Escape to Ikaria by Nick Perry

Author:Nick Perry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Birlinn

It was a particularly hot day. Maria had a wooden thermometer hanging from one of the eucalyptus trees and Gregory told me it was eighty-five degrees, ‘poli zesti’, so we were all on the beach together, swimming and sunbathing. Sarah was in the sea teaching Sam the crawl as she had promised. It was because he wanted to race Christos, Vassili’s eldest boy.

I was lying on a towel half asleep when Vassili appeared and stood above me holding a tennis ball, throwing down the bat and stumps he’d made.

‘They look great, Vassili. OK, let’s play cricket.’

I thought better of trying to explain the rules. Nobody, unless it’s in your blood, can understand them. Ros volunteered to be wicket keeper, and Sam, seeing what was happening, rushed from the sea, wanting to open the bowling. I placed people in various positions, Gregory at silly mid-off, and to get the game going I went in to bat. I hit the ball all over the place, mostly into the sea, and although Julia nearly caught me, I retired not out, not bothering to keep my score.

Agathi didn’t last long, clean bowled by Sam, so we let her stay in again and again out of sympathy. Vassili was a natural, although he possessed no graceful shots, hitting everything for six until I caught him.

After the next over, Ros bowling underarm to Lysta who missed every ball, everyone started to get bored. What is it about cricket, I thought to myself, that simply doesn’t interest people unless they’ve played it at school?

‘I don’t want to play any more,’ said Lysta.

‘I’ve had enough as well,’ said Ros, going back to sunbathe.

‘Me too,’ said Agathi.

‘I’m going swimming,’ said Sam.

Vassili and Gregory decided to head up to the taverna for an Amstel and I was about to join them when Ros called me over and asked me to rub some lotion on to her back. It was a strange concoction that smelt like vinaigrette.

‘What on earth is it?’ I asked.

‘I made it myself. Olive oil, lemon juice and a secret ingredient. We’re hoping it will deepen our suntans; we don’t seem to be able to get any browner.’

They were all going to try it, Sarah, Julia and Lottie.

‘Are you sure it’s safe?’

‘Of course, and it’s a lot cheaper than Ambre Solaire.’

‘Well, watch where you put it. Lemon juice can sting.’

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