asked Vicky as they walked.

“Treasure,” said Neil. “A treasure chest deep in a big rock pool.”

Vicky looked up at him, her eyes glinting as she said, “But it shall be guarded by a huge dragon, which of course you will have to kill.”

“A fearsome creature,” agreed Neil as they reached the first rocks. He jumped up onto one of them. “It will take all my skill to defeat the beast,” he said making practice swings and thrusts with an imaginary sword.

“Will the king reward you?” asked Vicky.

Neil stopped his swordplay and looked down at her.

“Technically the treasure is his, but I will take some as my reward,” Neil paused. “And you shall be free to marry the handsome Prince.”

“Ah, now we are talking,” said Vicky as she scrambled up the rocks to stand next to him.

“It won’t be easy,” said Neil. “We must be quiet now. Stick close to me.”

With that he turned and jumped across onto a large, flat topped rock. They were entering the dragon’s lair. Vicky stuck close by as they climbed. They had covered a fair distance before Neil slowed and stopped. He held his hand out and gestured for them to crouch down. Turning to his sister he whispered.

“See that ledge up ahead.”

Vicky nodded.

“Beyond that is a round dip in the rocks.” Neil looked back towards the ledge scanning the skyline for any sign of movement.

“According to the old wizard that is where the treasure is, in a secret cave in the dip.”

He looked back at Vicky.

“But it is also the creature’s resting place, and it could be there now.”

“What are we going to do?” asked Vicky.

“Firstly you had better draw your magic dagger.”

Vicky stared back blankly at her brother.

“You know,” he said loudly nodding at her for emphasis. “Your magic dagger.”

“Oh yes,” said Vicky drawing an imaginary dagger from her belt. “Of course.”

Neil scanned the skyline again.

“Okay, let’s go.”

They approached the ledge carefully, not making a sound. An intense stillness seemed to hold the air, and all Vicky could hear was the sea breaking against the rocks, the wind blowing across her, and her own breathing. As they got closer they could see that beyond the ledge a dip in the rocks had caused a natural bowl to form, the bottom of which was a wide rock pool.

Neil froze and then turned his head slowly towards Vicky. His imagination was running full flight and in front of him he could see a large creature curled up in the bowl asleep, its breath coming in loud, rasping wheezes.

“It’s the dragon,” he whispered to Vicky. As he did so he imagined the dragon stirring and he found himself staring back into a huge, black, dinner-plate-sized eye.

“It’s awake,” yelled Neil. “Stay behind me.” With that Vicky grabbed Neil’s waist and they crouched as the dragon reared its head upwards. They braced themselves as the first volley of fire swept over them but they were protected by a magic shield given to them by the wizard. The dragon then roared, rearing back and unfolding itself from its resting place. Great wings unfurled from the dragon’s back and a huge tail unwound itself from around the green scaly body until the dragon stood before them almost blotting out the sky.

“Run,” shouted Neil as he leapt forward to attack with his sword raised. Vicky looked around and saw an outcrop of rock near the lip of the bowl. She sprinted forward and dropped down behind the rocks to watch her brother who was now whirling his sword and using his speed to skip through the dragon’s defenses and strike the beast from below. She chuckled to herself. He always got so carried away.

Pushing herself up, Vicky skipped down the bowl to the pool in the middle. Slipping her trainers off, she jumped in, the cool water coming up to her shins. She looked all around for suitable treasure, and was just about to pick up a large empty seashell when she saw something glinting out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and looked down to where the pool became quite deep. Large clumps of seaweed hid the bottom disappearing under a ledge of barnacle and limpet encrusted rock. She moved her head from side to side and sure enough, something was catching and reflecting the sunlight. She reached down and felt something cold and smooth in her fingers. She closed her hand and, after a few tugs, it came free and she pulled it out. Looking down she unclenched her fingers and there, sitting in the palm of her outstretched hand, was a small gold key.

“Wow,” she said to herself before turning excitedly and calling to her brother.

“Hey, look what I found.”

He stopped in mid-swing and looked over to her.

“You just interrupted my killing stroke. Now the dragon has seen my hesitation and caught me with a blast of fire turning my body to cinders of ash. This had better be good.”

He jumped across the rocks and came down to where she was standing.

“What is it?” he asked as she held it up towards him. He took it in his hands.

“Is it real gold?”

“Careful,” said Vicky as he turned the delicate looking key between his fingers.

“It’s got carvings on it,” he said holding it up to his face for closer examination.

“There’s an animal on one side, I think it’s a wolf,” he said before turning it around. “And a dagger or sword on the other side, and it looks like something on the shaft as well.”

