Come Into Darkness (7 page)

Mario’s dripping body sagged. Worth’s words had sapped all his good feeling, reawakening something deep within. His stomach seemed to do a slow motion flip.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “You could say that.”

“You don’t have to be a mind reader,” Worth continued, blinking rain from his eyes. “It’s obvious with the way you speak about this place. It’s special. Special things happened here for you.” He held out both hands. “Maybe this is your turn. Just this. Just being here. Doesn’t it make you feel more alive?”

It does. The rain was invigorating but now…

You made me remember her.

A dog barked, and Mario searched for its source, looking up and down the bank. On the far side, someone broke through a couple of low bushes and strode along the edge of the water.

Mario squinted against the spray and hazy grey light and knew it was Laurie. The way she walked, head down and shoulders hunched in the cold, confirmed it. Her blonde hair, so pale it appeared almost white, hung over the sides of her face. Mario knew she hadn’t dried her hair that morning. It had curled, forming waves that reached down her back.

I always loved the way it did that.

“I think it’s time we gave you a few moments alone,” said Worth. “I expect you want to catch up.”

Mario stood transfixed, watching his ex-girlfriend approach. Years later, and she still looked the same. Her leather jacket clung to her sides, complimenting her figure. In her black jeans and knee-high boots, she looked like the rock chick he’d always envisioned. He’d thought she’d be better off with a rock star, someone wild and unpredictable, just like her. Yet here she walked, like always, once around the pond and back through the dunes. She turned around a narrow point of water and headed in his direction. Face still bowed and watching her boots, she hadn’t seen him.

“This can’t be right,” said Mario, and looked back to Worth.

The guide had vanished, along with Kerry.

“She moved away,” he continued. “She moved away with-"

“Mario?”

He tensed.

“Mario? Is that you?”

He turned to face her.

Laurie had stopped at the edge of the pond, her boots sinking in the dark mud. She peered through her hair, piercing him with crystal blue eyes.

“Mario?”

His heart raced, and his mouth seemed to fill with cotton wool.

“L-Laurie?”

“What are you doing here?”

Mario shrugged. He gazed past her, looking for any sign of Worth.

I thought I’d never see her again.

Laurie stared at him and waited.

“I just..er…came for a walk. Like we always used to. I see you’ve kept up the habit.”

“Yeah,” she said, eyes locked on his, her expression hard to read. Mario thought he spied mischief in her features: a sly smile and laughter in her eyes.

She has that look. Her look when she wants to play…

“Dylan not with you?” Mario heard himself say the words and winced.

I haven’t seen her for years and all I can do is ask about the damn dog?

What else can I do? Get all deep and meaningful with her so soon? Ask her why she left?

Laurie broke her gaze and stared out across the pond. “He’s here somewhere,” she said.

Her voice added weights to his heart, dragging him down. Like the dunes and the pond, her words brought memories that punched through him like bullets.

Laurie raised her hand to her lips and whistled. Halfway around the pond, a Jack Russell terrier, white with a brown patch across its back, burst through the foliage. His feet pattered across the wet ground, and he held a short branch in his mouth with wide-eyed ferocity. The dog dashed around the water, passed Laurie, and bolted towards Mario.

“Dylan,” said Mario, a smile spreading across his face. He crouched, careful not to dirty his jeans further. The dog ploughed into him, nearly knocking him into the mud.

“How you doing, boy?” he said, vigorously rubbing the dog’s back. It had been in the pond at some point, or one of the smaller pockets of water that littered the dunes. The fur separated between his fingers, hair cold and slick. The dog smelt dank, like a gym kit left to fester.

Mario breathed it in, welcoming the stench. He scratched the dog’s ears.

Dylan responded by cocking his head, dropping the stick and releasing a low, guttural moan.

“You haven’t changed, have you?” said Mario.

The dog flopped onto its back, keen to have its belly rubbed. Mario obliged.

“I guess he missed you,” said Laurie. Mario glanced up. The girl had walked closer. “We…” She paused and sighed. “I guess we both have.” She walked away from the pond with small, careful steps and up the small slope to the start of the dunes. “You coming? Or just going to spoil Dylan all day? You know he’ll let you.”

