Chapter 8: 'A cultural and literary walk between two worlds'.

Chapter Text

Richard can't sleep. He's been in hospital for a week and tomorrow he'll be discharged! He still doesn't know how he has managed to stay in prison for so long.

Camille is asleep next to him. At first the hospital staff had brought her an extra bed, but since Richard doesn't need to be connected to wires of any kind, she has managed to push the two beds together and sleep cuddled up to him.

'I don't trust you, Richard. You're capable of sneaking out that window while I'm asleep. You'll leave the hospital when you're officially discharged.'

And so the Detective Inspector has found himself watched by day by Dwayne or Fidel and... by night by Camille.

But he already has his little suitcase perfectly organized and ready! Suddenly he smiles. His children, those children he wouldn't have dreamed of having not so many years ago, have been on the verge of camping out under the hospital window because they didn't want to be separated from him.

There are definitely moments when he feels that his heart gets so, so, so big that it almost leaks out of his chest.

He never thought he would be a human being capable of loving like that. He moves his head carefully to look at his wife, his beautiful wife. One more time. Whenever he can.

He knows that Camille has made him not want to live alone anymore. That wasn't life.

Maybe it was the fact that he almost died that he can't sleep thinking about his family, about the life he now enjoys?

That and...that tomorrow he is finally free!

He feels so restless... it's a pity that Camille is asleep.

And he is so full of life. So awake.

With a sigh he reviews the official case. The 'other case' is still pending. He's not quite sure how it's going to end. Not even if this is the help the Tainos were asking for.

James Porter is no longer in Saint Marie. Much safer for him. Fortunately, the operation he was preparing to take over the entire literary legacy (and the money from the publishing rights to that legacy) has been cancelled.

Richard, in his youth and when he was studying at university, knew that there were some students (fortunately a small percentage) who took illegal capsules made with the active ingredient psilocybin. A 'fad' in some US universities. A fungus which, when broken down in the human body, produces psilocin.

He, who has never in his life tried any kind of drugs, still knows all about them!

Doctors have reassured him time and again that he will suffer no after-effects of any kind. His brain is still in perfect working order. Camille added that that was not the only thing still in perfect condition. It's not all about the brain!

Richard won't forget the embarrassment he went through either.

The Norwiches, Geoffrey and his wife Jade are still on the island. The cultural activity that brought them to Saint Marie is still going on. Albeit with some delay and important variations.

The couple have managed to get Jade's parents on a plane with the Norwich children.

They had been separated from their children for such a long time. A boy and a girl. Plus another child from the professor's previous marriage.

Geoffrey has driven the doctors at the hospital crazy. He has got quite a few of the island's inhabitants, including Camille, Fidel, Dwayne and the Commissioner himself, to take DNA tests.

And the professor was delighted with the results. DNA is a library that the professor had not thought to check or include in his study. And it will help him a lot in what he intends to do in Saint Marie.

Jade has told Camille that some of the inhabitants of Saint Marie could be actively involved in her husband's plans.

Jade is as close to her husband as Camille is to him.

It's a good thing he's not sleepy, otherwise...

'Hello!'

When Richard sees himself again, this time alone, on the beach he dreamt of when he suffered the mushroom hallucinations, he discovers that it is indeed possible that he has fallen asleep.

When he sees the native who, by the way, has not opened his mouth to greet him, he realises that unfortunately he seems to be completely alone this time.

Since Richard already knows that this time his life is not in danger, he decides to be polite and reciprocate the greeting.

'Hello.'

'I wanted to thank you on behalf of our people. It's not that we've completely disappeared. We are still there, inside some of the island's inhabitants. But they didn't know that and had no interest whatsoever in knowing anything about their origins. You are our protector.'

'That's not true. I didn't start any of this. Professor Norwich...'

'The professor has only followed the directions that others, those who live in his origins, passed on to him in dreams. But there was nothing more they could do. You were our improvised liaison. Now the circle is complete.'

Richard looks around him. More and more natives, men, women and children, join the one who seems to be their leader. Richard wants to memorise them all. It is a privilege. Somehow he is seeing them alive. Or as they were when they were. Dreams are so strange.

'So Camille and I...?'

'It's the union of two worlds, of two countries, of two cultures. It will make us all stronger. And immortal.'

'And happier.' Richard Poole says with a smile.

When he senses that everyone is blurring he knows he is about to wake up. But he needs to tell them something, it's important.

'Thank you for helping me survive.'

'Richard! Will you wake up at once? They need the bed.' It is Camille who is shaking him with some violence.