“Let me look,” said Vicky taking it back quickly.

“Hey, don’t snatch.”

She didn’t acknowledge him as she studied the etchings on the key.

“I think it’s a snake. No, wait,” she looked closer, her brow furrowed as she focused totally on the object in her hand. “I think it’s a dragon.”

Neil stared back at her.

“It can’t be. That’s just your imagination.”

“No it isn’t, look,” Vicky insisted holding it up so that he could see.

“Real dragon’s treasure,” he murmured after a few moments. “Who would have expected that?”

“I wonder what it opens,” she whispered excitedly.

“Well, I think that’s one thing we’ll never find out,” said Neil sucking in a deep breath and looking around. “Anyway, I’m hungry and it’s nearly lunchtime. Let’s go back.”

“You really think we won’t find out?” she said to him as he jumped across onto the next rock.

“Find out what?” he called back to her.

“What it opens dummy.”

“Nope,” he replied sizing up the distance to the next rocks. Deciding he could make it, he took another leap forward. “It’s probably just a bit of jewelry someone lost. You should hand it in to the Police.”

Vicky began to follow him.

“Why would I hand it in? It’s mine now.”

Neil turned to wait for her. “Well, if I had lost it I would be happy to get it back. Anyway, on a different note, hurry up slowcoach. My stomach waits for no woman.”

Vicky grimaced as she scrambled up a slanting rock and then slid clumsily down the other side, her right hand clutching the key.

“I’m doing my best.”

“Whatever,” he called out behind him as he set off again. Vicky poked her tongue out at him as she began to climb the next rock. She did not care what he thought, for she knew she had found something ancient and magical and somehow she knew she was meant to find it. A surge of excitement shivered through her as she climbed.


*****


Nicola walked along the cliff tops until she reached an outcrop of rocks. Clambering on top of them she found a spot where she could just sit and watch the sea without fear of anyone disturbing her. Sometimes she only really felt herself when she was alone like this with just nature surrounding her.

Voices drifted softly to her on the breeze and she raised her head and looked down to see two children clambering over rocks below in the direction of the beach. Nicola watched them until they were out of sight and then the shore lay empty before her, empty of everything except the seagulls, and the waves that broke over the rocks surrounding her with the constant murmur of a restless sea. She leaned back and closed her eyes letting the sound of the waves fill her consciousness and she found herself wanting to float like driftwood on an endless sea.

After a time, she knew she must return to the hotel, and she pushed herself up and scrambled back to the cliff path that would take her back to the beach. Late afternoon sunlight flooded the bay highlighting the sand and coloring the rocks and cliff tops with a deep golden glow. Nicola stepped down onto the sands looking around the bay for any sign of the children she had seen earlier, but they were gone leaving the bay deserted, desolate and forlorn.

Nicola had never before felt so alone in all her life, physically and spiritually. Her spiritual loneliness had been growing. Her relationship with her boyfriend had found her becoming more distant with each passing day, unable to accept her boyfriend but unable to live without him.

Now he was gone and her heart cried out for a soul mate and, as she stood and stared across the wide open empty sands, she found herself not only spiritually alone but physically too for where she stood she could not see a soul, and all that was behind her was an empty soulless hotel room full of fresh memories and fresh pain. She was alone with no one to share and experience with. No one to absorb herself. Just emptiness. A void into which she seeped, alone and afraid.

Nicola found herself fighting back tears as she stood looking out across the bay. She knew she would soon have to go back to the hotel but dread was stopping her. Dread of the empty walls, of the loneliness contained within. Dread of the knowledge that she would have to go back to London to a job she hated. That she would have to face Stefan and most likely move back in with her parents. The sheer reality of it frightened her, yet what was her alternative? What realistically could she do?

Nicola’s thoughts were interrupted by a sudden strong feeling of unease that rose from her stomach and filled her consciousness. Something made her look up to her right, up to the cliff top where she had just come from, where for a split second she was sure she had seen a figure on the hills, someone standing and staring straight down at her.

Nicola blinked hard and looked back up to the cliff top. There was no one to be seen, no mysterious figure with eyes locked onto hers. Suddenly confused and disorientated, Nicola sat down on the sand. She felt dazed. Dazed at what was happening, at the realization that her thoughts were so chaotic she was seeing and imagining things. She dismissed the figure as a trick of the light and of her churning mind for there was nothing there now, nothing to be seen. Numbed, Nicola pushed herself up from the sand and began to make her way slowly back to the hotel.