“Yeah,” said Mario and stood. The initial rush of adrenaline had been replaced by a light head. His body tingled, and his limbs seemed heavy. “You…you want to sit down?”

Laurie turned and smiled. She walked backward. “Where? It’s wet.”

“Everything’s wet! You’re wet. I’m wet. The dog’s wet. What difference does it make?”

She laughed. It spurred Mario into action, and he jogged after her. Dylan picked up the stick and followed.

Laurie approached a small, grass-covered hump. It protruded from the base of a towering dune like an earthy tumour. She prodded it, testing the dampness. Apparently satisfied, she sat, her legs straight and slightly apart. Her heels pierced the sandy ground.

That’s our spot. That was…

That was the first place we kissed.

On the initial walk, Mario hadn’t yet made his first move. He remembered his nerves, and his initial shock of this gorgeous girl inviting him along. Laurie had been a different person, too. The blonde hair, tattoos and navel piercing were present, but underneath her rock chick facade, Mario had sensed a sweet girl, confused and desperate for attention, but sweet nonetheless.

Mind returning to the present, Mario peered at the sky. The rain had faded away, and the air smelt fresh and clean. He stepped towards Laurie. She shifted across to make room.

Mario froze and glanced around. Hairs stood to attention on the back of his neck.

“Mario? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he said, scanning the pond behind him and the surrounding trees and bushes. Again, a seagull called across the dunes. “Nothing at all. Just had the feeling we’re being watched.”

Laurie tilted her head back, painted red lips delicately raised. “This place giving you the creeps, hon? Isn’t this why we came here? The beautiful isolation. I haven’t seen anyone else at all…” She lifted a foot and playfully jabbed him in the leg. “Unless you brought someone along. You didn’t have a little friend of your own and lose them, did you?” She pouted.

Mario stared back at her. Her mocking voice sounded familiar. His brow creased. The memory refused to emerge.

K…K…Kathy? Or Kerry? Do I even know a Kerry?

No.

Who the hell am I thinking about?

Laurie saw his expression and her smile fell.

“Seriously, you’re on your own, right? You’ve gone all weird on me.”

Mario shook his head and beamed.

“Don’t be stupid! Of course I’m here alone. Would I bring anyone else here?”

He sat beside her and realised their hips were touching. For a moment, he thought of nothing else, except…

This isn’t right. I didn’t come here alone. Did I?

He glanced at Laurie. She smiled.

Those eyes. Why did I ever leave those eyes?

“…you won’t…”

Mario ignored the voice. He knew its owner, an old man in a musty jacket, but they sat alone.

Just another memory.

“I’ve missed you,” said Laurie. She moved closer. “All this time, Mario. You didn’t even try to contact me.” She pouted again, and this time, he believed it to be genuine.

“…and there was a reason for that, wasn’t there, sir…”

Mario paused.

“…do you recall?…”

Shut up, Worth.

Dylan nudged Mario’s leg. The dog gazed up, stick in its mouth, tail beating hard.

Mario lifted his hands, placing them over his eyes. His head grew fuzzy, like a radio stuck between stations. He caught random fragments of hushed sounds and voices.

“Come now, sir!” said the voice, slicing through the static. “The lady is sat right in front of you. Surely that will stir up a few ghosts…”

“Get out,” Mario moaned and clenched his teeth.

“Hon?” asked Laurie. She placed a hand on his back and stroked him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he said. “Nothing at all.”

He balled his hands into fists and pushed them harder into his eyes. He saw an old man with messy grey hair surveying him. Mario’s head seemed to swell like a thundercloud.

“Stop it!”

“Just relax,” said the man. “Enjoy the moment like Miss Foster…”

Mario swallowed a deep breath and lowered his hands. Through fresh tears he looked at Laurie. Her face reflected concern.

“Mario?”

He held up a hand.

“I’m okay,” he said. “I don’t know what happened then. Went dizzy for a second.” He wiped his eyes with his fingertips.

“You sure? You look like you’ve had a heart attack.”

“I’m okay,” he said again, hoping his words might finally sink in. He breathed through his nose, savouring the fresh, salty scents of the breeze.

