The Beach

∨ The Beach ∧

80

Shh

To confirm my fears about the black cloud, when I did return to the clearing I found it causing trouble. Françoise, Étienne and Keaty were sitting in a circle, and Étienne and Keaty were repeating the argument I’d heard them have before.

‘What’s the big deal?’ Keaty was saying, at the same time as he played his Gameboy. ‘He’s taking water. That’s good, isn’t it?’

‘Good?’ Étienne scoffed. ‘Why is it good for him to take a little water? Nothing is good about his condition. Karl should not be here. This is obvious to me, and I cannot believe it is not obvious for everybody else.’

‘Give it a fucking rest, Étienne. We’ve been over this a hundred ti…Oops.’ He paused, frowning in intense concentration. Then his body slumped and he let the Nintendo drop to his lap. ‘One five three lines. I was going fine until you distracted me.’

Étienne spat in the dust. ‘So sorry. How could I distract you from a computer game because our friend is in need of help?’

‘Wasn’t my friend. Hardly spoke to him.’

‘Does that mean you do not care about his problems?’

‘Sure I do. I just care about the beach more. And you should too. OK. Now this time I’m going for the record, so I don’t want any more of these bullshit distractions.’

Étienne got to his feet. ‘What would be a real distraction for you, Keaty? Please tell me. Then I will pray I never have to see it.’

The question went unanswered.

‘Sit down, Étienne,’ I said, in an attempt to lower the temperature.

‘Remember what Sal was saying at the funeral. We’ve got to get over all the difficulties we’ve had.’

‘Difficulties,’ he echoed coldly.

‘Everyone else is making an effort.’

‘Really? I am surprised to hear that you find it an effort.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘It means maybe I do not know you any more, Richard. I recognize your face when you walk towards me, but when you are close I recognize nothing in your eyes.’

I took this as some French saying he’d translated. ‘Come on, Étienne. This is stupid. Remember Sal’s…’

‘Sal,’ he interrupted, ‘can fuck herself.’ Then he marched away in the direction of the waterfall path.

‘Actually,’ Keaty muttered thoughtfully, not looking up from the tiny monochrome screen, ‘I doubt even Sal could manage that.’

A couple of minutes later Françoise also left. She seemed annoyed, so I guessed she didn’t feel the same way as Étienne.

When Keaty had finished his Tetris high-score attempt, I finally got the chance to ask him what he felt about doing the Rice Run with Bugs. He said he was pretty relaxed about it. He also said it had been a bit of a shock at first, but he’d come round to the idea if it was for the benefit of the camp. Aside from being a decent conciliatory gesture, he wanted to make sure we had some good stuff brought in for the Tet festival.

I wanted to talk more about Tet, but Sal wanted the Rice Run over in one day so they were getting a very early start and he needed to turn in. I sat alone for twenty minutes or so, polishing off a bedtime joint, then I decided to turn in too. With Zeph and Sammy on their way, Keaty wasn’t the only one with a heavy day ahead.

I stuck my head into the hospital tent on the way back to the longhouse, thinking Jed would appreciate another look in. But as soon as I saw inside, I wished I’d stayed away.

Jed was fast asleep, lying next to Christo. Christo, however, was semi-awake. He even recognized me.

‘Richard,’ he whispered, then muttered something in Swedish and made a gurgling noise.

I hesitated a moment, unsure of whether I should be talking to him.

‘Richard.’

‘Yes,’ I whispered back. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘I feel very bad, Richard. I feel very bad.’

‘I know, but you’ll be better soon.’

‘Stars…’

‘You see them?’

‘Phos…phos…’

‘…phorescence,’ I finished. ‘You can see it?’

‘I feel very bad.’

‘You need some sleep.’

‘Sten…’

‘You’ll see him in the morning.’

‘My chest…’

‘Close your eyes.’

‘Hurts…’

‘I know. Close your eyes.’

‘Very bad…’

‘Shh now.’

Beside him, Jed stirred, and Christo fractionally turned his head. ‘Karl?’

‘Right there next to you. Don’t move or you’ll wake him.’

He nodded and at last his eyes shut.

‘Have good dreams,’ I said, maybe too quietly for him to hear.

I pegged the tent-flap open behind me as I left. I wanted to keep Jed from breathing too much of that dying air.