A Killing at the Peninsula p5

5
BREAK
LAND
In his mind’s “map”, the admin office was back to his right but he hesitated, saw his location between another row of inner shopfronts or whatever they where, and began walking to the end.
At the end, the top of the lighthouse was glinting and he saw it’s beauty then a structure to his left caught his eye.

It was another courtyard style area but deeper and cut into the ground. He nearly fell down into it.
Just as he did, a woman appeared and her eyes were wide.
Patricia: ‘No please don’t.’
He didn’t want to appear rude but was looking for a way in; down.
‘No please don’t come down.’ She appeared frightened and biting her fingernails.
He raised his hands and to calm her.
Patricia: ‘I’m Patricia.’
Alex: ‘Hi Patricia. I’m Alex.’
Patricia: ‘I just don’t want.’
Alex: ‘It’s ok.’
Patricia: ‘I’ve just cleaned through and no muddy boots.’ She bit her nails more and kept shooting a look at a stone arched doorway leading into the side of the hill slope.
He ran his eye along.
It was a high, grey, stone wall and in the centre was the doorway.
Patricia: ‘I don’t come out here much and I’ve just cleaned through.’
He had just spotted a lengthy plank of wood.
Alex: ‘Would you like me to help you get rid of that?’ Smiling warmly and showing her he was climbing down.
Patricia: ‘Oh please don’t. Please be careful. Watch your footing. Oh please.’
He gripped the side of the courtyard wall and swung and dropped down.

NICHE. BELOW GROUND.
COURTYARD
Patricia: ‘Oh please you are most kind. I’m sorry but I don’t get many visitors and that particular piece. I really don’t know where it came from.’ She giggled; smirked, wiped her nose.
Standing, he went over to the lengthy plank, lifting it and raised it over the courtyard wall.
Alex: ‘Now we can both go in or out as we please.’ He said firmly smiling and reached out to her with his elbow.
Patricia: ‘Oh I don’t know. I don’t usually ever come out here. It gets very dirty what with all those boots and all the stuff they bring in.’
He could only feel her weight on his arm as they walked up to "ground level".

LAND
No flinching, tugging or pulling.
Patricia: ‘I must get back to my books. They’re very precious to me. They’re my children.’
He noticed her react as soon as she touched down on the grass above.
She had let go of him and turned and walked herself back down and disappeared into the dark of the grey stone arch doorway.
~
It was a cold wind from where he was standing on the thick grass and looking down into the courtyard from a different perspective.

NICHE. BELOW GROUND.
COURTYARD
He looked for something to knock on but there didn’t seem to be.
No door hinged, just a large plinth so he slowly entered the grey stone archway.
It was pitch black, calm and quiet and he soon realised he was much further along a corridor than he wanted to be and then a candle glowed.

PATRICIA'S HOME
For the first time in a long time his heart pounded as he entered a small room with a table and the woman sitting reading.
Patricia: ‘Oh hello.’ The woman said briefly lifting her head. Her frames and lenses refracted and glowed from the candle light. ‘Mmhh. Mmhh would you like a cup?’

He was stunned silent.
It was the same woman Patricia he had just seen but ‘Oh so different.’ He thought numbly.
Patricia: ‘I’m having one. Mmhh.’ She slowly stood having to pull herself away from the book.
He ran his eyes all around. Shelf after shelf. Books, piles of paper all stacked horizontal and vertical. No spare space.
His eyes made their way to her table, the candle and the book and he leaned to see.
To his surprise early images of fishing boats and gaffer hooks in swirling high seas.
Eyes of monsters from the deep picking off the crew; tearing them apart and eating them alive.
Entrails fluid with the white peaks of the savage sea.
Harpoons helplessly held waiting, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Patricia: ‘Early 18 and 19 century. Just off the coast here.’ Quietly. Her voice intricate and blending with pouring two cups. ‘Please.’ She looked at him over her glasses to sit.
He quietly did.
Patricia: ‘I’m the administrator.’
With elbows either side of the book sipping. ‘I’m Venus.’
He had to sip.
He didn’t look into his cup.
He sipped whatever it was for he had to swallow.
Patricia: ‘And why are you here darling?’ Glancing down quickly to her page.
Alex: ‘I needed to get away for a bit.’
Patricia: ‘Having problems at home?’ Her voice stern but caring.
Alex: ‘Yes.’ He was mulling over something. ‘My girlfriend.’ His eyes lit and rolled. ‘She’s just told me she’s pregnant and she loves me.’
Patricia: ‘Do you?’ She sipped and looked up again from her pages.
Alex: ‘Honestly. I don’t know. It wasn’t planned.’ He cut himself off. ‘I’m suppose to be on holidays. Have a break.’
Patricia: She placed her cup across the two pages. ‘How long?’
He looked caught-out.
‘Your holidays my darling.’ She briefly looked down and sipped.
Alex: ‘Long service. As long as I want.’

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