Page 5 of Harbor Lights

She hurried back to the house to make herself some food and a comfortable sleeping place before dark. Rain started to fall when she was a few hundred yards away, so she sprinted to get back under cover.

Inside was at least dry and shielded from the wind that had brought the temperature down a few degrees. She grabbed her few food items and took them to the lean-to kitchen, drawn by the sound of dripping water.

Damn.The flat roof of the lean-to was constructed with roofing tiles that had shifted through years of heavy weather. A gap in the material dripped with water. She wished she had the stepladder and the other equipment due to be delivered, on whatever vessel did that type of delivery, on Tuesday. But this couldn’t wait. She was sure she could move the tiles from the inside–if she could just get high enough. She looked around and located a rickety old chair. She pushed it up against the countertop, then stepped up and got onto the countertop. She stretched, cursing her diminutive height, not for the first time in her life. Her fingers grasped the tile, but she couldn’t get any purchase.

Just a few more inches. Along the wall by the countertop was a wooden shelf with a few empty jars sitting on it. She tested it with her foot, and it felt sturdy enough. Using it to boost herself up, she could hold the roof beam with one hand and move the ceiling tiles with the other. She realized her mistake the moment she launched her weight into the air. The shelf gave and she made one last grasp at the roof beam. She missed and fell heavily onto the countertop, along with the falling jars.Shit.

The shock of her landing stunned her for a moment before sensation returned and pain burned up her right arm that had taken the force of her fall.

Foolish. I know better than to take risks like that.Especially where she was, isolated and alone.

She lifted herself gingerly, trying to avoid the shards of glass everywhere. She slipped down off the worktop and tried to examine her arm in the fading light. There was plenty of blood, but she couldn’t see any major injuries. She pulled out a large piece of glass, and a red ooze followed. She located a couple more smaller shards, but the light was fading fast. She hoped she’d got them all. Her ribs throbbed, too, but a quick inspection confirmed her torso had missed the worst of the glass. She took a deep breath and found an ache, but not the sharp pain she’d experienced in the past with broken ribs.

She opened her kitbag awkwardly with one hand, holding the bleeding arm away. She pulled out her towel. It was her only one, but it was clean, and needs must. She wrapped it around her arm over and over. Damn, why hadn’t she brought her first aid kit? Back in the RV, she would’ve had a full emergency bag with minor surgical equipment as well as dressings. But she’d had to leave so much behind and hadn’t expected to end up somewhere so remote. She rummaged through the items on the table until she found a small roll of electrical tape and wound it around the towel in the hope it would hold it in place.

This was so unlike her. She was always prepared for anything.

Calm down, get your shit together and work out what to do.

Much as she hated the idea, she knew she needed to get help. Soon. She couldn’t afford to lose too much blood, or she’d never get out of here. She guessed if she didn’t turn up for the delivery on Tuesday, the contact her granddad had given her—Christy—might come looking for her. But she could be dead by then. She wasn’t sure how much blood she was losing, but it was already seeping through the towel. She grabbed some cash from her wallet, and her headlamp, and pulled on her coat as best she could. She wished she’d checked the ferry timetable, but she hadn’t thought she’d be leaving the island anytime soon.

Outside it was twilight and she figured she had maybe twenty minutes until full dark. She could get to the harbor by then. She took off at a jog, ignoring the sharp pain in her arm and the ache in her ribs.

She reached the village without seeing anyone. She felt a little lightheaded, but whether due to blood loss or the fact she hadn’t eaten since the airport that morning, she wasn’t sure. Rummaging in her coat pockets, she found the remains of a protein bar and shoved it in her mouth. Some water to wash it down with would have been good. She chewed away as she walked through the quiet village.

Suddenly, the road in front of her was awash with light, and she turned, squinting in the vehicle’s headlights. They flipped to half beam as it approached. She stepped back to let it pass, but the truck pulled up alongside her.

The window lowered to reveal an androgynous, tanned and weather-beaten face. Bright blue eyes twinkled under a green beanie hat. “Are you okay? Need a lift?”

Shiv shook her head. “All good, thanks. Just headed down to the harbor, so I’m almost there.”

The driver frowned. “You going somewhere? The last ferry just left.” They nodded ahead where the beam from the lighthouse could be seen in the harbor, the bright lights of a boat just approaching it.

“Damn. Is there like a nurse or someone on the island?” She didn’t want to discuss her predicament with this stranger, no matter how concerned they seemed.

“Not over the weekend. Are you sick?” They leaned their head out of the cab. “You’re very pale.”

Shiv let out a long breath. She had no choice but to ask for help. “I need to see a doctor or someone. I cut my arm doing some DIY, and I think it might need suturing.”

The driver got out of the car, towering over her. “Shit, get in. My boat’s in the harbor. I’ll take you over to see Doc.” They swung the back door open and put a hand on Shiv’s good arm. She pulled away from the contact before she could help herself and got into the back.

“Sorry for the inconvenience.” She should have said thank you, but she was so frustrated at getting herself in this helpless position, it was turning to anger.

“It’s no bother. We help each other out around here.” Shiv’s savior pulled away toward the harbor. “I’m Joey, by the way. I fish here, hence the boat. My pronouns are they and them, just to avoid any confusion later.”

The boat journey would be hard work if Shiv didn’t share her name. “I’m Shiv. Uh, she, her. I’m here to do some maintenance work on the Walsh family cottage.”

Joey pulled up and got out, opening the door for Shiv, even though she could’ve got it herself. “I heard. It’s hard to remain anonymous here, y’know? Even if you want to.”

“You know who I am?” Shiv got out and pulled her arm close. It was aching now, as well as the sharp pain. The towel was soaked with blood. She pulled her coat more tightly around her.

“Yeah, sorry. Half the island is related to you, so it would’ve been hard to keep it quiet.” Joey smiled apologetically before they turned and led the way to a small white fishing boat moored at the quay.

Where the hell have I moved to?She’d imagined an isolated outpost where she could get herself back online and carry on her research anonymously, but here she was on an island where everyone knew everyone, and apparently, also knew her. Had she made a big mistake coming here?

THREE

Con spedup her walk as she crossed back along the beach. She hadn’t been watching the time as she scoured the small stones and pebbles for signs of glass washed smooth by the sea. It was a habit she’d picked up a few years ago, becoming immediately addicted. She could lose hours on a beach, chasing the thrill that came with finding a particularly pretty piece, or an interesting color. But when she began to struggle to see the detail of the items she picked up, she’d realized it was dusk.

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