Page 104 of The Little Flower Shop By the Sea
I go back to the shelves and grab my phone. Then I take a deep breath and step into the tunnel, closing the wooden door behind me.
The tunnel is actually more like a corridor; the floor feels smooth and dry under my feet, as though it’s been well worn by people passing through over the years. Luckily I hadn’t worn the high heels that Amber had tried to make me order off the Internet when we were choosing our outfits; I’d opted instead for a pair of sparkly silver pumps that we’d spotted in the charity shop in St Felix. But flimsy pumps to me were still silly shoes, I’d have been much more confident walking along in my sturdy old Doc Martens on this floor, especially when I can’t see where I’m putting my feet half the time. I can only hope this tunnel isn’t adjacent to any sewers; I love animals, but rats I could really do without.
The floor might feel dry, but the walls are damp beneath my hand as I feel my way along the corridor, worrying as I go just where this tunnel is going to come out.
Finally, when I feel like I’ve been walking for ages, I see tiny specks of light up ahead – hurrah!
I pick up speed, hurrying towards the light, and as I get closer I realise the reason I’m seeing tiny specks of light is because I’m looking at the stars.
The tunnel must lead outside!
As I arrive at the tunnel’s mouth there’s a very fine opening for me to squeeze through, before I find myself in a small cave. As I step towards the opening of the cave, a great waft of salty sea air hits my lungs, a welcome relief from the musty air I’ve been breathing for the last few minutes. Another step and I realise the stone floor has given way to wet sand: I’m on a beach.
But which beach?
St Felix is situated on a curved peninsula jutting out into the sea, so when you look out to sea from various points on its coastline you can often see parts of the town from where you stand.
But tonight I can’t see any lights in front of me, just an endless sea, lit only by an almost full moon.
There’s only one place on the St Felix coastline that has a beach where that happens, I realise. The steep cliffs where I often walk Basil, and where Charlie had showed me the lookout point where he liked to sit when he wanted some peace.
I look up above me, and thanks to the moon I can just make out the ledge where Charlie and I had sat that day, looking down on the jagged rocks.
So that’s where this tunnel comes out, just below Trecarlan Castle. I go out on to the tiny beach as far as I can without the waves reaching my feet, and I can just make out the windows of the house dimly lit from inside.
Hearing movement above me, I instinctively duck back into the cave.
‘Poppy?’ I hear my name being called. ‘Is that you down there?’
Cautiously I make my way back on to the sand.
‘It is you!’ the voice says.
I look up and see Jake leaning over the ledge.
‘What on earth are you doing down there?’
‘I could say the same to you!’ I call back. ‘Shouldn’t you be at your birthday party?’
‘There must be easier ways of having this conversation,’ Jake shouts. ‘I’ll come down, shall I?’
‘No!’ I cry out, having visions of Jake scaling the sharp rocks in the dim light. ‘It’s dangerous. You might hurt yourself!’
‘Not if I follow the path down. I’ll be fine.’
‘There’s a path?’
‘Yeah, look to your left.’
I do as he says and in the moonlight I can just make out a set of rough steps leading up from the beach, a bit like the ones that had led down to the viewing ledge.
‘No, I’ll come to you,’ I say. If Jake comes down here we might both get stuck, and there’s no way out through the locked cellar.
‘OK, but be careful,’ Jake calls with concern. ‘It’s quite steep.’
Slowly I make my way up the rocky steps as best I can in the silver pumps.
Jake reaches out a hand for me to take as I get close to him, and as his fingers close around mine I finally feel safe.
