Chapter 11 – Ocean Deep

Martin started asking probing questions but I waved him off. "Everything's fine, thank you Doctor. We're just helping with these rocks. Tidying o the beach."

Martin looked about. "How?"

"Getting them nice and clean," I said trying to make it all sound nice and lovely when what I wanted was for Martin to shoot Strain with something to knock him out.

Marti lowered his voice and said to me, "Louisa, you're just making it worse."

"No I'm not," I told him.

"Yes, you are," Martin protested quietly with me. "Endorsing a delusion just makes it worse. It increases." He straightened and looked at Mr. Strain. "Uhm, Mr. Strain, now that's enough, now you… come with me." Martin tried to take his arm to him but Strain got agitated and backed away.

I got up saying, "I think if we all… help… we'll get this done all the quicker and get back to school." Martin was now looking at me like I was mad, but I was just being practical. "We should try that," I said as I held out a scrub brush to Martin. I was between the two men like an umpire between two angry rugby players. Both eyed each other with wariness.

Martin snatched the brush away and was none too happy about it.

I knelt down on the sand at my rock. Martin slowly settled by my side while Strain walked about keeping his eyes on Martin. Clearly Mr. Strain knew things had gone far enough and was concerned by Martin's arrival.

"Did you bring a sedative or something?" I whispered to Martin then got back to scrubbing and singing, "Merrily, merrily…"

"Uhm, yes," he grunted.

"Good then. Just get him calm again and then maybe you can…"

"Maybe what?"

I looked at him closely. This was the closest we'd been since, well since I came back to the village. It was better than good that he was here and I just wished he might put his arms around me. I shook that thought away.

"What?" he asked in my ear.

"Glad you came to our rescue. He's been flopping from one extreme to the next. One second barking and the next calm and rational.

"He's got a medical condition."

I rolled my eyes. "Do tell."

"A serious one." He stood up. "Now Mr. Strain… come with me."

"No! She wants my job!"

"No she doesn't. Now if you'll walk with me?" Martin took his arm, but Strain jerked away.

Charlie was industriously working away until Martin stepped on his hand.

"Ow! Oww! He broke my fingers!" the kid yelled holding his injured hand with his other one then began to cry.

God! Good move Martin! Sheesh! I took Charlie's wrist. "Martin I think you might have broken it."

Strain spoke up, "He's the Doctor, he should know."

Martin said, "Thank you," to Strain on obvious irritation.

"Can you move your fingers? If you can wiggle your fingers they're not broken!"

Strain lurched closer peering down at my student.

"There, see?" Martin said defensively.

Strain grabbed Charlie and half shook him. "Stop whinging?"

I pushed his hand away and Strain glared at me. He might hurt Charlie; well any of us really.

Martin interceded. "Alright, let's have a look. Come on." He bent down to attend to the child.

That's when Strain pushed me over, right onto my back! It didn't hurt; just felt awkward. Could have been worse I suppose.

Martin blew up at Strain. "How dare you!"

"What?" Strain answered, clearly not on the planet any longer. He stood straighter then walked away.

In a flash Martin was at my side and helped me get up. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine I think. Yeah, I'm fine," I said. Nothing jumped out at me, or from me, thankfully. "Yes, I think so." I felt my bump but didn't feel any untoward movements from there. "It's alright Mr. Strain."

"It is NOT alright!" Martin blew up at Strain. "You can't just go pushing over pregnant women! It's not her fault you lost the plot! Pull yourself together!"

Strain stood for a moment in shook. "Me?"

Martin got down by me. "Louisa any pain at all, any twinges?"

"I... I don't think so."

"Come on, try and sit up."

Martin helped me get off my back. His big strong hands felt good on me as they levered me off the damp sand.

Strain shook his head then turned to go; and there he went marching straight into the sea.

"Mr. Strain! Martin!" I screamed who was looking at me closely.

"Mr. Strain!" Martin called to him but to no avail for he kept walking away arms raised to the sky. "Oh God," Martin muttered.

Martin looked down at me. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, think so." I sat a little straighter. "What about him?"

I heard Martin sigh as he started to trot after him towards the sea calling his name.

"Oh, don't do that!"

Without a backward glance Mr. Strain marched on, hearing some siren call no doubt. He said before 'it called to him.' I suppose the sea her meant.

The kids stopped their rock cleaning to watch the spectacle. I wondered what they'd remember of this day when they got older?

Martin followed after Strain right to the water where the Head walked straight in.

I have to give Martin credit. He didn't flinch or slow when his feet hit the cold seawater, just kept plunging ahead while I brushed sand off my dress. Strain got out about thirty feet, maybe more, ended up waist deep, when Martin caught him. Strain was laughing by then.

I heard Strain laugh, "You see?" then he wrapped arms about Martin and dragged him under the waves.

Right then is when I heard Joe's police siren. Of course by the time Joe got out of his truck and dropped his utility belt on the sand, Martin was dragging my boss from the cold sea.

Joe helped Martin get Strain to the truck and into the back and oh dear they all looked very cold in the brisk breeze.

For some reason Pauline had arrived with Joe, but I suppose she wanted in on the action.

I directed the kids to give all their brushes to Nicky who was nearest the bucket and to get socks and shoes back on. Looked like the excitement was all over, at least for one day.

Martin and Joe conferred over Strain who now sat miserably in the back of Joe's truck, after Martin gave him an injection. Joe was shivering to beat the band holding a thermal blanket around himself. I saw as Martin tenderly tucked another blanket over Mr. Strain, who peered at me with eyes dull and lifeless.

When the kids were ready to walk back to school, I had a quick word with Martin. "What happened to him?"