Dylan nudged his foot.

Sitting in silence for a moment, Mario and Laurie watched the ripples on the surface of the pond. Mario noticed her hand lingered on his back. He fought the urge to place his hand on her knee. The thought dominated him.

“You remember our first time here?” Laurie asked. “Feels like an eternity ago.”

“It was,” said Mario. He moved against her. She didn’t retreat. “I was so nervous back then.”

She rubbed his back again, drawing slow circles.

“You were. I remember sitting here and trying to read your mind. I needed to know if you wanted to kiss me. Just to know. I pleaded in my head…”

Mario smiled, lost in memory. He surged with that old desire.

Fuck it.

He touched her denim-clad knee and tested her reaction. She remained still, and her hand continued its pleasant motion.

“I wanted to kiss you from the beginning,” he said, voice almost a whisper, “but I was petrified you’d turn away. That can destroy a man, you know, to finally overcome such fear, only to be denied and rejected. It’s heartbreaking.”

Laurie peeped through her hair. “I’d never have rejected you.”

“I know,” said Mario. “Isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing?”

She grinned.

“I can remember you facing me,” she said, and with her free hand, held his chin. She turned his head to hers. “Our lips were so close…”

Yes…I remember…

“And I was screaming in my head, kiss me! And we talked and the moments slipped by. I thought you never would, but then-“

Dylan jumped up
, he remembered.
And knocked us together…

The dog, excited beyond constraint, leapt up.

Mario bumped forward, pushed by the paws of the eager dog.

Laurie moved forward, forcing her lips to meet his.

He closed his eyes, sinking into the kiss, tasting bubblegum on her saliva. Her arm slid further around his back, pulling him tighter. Mario responded to her urgency, easing his tongue into her open mouth. Their tongues met and circled each other, tasting and probing.

I’ve missed you. All the women in the world could never replace you…

Dylan barked once. Mario ignored him.

Laurie moaned into his mouth and held him even tighter, stroking his face. Mario slid his fingers into her hair and raked them through. Feeling his breath sucked from his body, he broke contact for a second to snatch a lungful of air. His lips barely closed, and Laurie pushed forward again, hungry for his kiss.

Wind ruffled Mario’s hair. The gentle breeze sighed over their urgent gasps and whistled between the dunes.

“How very romantic, sir. Very romantic indeed…”

Mario kissed harder, forcing the voice out of his mind.

Not again. Not now!

His fingers tangled within her golden strands, turning them, tight as rope, within his fist. He pushed forward, stronger, eager to suck her lips within his mouth and devour her face…

What is wrong with me?

Laurie cried out. She broke away from Mario’s passion.

“What the hell?” She raised a hand to her mouth. Dabbing her lips, she checked for blood. Only smudged lipstick stained her fingers. “What’s got into you?”

Mario released her hair and gently held her face with both his hands. He traced the line of her cheekbones with his thumbs. His heart raced, trying to bounce up his throat and out of his mouth. He swallowed to force it down, panting as hard as the exhausted dog.

“You hurt me,” she said. “What’s got into you?”

Something hairy brushed Mario’s right ear. Still stroking her face, he closed his eyes.

“The young lady asked you a question,” the old man whispered. His moustache tickled Mario’s earlobe with each word. “Perhaps you should answer her. Or maybe…now here’s a thought…why not ask what got into her? Or closer to the point, who got into her?”

“Shut up, Worth,” Mario hissed. His thumbs moved quicker, playing Laurie’s face the way a kid plays a videogame.

“Mario?” she asked.

He opened his eyes. Laurie gazed at him.

“Who’s Worth?”

“No one. No one at all.”

Laurie offered a small smile. Mario returned it.

“Surely you remember, sir? That night at the party where it all began?” He laughed. “Or maybe ended.”

Mario clenched his teeth. He concentrated on Laurie’s face: her glistening eyes, the beauty mark to the left of her nose, the slight flush of her cheeks.

The voice muttered in his ear.

“She asked to dance with that gentleman, just a dance, right sir? Nothing wrong with that. Good, innocent fun. You needed to talk to that director. You needed that part. And when you looked over to her-“