Page 67 of The Beach Holiday

I held the key in place. Kai looked from my hand to my face.

‘Don’t fail me now, Sadie.’ He looked as though he might shove his hand through and try to grab the key.

I paused for a moment, my mind playing tricks on me. I was doing the right thing, wasn’t I? These men, they were all innocent. Weren’t they? They were all part of Avril’s game, herdesire to build paradise, a world without men. And Clara had known the truth too.

The men’s protesting voices began to get louder. I tried to block them out. I could hear a countdown beginning. I knew I had very little time left. It was now or never. I stared at Kai, willing him to speak, willing him to let me know that I was making the right decision.

‘My name is Kai. Kai Jackson. I was born in Cape Town in 1989. I am from a good family. I had hopes and aspirations. I should never have been here.’ He bent down a little so that he was facing me. ‘Sadie, please let me out.’

I turned the key, the cage door opened and Kai fell forward. His hands were on the ground, rubbing the soil over his face.

I handed him the key. ‘Save your men.’

He was on his feet and opening cage after cage. I began running. I was halfway back when I heard the first screams coming from the main camp.

Ula had arrived.

Ula was in the centre of the camp. Flames licked around the edge in the dry foliage. There was no routine involved, no planned structure, just her presence there was enough to make the campmates uneasy. If I had waited another day or two then the rain would have come and the bushes would have been too wet to light.

I heard the strained voices of the campmates as Ula put herself amongst them. They would all be watching her until they realised the bushes were burning.

I watched as the flames rose higher and began to reach the cabins. But I was headed to the back beach where I had moored a boat earlier.

I took one last look at Ula, then I ran.

59

THEN

I found the boat as I had left it thank God. I needed to wait for Ula. She had promised she would be here.

I waited, pacing the sand for what felt like hours, but it was only a few minutes until finally a figure appeared at the mouth of the forest.

‘Ula.’ I raced towards her. She was hurt. Blood was dripping, no, gushing from her stomach. She fell to the ground in front of me. I needed to get her to the boat. But she was too tall, too bulky. I couldn’t lift her.

What was prevalent was the dark streaks of blood all through the sand, and the smell. The smell of blood. Even in the time it had taken me to run through the woods and retrieve my things from a spot amongst shrubbery, it had not subsided.

Ula looked so serene just lying there and I wondered how it was that I could walk away and just leave her there. What kindof monster was I? I bent down by her side. I observed the blood across her dress, and down her legs. I was responsible for all of this. I sat back on my heels and held my hands in a prayer fashion. Then I looked down at my own hands and saw the blood all over them, I could see it even in the half-light of the moon.

I only had a few more minutes. I needed to get onto the boat, and I needed to get away soon. I looked behind me, the boat was moored already for me as we had arranged. Now all I needed to do was get in it and leave. I looked once more at her lying on the sand, the dark streaks marring her clothes, so I was barely able to see what the pattern once was. I quickly bent down next to her and then I moved towards her forehead. I kissed her gently; I felt her flinch. She wouldn’t survive much longer; that I was certain of. How much time she had though, I wasn’t sure. But I couldn’t think about it anymore.

I had to take myself from the island and forget about her and everything that happened here. What kind of person would that make me? It’s too late for me; I had too much blood on my hands. I have done too much. I would never truly be able to escape the horrors of what happened here, what I was responsible for. The terrible things I had done. And this one last act, a kiss as though that may solve everything, make everything I have done better. I knew it wouldn’t. I stood and pulled my rucksack onto my back, so I had two free arms for balance to wade out to the boat and get on board. I knew every second counted now; they could be coming for me as I wasted precious time with sentimental moments.

I looked down at her almost lifeless body once more, then I stepped around her. As I did, I heard a rustle in the bushes. I didn’t flinch; I simply waited. Then a head appeared, withthose glittering eyes. Then the smile, that smile. Adi looked at me with his sparkly eyes and I smiled back. I wondered if he wished he could come too. I guessed I would never know. I turned towards the shore, then I slowly waded out into the shallows until I reached the boat. I threw my rucksack inside and climbed on board. I sat down on the plank of wood nearest the engine and before I started it, I took one last look at the island; this was the last time I would see it close up. Now it was time to go.

I saw the eyes peeking from the bushes and I raised my hand to wave, even though I was sure he would not wave back. I looked at the body on the sand, and as I started the engine and the boat began to chug away, I kept looking at Ula and didn’t take my eyes off her until she was just a tiny speck on the small stretch of sand in the faraway distance.

60

NOW

Seven months later

A cup of coffee arrives in front of me and I look up and smile at the man who has just put it there.

We’ve been spending every day together for the last six weeks, and I have learned so much more about him than I could have ever imagined.

We had met in the foodbank where I had been volunteering for the last few months. It shocked me and gave me satisfaction in equal measures to work there. Having come from a place where I knew how easy it was to live simply with just the basics yet there were families unable to provide a meal for their children here in the UK.

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