"He has a medical condition which has caused his brain to misfire which caused a psychotic break. A loss of reality."

"I know what psychotic means. Will he be alright?"

"Depends," Martin muttered to me. "This condition… may take some time… awhm, to put right."

"Oh."

Martin bobbed his head. "I doubt he'll be able to be at school anytime soon."

"Oh. Days?"

Martin pursed his lips. "No. Unlikely."

Martin turned his attention to Pauline. "Why are you here?"

She smiled. "You came - I flagged down Joe. Here I am."

Before Martin could assail her, I suggested she help me walk the kids back to school.

Martin had a quiet conversation with Joe than used Joe's mobile for his was ruined by seawater.

I heard him speak to someone at Truro. He snapped the phone closed after a minute and gave it back to Joe. "Penhale, they're waiting for him in A&E. All arranged."

Joe smiled. "Sorry I got here late Doc. If I'd a' known…"

Martin shushed him. "Fine." He bent his head and peered into the truck at Mr. Strain. "Mr. Strain, Officer Penhale will be taking you to hospital for evaluation. I believe you have a metabolic disorder."

Strain's head bobbed. "Did I? Did I… hurt? Uhm anyone? A bit fuzzy."

Martin looked at me with some satisfaction, I thought. "No Mr. Strain. You didn't injure anyone."

0000

"Miss?" Timmy asked me, who was holding my hand as we waked back to the village. "Mr. Strain coming back?"

"Well I don't know. You miss him?"

"He's spooky," Timmy told me.

"He's mad," Pauline blurted out. "The nice policeman's taken him away to lock him up."

"No he hasn't," I protested trying not to scare the kids any worse. "He's just gone for a rest!"

"A long rest," chuckled Pauline. "He won't be able to hurt you anymore!"

"He didn't hurt us Pauline. Just a bit of an adventure." I was not pleased with the way she was talking up what happened. I imagine the rumour mill would start the moment Pauline could get to a phone. I addressed the kids next. "Now you go in and get ready for home time."

I sighed. Martin walked along squishing with every step. He insisted on wearing suits, no matter what. Another one ruined, along with his mobile. "Thanks anyway Martin," I told our soggy village doctor.

"What do you mean, anyway?"

Pauline looked from me to Martin and back smirking. "You two… see you tomorrow Doc." She took off down the hill leaving us to face each other.

"Actually anything could have happened Louisa," he said to me. "With you in that condition. Sure you're okay? Nothing amiss?"

That condition? I was expecting a baby and I wasn't ill. He made it sound so… limiting... like I was an invalid. But I could have told him a lot that was amiss. Him - me - our baby - oh yes a lot that was torn asunder, but discussing it on the street while he dripped seawater? That far I would not go.

"Oh yes, just fine," I said but lurched as I felt something roll down below. "Ooh," I blurted out.

He started. "What? What happened?"

"Nothing," I said and smiled at Martin. "It moved." Felt like a kick.

"Moved?"

"Just a normal leg movement."

His eyes widened more. "Right."

A black car pulled up just then driven by Edith Montgomery. "Hello! Are you wet?" she called out.

That woman. Clearly she felt hanging about Martin was perfectly fine. Well I didn't like her any better now than I did two hours ago. She gave me the willies. "Bye Martin."

"Yes," he answered Edith, I heard as I left. "Just dealing with a patient who had a psychotic episode and walked into the sea."

"Friend of hers?" she asked him.

"Louisa? Aw, no, yes. Member of staff. Head master."

I walked faster across the play yard to the school. At the front door I looked back and saw Martin still talking to her bending down to peer inside.

There were things I should do. I'd have to call Stu Mackenzie and let him know what happened, for I don't believe that Mr. Strain would be returning anytime soon, if ever. Perhaps…. Perhaps I could get my old job back. Unkind of me to think that with the poor man so ill; ill but unfit clearly.

I should also likely plan to call my student's parents and let them know what had happened. Key thing was that nothing bad has happened to anyone, not even Mr. Strain.

Before I shut the school door, I watched Martin's broad back as he walked away back to his house, across the harbor. Just a three minute walk away… But he did come when I needed him, that's the thing to remember.

My class was cutting up a bit but I damped that down. "Now class, let's all remember our spelling quiz for tomorrow but I will review the words before I hand it out."

A chorus of moans was my answer.

Not that different from what the school secretary said when I told her what had happened after school let out. "Oh my God! You okay? The kids?"

I patted my belly in affirmation. "The class is fine, I'm fine, and my baby seems to be fine."

"Thank God for that! But what happened to him? I mean…"

"Doctor Ellingham said he has some medical problem."

Sally rolled her eyes. "Do tell." Then she shook her head. "Must'a been frightening."

"Little bit, yeah. Sally could you pull the parent numbers for my class? Think I ought to call 'em. Let all the parents know - factually," I thought of what Pauline was spreading at that moment. "Right?"

"Of course." She busied herself with the file cabinet. "I suppose that means the Head job might be open?"

"I…. I don't know."

She smiled. "There's lots would be very happy to have you back in as Head teacher."

"We'll see."

She nodded. "Yes, politic. Good. Of course the Board of Governors need to know."

"I'll call Mr. Mackenzie straight away."

Sally smiled. "Quite a day, eh?"

I sighed. "Yes, Sally quite a day." Yes, it had been frightening. Thank Heavens Martin came when I called. Out in the hallway I leaned against the wall for a moment to catch my breath and calm myself before I made quite a few phone calls. "Thanks Martin. You saved the day." Martin is always good in a crisis. The baby kicked me again reminding me that some things were still coming along. Not exactly a crisis growing down there but soon enough I'd be holding my baby in my arms. Things to do...