So now she's awake. Finally. Richard looks around the room, the door is locked and they are alone. He manages to hold his wife prisoner in his arms with a huge bear hug. (A movement similar to self-defence techniques or keys that Camille that has taught him) and he keeps her immobile between in his arms.

'You're not very polite, my love. Good morning. That's the first thing you should have said to me.'

Camille discovers that her husband is in the mood to play. She already realized yesterday that he was very restless because he was finally going home.

But with all the pain in her heart she knows that this is neither the time nor the place to... play.

'Seriously, Richard. They give us 10 minutes to vacate the room.'

Richard's covering her face with kisses and murmurs:

'I've been trying to get out of here all week. Let them wait.'

Camille decides to change tactics:

'I spoke to the children before I woke you up, Richard. Little Camille was already crying because her daddy wasn't home yet and little Richard was already pouting...'

Richard decides to leave the celebration of life for another time. The truth is that he is also looking forward to enjoying them at home too. To cuddle them, to spoil them, to play with them.

He lets her off with a warning:

'Tonight we're home, Camille. Don't make any official plans or any welcome home parties. Please.'

Camille laughs.

'Of course. I'm the first to enjoy it, you know that. But you should know that tomorrow at 11 o'clock the Norwich are invited to breakfast. It'll go better this time. But as for your/our plans for tonight, don't worry, I'll tell them you're very tired and you're not in the mood for parties. Not that kind, anyway. Come on, hurry up.'

Can second honeymoons exist in a hospital room?

Big day in Saint Marie

A bright day on the island. At last Professor Norwich, with the help of the Saint Marie police team and quite a few volunteers, has read, especially to the children of the island, extracts from his book on comparative mythology of the UK and the Caribbean.

A walk has been created, once it has been verified that no one would be in any danger from wild animals, spiders, snakes or poisonous plants (Richard has been blunt and thorough on this matter) through the shallower part of the island's jungle.

It is an area that the islanders consider special, as it has always been thought that the ancient inhabitants of the island inhabited the area.

All the children invited to the event enjoyed it very much.

The professor was accompanied by his wife and all their children. Dwayne attended a little reluctantly. Richard, Camille and the children perhaps enjoyed it the most along with Fidel, Juliet and Rosie. Of course, Commissioner Patterson was also in attendance, along with his wife and Catherine.

The most novel thing was when Geoffrey stopped, stood in silence, smiled, closed the book and, looking at everyone present, explained.

'What I have read is part of our mythology, of our traditions, in short, of our past. But it is also our future. Your future in particular. The teacher looks at the children who look at him blankly.

Norwich continues:

'You will have noticed that I have taken extracts from my book. That is what this walk was all about. But during my somewhat haphazard stay on the island I discovered that your ancestors wanted to be present, they do not want to be forgotten. They are the Tainos, among other original peoples of the island. You are part of them. Because there is another library within us. It is the DNA. The mitochondrial DNA contains information that tells us that you are still part of the Tainos and you are alive here and now. The staff at the hospital where I have been so well looked after have been very kind and have analyzed the DNA of several of you.'

Geoffrey Norwich looks at Camille, Dwayne, Fidel and a few others, who nod at him. He continues speaking.

'And those tests have proved what I say is true. Inspector Poole,' he looks at Richard and continues speaking, 'knows very well what needs to be done, doesn't he?'

Richard walks forward a little embarrassed. He wasn't supposed to intervene.

'I'll just say that, if I had been part of that original island people, I wouldn't want to be forgotten. I would want to be remembered.'

Geoffrey nods.

'Can't anyone think of what to do?'

A boy raises his hand:

'We need to do more research on how they lived, what they thought and all that.'

Another girl says:

'And listening to our parents and grandparents when they tell us their stories.'

'Yes, all that and more. We will link the past and the future. Some friends of mine from the University are willing to spend short periods of time to see if excavations are feasible. Always respecting the environment, of course. In the meantime, I think the Inspector already knows that this has happened.'

And the Professor looks at the Poole children, who have been listening to everything without disturbing. Perhaps because they were closely watched by their parents.

Camille comments to Richard in a low voice, only to her husband.

'I think he means that the children are a mixture of British and Caribbean myths, Richard. Your world and mine. That's why they're the future.'

Richard nods. They may have been the reason why the Tainos, whom he has never dreamed of again, asked him for help.

One more reason for his one-way trip to Saint Marie.

But he will read to his children the legends of England, they are also their legends.

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