Okay, so here's the thing. This story has been kicking around on my computer since the back end of 2012. I didn't post it before because it's not finished, mostly because I wanted to go off and write stories with my own original characters. And I'm posting in now in the hope that you might find your way over to my blog and have a look at the original story I'm posting – you should be able to find it here: /p4oF66-9 Meanwhile, this story follows Summer, Winter and Road Trip; I hope you enjoy it though be warned, it does get a bit dark in places.
FROM ACROSS THE OCEAN
CHAPTER 1
Lights shone from many of the windows of the large building; in the early evening darkness, the curtains had not yet been pulled, closing the occupants away from the rest of the wintery world. Someone on the outside, looking in, would see the shadowy shapes of nameless people occasionally moving, flitting in and out of their vision. Or not quite nameless.
The man stood, gazing thoughtfully at the lights. He felt sure he could make a good guess at the names of the people in that building and he did know, almost certainly, the name of one of the men inside; the man he had come to see; the man he had been desperate to talk to since that dreadful, heart-stopping day in the summer when the news travelled across the ocean to reach him; too late, always too late.
It had taken a while to find him, piecing together fragments of information gleaned from reluctant mouths. But he was quiet, he had bided his time; he had listened, he had bent the rules and taken chances. Of course, there had been that other unpleasantness – and its consequences - to deal with, to get over, first; his heart felt cold now, every time he thought of it, cold and emotionless. It had been justice, of a sort, not the justice of a court of law but revenge, cold and calculated, manipulated. And he was glad.
He could feel his heart beating in his chest despite the layers of clothing he wore to keep out the biting cold; he knew it was apprehension, almost fear. Now, after months of dreaming of this moment, he was only yards away from him and he was terrified. He bit his lip; he hadn't come all this way to bottle it at the last moment but the thought of walking those last few steps, knocking at the door, meeting him at last... suddenly his feet felt like lead, immovable.
Something drew his attention; somebody was pulling the curtains now, the brief outline of a man at one of the downstairs windows before the tall oblong of light was obliterated. He looked to the next window spilling light; sure enough, seconds later the figure appeared there although it stood for a moment motionless, a dark outline against the light as he talked to someone hidden from view. It gave the watcher a chance to look beyond the figure, into the room; he could see a fire, a real fire silently crackling in the grate, he could see signs of the season, candles and cards on the mantelpiece above the fire. He could see the tree, shinning with tiny lights catching the silver and gold glittering baubles and tinsel surrounding them. He bit his lip again, trying to suppress the memories of other cold Christmases, Christmases before the heat took over; now wasn't the time to let sentiment get the better of him.
He slipped his phone from his pocket and checked the time, 5.50pm; he wondered if they had eaten, he didn't particularly want to interrupt their meal. Almost on cue, his own stomach rumbled, loudly reminding him he hadn't eaten that day, his strung out nerves banishing all desire for food. He didn't really care, all his thoughts, all his focus had been on this moment, he thought, made no plans for anything beyond it. Yet now he was here, he was hesitating; suddenly he wasn't so sure anymore. Perhaps he should leave, just walk away and try and forget... everything, everyone.
He considered it, but only for a second; he had come so far, done so much, endured so much, to reach this point, it wasn't the time to let nerves get the better of him. He took a deep breath and walked forward towards the light that hung next to the front door
