The Beach

∨ The Beach ∧

92

Show, Don’t Tell

I had imagined that, of the three, Keaty would be the hardest to persuade. He’d lived on the beach for longer than all of us, he didn’t have Françoise’s attachment to Étienne, or Jed’s bleak disillusionment. But it turned out he was the easiest. All I had to do was to show him where the boat had been, and he virtually came up with the idea himself.

‘It can’t be gone,’ Keaty said, and leant over, trailing his arms in the water as if hoping to find its sunken prow. ‘It just can’t be. It’s not possible.’

‘But it is.’

‘It can’t be.’

‘You can see for yourself.’

‘Don’t tell me what I can see!’

‘…I don’t know what Sal’s going to say…’

‘I do! She’s going to fucking flip! She’s going to lose her mind! She’s going to…’ He rose up with a jerk and clapped both hands to his head. ‘Oh my God, Rich…’

I frowned with what I imagine looked like innocent concern. ‘…What is it?

‘I was the one who tied it up…I was the one who…Jesus Christ!

‘What? Tell me!’

‘I’m dead!’ he almost screamed. ‘I’m a fucking dead man!’

‘…Dead? Why?’

‘The food poisoning! And now losing the boat! Shit! Fuck! Of all things, losing the…Don’t you get it? She’ll do for me! She’ll do for me like she did for…for…Oh no!’ He leapt to his feet and started quickly backing away.’…This is why you got me here, isn’t it? She already knows! She already fucking knows!’

I stood up too.

‘You stay where you are!’

‘Keaty…’

He drew back a fist. ‘Stay where you are!’

‘Keaty…’

‘I swear, if you make one fucking move I’ll…’

‘Keaty!’ I yelled, suddenly feeling angry myself. ‘Shut the fuck up! I’m not going to attack you, for Christ’s sake!’

‘Back off!’

‘OK, OK!’ I took several steps away from him. ‘I’m backing off!’

‘Further! Get right back against the rock!’

I did as I was told. ‘There! Satisfied?’

He stayed frozen with his fist raised. ‘If you make one move…’

‘You’ll pulverize me. I know.’

‘I will do it! I’m not Karl! I’m telling you, you won’t have a fucking prayer!’

‘I know. I’ll be creamed. But you’ve got to believe me, I’ve got no intention of attacking you. I can’t even believe you think I would! You’re one of my best friends!’

His fist lowered, but no more than an inch.

‘…Does Sal know about the boat?’

‘No.’

‘You promise?’

‘On my life. The whole reason I brought you here is so you could find out before she did. And think about it, Keaty. How could she know? You only got back last night, so when could she have had a chance to find out?’

He thought about this a few seconds then lowered his fist completely. ‘Yes,’ he murmured blankly. ‘That’s true…She couldn’t know…’

‘Right.’

‘…But…she’ll find out soon…She’ll have to…’

‘She’ll find out very soon.’

‘Fuck!’ he blurted, his panic rising again. ‘And then what will I do? I won’t be able to sleep at nights! I won’t be able to go anywhere alone! I’ll have to…’

‘Leave?’

I’ll have to leave! Yes! Jesus! I should leave right now! I’ll take the…’ He whirled around and stared at the cove. ‘Oh, God,’ he whispered, ‘but I can’t. I’m trapped here…trapped…’

‘No,’ I replied, raising a hand to my temples as if formulating a rapid and brilliant scheme. ‘There might be another option.’