A Trade in Tears by Samantha Shiye

Author:Samantha Shiye [Shiye, Samantha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781838597160
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2020-03-03T22:00:00+00:00

twenty-seven

Johnny watched Morag’s motorbike speed away. She’d survived her ordeal, Annie hadn’t. He wondered – would he have enjoyed life with Annie and their child?

I’m sure I would have, but what really happened? How do Payne and his tattooed friend fit in?

He’d another cave-in to clear. A month’s work and he’d still not found the end of the tunnel.

Working made him sweat. Perspiration mixed with dust, irritating his skin, especially tender folds of hidden flesh. Johnny knew he’d be applying more antiseptic cream than usual after his evening shower.

The heat in the tunnel surprised him. It couldn’t all be from the lights. His throat felt dry. Even before the dust, the cave made him thirsty.

He sipped water. Two litre bottles left. Johnny returned to work, shifting rocks. Four hours later, his torchlight penetrated the cave beyond. Could he squeeze through?

He tried, but got stuck. The experience unnerved him. Nobody knew where he was. The tunnel had remained hidden for centuries. Unless he freed himself, he’d die of thirst. He manoeuvred backwards, left, then right, without success. A rock had snagged his jacket. He pushed back, using all his strength. Something ripped. He wriggled free, wondering what made this place so dry. Why was he so thirsty?

Removing his coat increased the ingress of dust, causing additional and more severe sweat rashes. Johnny worked harder. He tried again. He was almost there, when a sharp pain stopped him. He wriggled; the pain increased. He felt the rock holding him. It seemed loose, but as he moved, the sharp point moved with him.

Manoeuvring and wriggling wouldn’t free him this time. Johnny knew he had to remove the stones beneath him. Slowly, painstakingly, he began with the smaller ones, flicking them forward, hearing them clatter away.

Eventually he’d cleared enough room to ease away larger rocks. His throat like dry sandpaper, he couldn’t reach the water bottle. Resisting the urge to panic, Johnny persevered. More wriggling, a twist and he loosened the rock.

It’s taking forever. Why am I so impatient? Why didn’t you warn me, Annie?

Johnny ignored the giggle he thought he’d heard as the rock came free. He hurled away the stone which could have cost his life, banging his elbow and bruising his hand, cursing his stupidity.

Had he heard laughter? ‘What’s so bloody funny?’

‘You were in no danger.’

‘Since you’re so clever, how do I get out?’

‘Same way you got in, silly. They’re laughing at you.’

Her gently tuanting laughter echoed softly from the cavernous room. Johnny looked ahead. His heart missed a beat. The dust-matted hairs on his neck, pushed erect. In the fading torchlight he saw shadows, people standing against walls.

‘Ghosts.’

Louder laughter, ‘You don’t believe in ghosts, if you don’t believe, they can’t exist. They won’t harm you.’

Johnny moved forward cautiously, reaching out, almost crying in relief as his fingers touched … metal. Suits of armour. He’d found the castle.

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