interested in me, than you. But you could try to be nice. Remember, I’ve got to live here when you’ve gone.”
Jane tutted indignantly. “How could you think such a thing? Can we go now?”
Chase laughed. “Come on then, let’s see what else there is to see around here.”
“Oh joy.”
As they walked further along the lane, Chase thought about the doctor. He was quite attractive and she felt a momentary pang of guilt as she remembered Mat. Even though it had been nearly four months since he had disappeared, there was no closure on the relationship; she still loved him and she felt guilty having feelings for someone else.
She suddenly wondered how Mat would find her out here. That’s if he ever came back. Perhaps it would serve him right if she did meet someone else. Let him worry for a change.
At the edge of the village, they came to a public house that listed as though drunk. A sign swung from a pole above the porch: The Slaughtered Dog.
“Charming. Isn’t anything about this place normal?” Jane shook her head.
“Compared to some of the places you go, this place is like the Vatican .”
“Well, at least we can get a drink.”
They walked to the front door and Chase gave it a push, but it wouldn’t open. She looked at her watch. “Too early.”
“Great, perhaps this is the Vatican .”
“It isn’t going to work you know.”
“What isn’t?”
“This hard assed act of yours. You know I’m staying.”
“Well, you can’t blame me for trying.”
“I’ll never get a chance like this again. Things like this just don’t happen everyday. Can’t we just enjoy it? It might be a while before I see you again.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Well, it’s true.”
“At least I know I’ll be leaving you in capable hands.”
Chase playfully punched Jane on the shoulder. “How does Gina put up with you?”
“That reminds me.” She unclipped her mobile phone from her belt and shook her head. “Still no signal.”
“Perhaps there’s a problem with the network.”
Jane put her phone away and sighed. “I need to find Drake or Moon to find out how I’m getting back to civilisation.”
“Jane wanting a man, now there’s a first.”
“Hey sugar, leave the jokes to me.”
“Wait till I tell Gina.”
“Now you know she wouldn’t believe a word of it.”
“ No one gets out of paradise ,” Chase said, imitating Ms Woods, the shopkeeper.
Jane shook her head and rolled her eyes.
Chase laughed. “You’re right though. I don’t know how to find Moon or Drake. It’s a bit strange how they disappeared. We’ll have to take a look around and see if we can find them.”
“Great, bring it on. More sightseeing.”
“You love it really.”
“For you, sugar. Only for you.”
They headed back toward the village hall, hoping there would be someone there who might be able to help them. The church had an adjoining graveyard that they circumnavigated to get to the hall. As they passed, Chase peered over the low surrounding wall. A lot of the graves seemed old, the inscriptions on the headstones obscured by mould and lichen. Angels and cherubs stood silent vigil, seemingly frozen beneath a Medusa stare. None of the graves had fresh flowers on them, which she found somewhat odd for what she assumed was a close-knit community. The fog drifted lazily at the edge of the graveyard, wispy threads breaking off from the main body and gliding among the graves, increasing the eerie feel, even in daylight.
Suddenly, Chase thought she saw a figure in the fog, motionless, all in white like a ghost, watching her. Before she could mention it to Jane, the figure disappeared into the fog like a wraith.
Chase shuddered and folded her arms across her chest. Perhaps she had just imagined it.
The door to the hall stood open and Chase knocked. Receiving no reply, she entered, followed by Jane. A few tables carried remnants of the buffet, but the drinks had gone and paper doilies dotted the floor like giant
Jane tutted indignantly. “How could you think such a thing? Can we go now?”
Chase laughed. “Come on then, let’s see what else there is to see around here.”
“Oh joy.”
As they walked further along the lane, Chase thought about the doctor. He was quite attractive and she felt a momentary pang of guilt as she remembered Mat. Even though it had been nearly four months since he had disappeared, there was no closure on the relationship; she still loved him and she felt guilty having feelings for someone else.
She suddenly wondered how Mat would find her out here. That’s if he ever came back. Perhaps it would serve him right if she did meet someone else. Let him worry for a change.
At the edge of the village, they came to a public house that listed as though drunk. A sign swung from a pole above the porch: The Slaughtered Dog.
“Charming. Isn’t anything about this place normal?” Jane shook her head.
“Compared to some of the places you go, this place is like the Vatican .”
“Well, at least we can get a drink.”
They walked to the front door and Chase gave it a push, but it wouldn’t open. She looked at her watch. “Too early.”
“Great, perhaps this is the Vatican .”
“It isn’t going to work you know.”
“What isn’t?”
“This hard assed act of yours. You know I’m staying.”
“Well, you can’t blame me for trying.”
“I’ll never get a chance like this again. Things like this just don’t happen everyday. Can’t we just enjoy it? It might be a while before I see you again.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Well, it’s true.”
“At least I know I’ll be leaving you in capable hands.”
Chase playfully punched Jane on the shoulder. “How does Gina put up with you?”
“That reminds me.” She unclipped her mobile phone from her belt and shook her head. “Still no signal.”
“Perhaps there’s a problem with the network.”
Jane put her phone away and sighed. “I need to find Drake or Moon to find out how I’m getting back to civilisation.”
“Jane wanting a man, now there’s a first.”
“Hey sugar, leave the jokes to me.”
“Wait till I tell Gina.”
“Now you know she wouldn’t believe a word of it.”
“ No one gets out of paradise ,” Chase said, imitating Ms Woods, the shopkeeper.
Jane shook her head and rolled her eyes.
Chase laughed. “You’re right though. I don’t know how to find Moon or Drake. It’s a bit strange how they disappeared. We’ll have to take a look around and see if we can find them.”
“Great, bring it on. More sightseeing.”
“You love it really.”
“For you, sugar. Only for you.”
They headed back toward the village hall, hoping there would be someone there who might be able to help them. The church had an adjoining graveyard that they circumnavigated to get to the hall. As they passed, Chase peered over the low surrounding wall. A lot of the graves seemed old, the inscriptions on the headstones obscured by mould and lichen. Angels and cherubs stood silent vigil, seemingly frozen beneath a Medusa stare. None of the graves had fresh flowers on them, which she found somewhat odd for what she assumed was a close-knit community. The fog drifted lazily at the edge of the graveyard, wispy threads breaking off from the main body and gliding among the graves, increasing the eerie feel, even in daylight.
Suddenly, Chase thought she saw a figure in the fog, motionless, all in white like a ghost, watching her. Before she could mention it to Jane, the figure disappeared into the fog like a wraith.
Chase shuddered and folded her arms across her chest. Perhaps she had just imagined it.
The door to the hall stood open and Chase knocked. Receiving no reply, she entered, followed by Jane. A few tables carried remnants of the buffet, but the drinks had gone and paper doilies dotted the floor like giant
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