John & Carole E. Barrowman by Hollow Earth

Author:Hollow Earth
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781780550848

THIRTY-SIX

The next morning, a storm from the Atlantic had anchored off the coast, with heavy winds and pelting rain making travel treacherous. Jeannie had made it back to the island on the dawn ferry before the storm broke, but the grey skies and a late bedtime were making it difficult for Jeannie to rouse the boys for breakfast. While she pounded on their bedroom doors, a lone figure on a motorcycle was carefully cresting the hill into Largs.

Flash-flooding at low stretches of the main road from Glasgow had twice sent the tail of his Harley spinning, taking every skill he possessed to avoid wiping out. When he reached the ferry, he was drenched and disappointed to learn that the ferry wouldn’t leave until the storm shifted inland. Parking his motorcycle in a narrow lane behind a tearoom on Main Street, he went inside. He’d already waited years to return here. A few more hours wouldn’t matter.

The boys came slouching down the stairs to the kitchen, snatching toast from Jeannie before she cleaned up breakfast.

‘You seriously don’t remember Grandpa telling us who Zeuxis was?’ Matt asked Zach, folding a slice of toast together and swallowing most of it in one bite.

‘The head of the Greek gods?’ Zach gulped a glass of juice.

‘Not Zeus – Zeuxis.’ Matt slowed his signing to spell out the letters XIS.

‘Zeus’s sister?’

Matt snorted, headed to the utility room at the back of the kitchen and grabbed his raincoat and boots.

Em was already sitting at the hearth, struggling to pull on her wellies, trying not to dwell on what might have happened to her mum. ‘Actually, Hera was Zeus’s sister,’ she said. ‘Oh … but I think she was also his wife.’

‘Ew!’ said Zach and Matt in unison, as they wrestled with their waterproofs.

‘Grandpa told us that this Greek guy – Zeuxis – might have been the first Animare,’ continued Matt. ‘Apparently he laughed himself to death after painting a very funny picture of a woman.’

‘Och, that poor dear,’ sobbed Jeannie, lifting up her pinny and dabbing her eyes. ‘I can’t bear thinking about him.’

Matt and Zach looked quizzically at each other. ‘You two are idiots,’ said Em, marching past the boys and slapping each one playfully across the head. ‘She’s upset about Grandpa, not Zeuxis! Can I get you a cup of tea, Jeannie?’

‘Aye, hen, that’d be grand.’ Jeannie dabbed her eyes. ‘I just keep thinking if I’d not gone upstairs so early, I could’ve helped.’

Em brought Jeannie her tea. ‘Simon said that we can maybe go and visit Grandpa tonight. I’m sure they’ll bring him out of his coma soon. He’ll know what’s happened to Mum.’

Pushing open the French doors a crack, Matt and Zach squeezed out into the storm without letting too much of it gust into the kitchen.

‘Where are you off to in this weather? Ye’ll catch yer deaths!’

Em dashed to the door before Jeannie could stop her. ‘Need some fresh air, Jeannie. We’ll be fine. Promise.’

Outside, the rain was coming off the sea in sheets, forcing the three of them to fold into the wind as they struggled across the lawn.

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