Page 38 of The Beach Holiday

THEN

I was still trying to figure out what I was supposed to do when Ula stepped right into the room and pushed me firmly, so I fell back into a small hardbacked chair next to the bed.

‘Guests must sit when they come.’ There was an edge to her voice. I could now see that she was twitching slightly, maybe some sort of tick.

‘I’ll make tea.’ She shuffled to the table where there was a small gas stove.

She began trying to light it, but it appeared not to be working.

Perhaps it hadn’t been working for some time and Ula was just going through the motions, doing what she thought she was supposed to do when a guest arrived at her home.

I gave her one minute of trying to get the gas stove to work and then I cleared my throat.

‘Ula, it’s fine. I didn’t come here for tea.’

She turned at the sound of my voice and for the first time I was able to get a good look at her in full view. She had on what looked to be harem pants that perhaps had once been turquoise or blue, with a very faded gold pattern crawling up the leg. What I could see was how utterly filthy they were.

‘I, I came to see you, because I was told you lived here. Alone.’

Ula scratched at her head, her ponytail looking as though it might fall loose any minute. I imagined she didn’t wash her hair, and now she was stationary I could see it had begun to mat in several places as though it were trying to form dreadlocks.

‘I do live here. Alone,’ she repeated.

I looked around the shack again, searching for something to focus on for inspiration so we could start a conversation.

‘You have lots of lovely things. Did you collect them all yourself?’ I asked her.

Ula looked at me again. I pointed to the shells and such on the table just behind her.

‘The shells and driftwood. Did you collect it all yourself?’

She turned and gently put her hand on one of the pieces of driftwood. A small piece, grey and knotted. She looked thoughtfully at it, and I wasn’t sure she was going to reply, or if she might freak out or cry, perhaps I had touched a raw nerve.

‘Someone collected them. For me.’

I nodded. ‘Nice.’

I had so many questions for her, but where was I supposed to start?

‘Ula, I wanted to ask you if you were okay.’

She pulled her face into a frown. The she turned back to the gas stove, attempted to light it again.

‘Do you want some tea?’ she called over her shoulder.

I let out a long breath. ‘Sure, let’s have some tea,’ I said.

Was Ula pretending she didn’t understand my question?

It was hard to know what her true state of mind was.

But I could tell that a piece of Ula was missing.

Was this the obligatory piece that we all came with but had to forsake for our time here in paradise?

If it was it seemed to me that Ula had got the raw end of the deal.

I did not know her or who she was before she came here, but she seemed to be someone who had lost a part of herself somewhere along the way.

I wanted to help Ula. I wanted her to trust me.

Ula gave up trying to get the gas hob to work and turned around. For a second she seemed shocked to see me there, as though she had forgotten I had been sat behind her.

I smiled so she wouldn’t feel any sort of threat from me.

‘Thanks for letting me come and see you. Would you mind if I visited again?’ I got up from the chair, my foot brushing against something that was half tucked under the rolled-out mattress. It was a notebook of some sort.

‘It’s such a lovely day isn’t it?’ I pointed to the door and Ula looked that way as I quickly bent down and scooped up the notebook, stuffing it into the back of my trousers.

Ula turned back around and I didn’t think that she had seen me swipe her property.

I would just look at the book, see what it contained and then return it.

My stomach lurched as I thought about what might happen if Ula caught me.

But something had made me pick up the book and maybe it would give me some answers about what had happened to Ula and why she was here.

I had an inkling that it was a diary of sorts.

Either way, I would find out tonight. Then I would bring it back the next time I visited her.

I walked to the doorway, hoping she would let me out.

Again, her height intimidated me; she could easily knock me down.

I smiled at her, not letting my eyes rest on her.

She didn’t move from where she was standing, still by the table of collectibles and the small camping gas hob.

I stepped outside the door and relief washed over me, alerting me to how tense I had been in the hut.

I waited to see if she would say anything more, if I could work out anything from just being here with her. I could feel the presence of the notebook tucked into my trousers and I knew there must be some answers here.

‘What’s a nice girl like you doing here? She’ll get you mixed up in all sorts,’ Ula said. I presumed she was referring to Avril.

‘Is that why you told me to run the other night?’ I asked, and waited for Ula’s response, knowing it might not come.

‘I’m here to help. In any way I can. Including you, Ula.

If you need help, just ask. I’ll help you,’ I said, and then we locked eyes for a second before all the light seemed to vanish from her eyes as though she had fallen asleep with her eyes open.

‘I’ll come back,’ I said as I stepped away from the door.

As light as it was, I could feel the notebook pressing against my skin, urging me to open it yet also taunting me with the notion that I had done a terrible act taking it from Ula.

It might offer nothing but a bunch of blank pages or some seriously bad poetry or prose, perhaps the beginnings of a novel. ‘Bye Ula.’

As I arrived closer to camp, an unusual sound drifted towards me.

For a moment I thought someone had acquired a TV and was playing it very loudly.

But as I approached the clearing, I could hear shouting.

Two women’s voices, high-pitched and both clearly enraged.

I dared to walk into camp not knowing what I was about to come across and I was not surprised when I saw Avril standing in front of a woman, their heads almost touching.

Avril seemed ready to launch herself at the other woman whom I recognised as one of the other mothers, not Star; this woman was known as Hester.

I hadn’t had much to do with either of the mothers; maybe if I was a lot more maternal myself, then I might have got to know them better.

They seemed to have their own little clan and were quite content as they were with the two children.

I stayed back for a moment just to gauge the extent of the argument, to try and ascertain who was blaming whom for what before I stepped in.

It took me a moment to try and break down what it was they were saying, shouting, at one another and then put it in some sort of context.

‘He took my stuff and I want it back.’ Hester sounded petulant.

‘Why would he take it? Why? And even if he did, which I highly doubt, why would that give you the right to act that way towards him? Like some savage beast? Is that how you treat one of your own, is it? How would you like it if someone were to threaten your daughter that way?’ Avril was practically seething as she spat her words at Hester.

‘I have used discipline on my own daughter when it is needed, but that boy is feral. He is an animal and deserves to be treated like one.’ Hester was still shouting.

‘You’re an animal and deserve to be treated like one. How dare you treat an innocent boy like that!’

Hester let out a loud, fake laugh. ‘Innocent boy, you don’t know shit.

You don’t notice anything. You’ve been so wrapped up in Lola and now Sadie.

And you think you know everything. I’ve been here.

I know. That boy needs discipline and there isn’t no one here to give it to him but me.

’ Hester was pushing her luck by all accounts.

A few inches shorter than Avril, I was sure she would be the one to come out worse, but then I wasn’t sure what had happened.

I presumed they were talking about Adi who had obviously stepped over some invisible line and Avril was there to stand up for him.

I would stand up for him too, if I only knew what he had done.

‘Hey,’ I called before I had properly thought about what I was going to say. Both women and the small crowd that had formed around them looked over at me. I saw Avril’s body language change. She seemed to recoil slightly, and Hester sensed her backing down and relaxed her stance.

‘What’s the lad done that’s got you all riled up like this?’

Hester spoke up first. ‘Stole a freshly baked sourdough loaf.’

I nodded as though I understood. Then I took a few steps closer.

‘And it isn’t the first time he’s done it neither,’ Hester went on. ‘He was at it last week with the sugar buns, and he took my favourite scarf.’

‘And does he do this a lot?’ I quizzed. I could sense Avril shuffling uncomfortably next to me.

I wasn’t sure if she was okay with me stepping in, but if she wanted me as her new assistant, maybe this was a good way to show her I was willing, even if it was just so she didn’t see through me straight away.

Anyway, I wanted to stand up for Adi. He was a sweet child.

Hester snarled as though she were already defeated. ‘No. Only recently.’

‘Well maybe he feels threatened?’ I suggested.

‘I feel threatened! We give him plenty. He has enough food, and he still takes more. It’s only him who eats it. He chooses not to live among us. I don’t feel safe,’ she cried.

It was Avril’s turn to laugh loudly this time. ‘Ha! He’s a six-year-old boy. What have you to feel scared of?’

Hester kissed her teeth, making a lip-smacking sound.

I was practically between the two women now.

‘I don’t think we should be showing any anger towards a small boy whatever his crimes. This is not the Dark Ages. We may live in a place where we make our own rules, but this is one area where I suggest we tread very carefully,’ I said, realising that all eyes were on me.

Hester looked at me and squinted her eyes. ‘’ang on a minute, you’ve been here for five minutes and now you’re trying to tell me what to do!’

I cleared my throat and glanced at Avril. She was looking at me with wide, encouraging eyes.

‘I’m not telling you what to do, I’m offering some sound advice.

It’s easy to become locked in your own rant and train of thought but there is a solution.

He’s wanting more food. He’s a growing boy, so instead of trying to fight him and everyone else on the matter, just make more food.

When you make sourdough, make two loaves, when you’re making the sugar buns, make extra.

It’s a simple solution. There is usually a reason behind a behaviour.

I’m sure he isn’t doing it to upset you. ’

Hester was quiet and Avril nodded and smiled.

‘She’s right,’ Avril said. ‘If the boy needs more food, we make more food. That will solve this little problem, for it is a little problem.’

Hester took a deep breath and let it out in one angry yet defeated sigh before she stepped away and back to her hut, where the little girl who had the doll on the beach climbed into her lap.

Avril turned to me and grinned.

‘See, this is why I need you. There are so many mixed emotions and dynamics all the time. And then with Camp Z on top, knowing you can be there to take care of any...’ Avril paused ‘...issues, is a weight off my back.’

‘What will I be expected to do over there?’ I asked tentatively, the assertiveness I had felt moments earlier now fading away as the looks on the faces of the men came flooding back.

‘Just be there really. Not all the time, but once or twice a day, check on them, feed them, and make sure they have water. Check none of them have died,’ she added nonchalantly.

I sucked in a breath. ‘And have they, any of them? Died?’

Avril shook her head but it didn’t feel real. Surely I wasn’t equipped to deal with any more death on the island.

‘You’ll be fine.’ She winked at me. ‘Look how you deal with situations. Sadie, start believing in yourself.’ She squeezed my arm, her little trademark power touch. I knew why she did it, to reinforce her words. But they were powerful enough to be believed.

We watched the mothers as they began talking animatedly, obviously discussing me and what had just happened.

‘Is she always like that?’ I asked. ‘I feel kind of bad now.’

‘Well, she shouldn’t be threatening little kids like that. And yes, she can be a pain in the rear end sometimes. She tried to hit him with a stick!’ Avril said her voice tight and strained.

‘What? That’s not good.’

‘Thank you for remaining so calm. Hester takes her baking very seriously.’ There was a hint of laughter in her voice. ‘Anyway, I’m glad that’s sorted. We’ll meet after lunch, right?’

‘Okay.’ I felt a swell of dread. But I kept up the inane grin so that Avril would think I was keen and willing.

‘Oh, and later, you’ll have your first assignment,’ Avril called as she wandered off, leaving me wondering what it could be.

Hester glared over my way; Star gave me a sympathetic smile. So Hester was the feistier of the two. I smiled back.

I could still feel the pressure of the notebook against my back under my T-shirt.

I walked quickly back to my cabin and closed the door.

I took my backpack and added it to my one pillow for extra back support, then sat on my bed.

I laid the book out in front of me and could see for the first time, the words travel journal very faintly written on the front.

Oh my God, for the first time in weeks I felt a genuine tingle of excitement.

This was Ula’s travel journal, the woman who had been living alone for a long enough time that her hair had begun to turn to dreads and she no longer knew how to have a proper conversation.

Somewhere within these pages was her story, if not all of it then some of it.

I would finally be able to get some answers to some basic questions.

I opened the first page and there, on a brittle-looking page with writing that had begun to fade were the first words.

We arrived! We absolutely did it!