“Neist Point? Seriously, Neist Point! Whatthe fuck would they be doing there and in this storm? That makes no sense!”
“I believe it is Caroline’s favouriteplace. I overheard a conversation Thomas had with her a while ago and they hadbeen discussing the matter,” she mumbles.
“You’re telling me he’s taken the bus allthe way out there in this weather?” She simply shrugs, looking absolutelybeaten.
This day is going from bad to worse. Well,if that’s where he is headed, I might as well get a head start and get outthere. I can lie in wait; that will be a lovely surprise for him when his buspulls up. I can’t wait to see the look on his face.
Thomas
I called out to her again and again but there was no signof her. I had to get to her to warn her father was on the warpath. I had tofind her to confess and put everything right (if she will entertain me that is,after my betrayal). I don’t waste much time searching for her at the croft. Inmy heart of hearts, I know where to find her – her special place; her happyplace – Neist Point.
It is now mid-afternoon and there won’t bemany more hours of daylight. With the storm still raging on, it was madness tobe venturing out and especially somewhere as exposed as Neist Point. Butmadness aside, I was on a mission; I had to get to her.
I find myself torn in two. I have to makethis journey to reach out to her, but I know he’ll be sat in the croft growingevermore furious by the minute. What was he going to do to me when I return? Hewill be at boiling point ready to explode by the time I get back. He will haveto wait though, I tell myself, trying to trick my brain into a false sense ofsecurity. If I have to deal with another punishment, then so be it. I deserveit after dropping Caroline in it in such a royal fashion.
Thereis something else though. It feels like an impending sense of doom unrelated tofather and I can’t seem to shake it off. Call it intuition but there wassomething just out of kilter about the whole situation and I couldn’t put myfinger on it. It had left me visibly shaken up. The bus pulls up. We havearrived at Neist Point …
CHAPTER 16
I
see the car parked there in the carpark as we draw up. Howcould I not for it was the only one there. Father and I would probably be theonly people here today setting foot on one of Skye’s most famous touristhotspots in the midst of this unrelenting storm. The whole island has beenbattered and blown to pieces with the fierce wind and blizzard-like conditions.
The bus conductor is reluctant to drop meoff. “Son, it’s not a good idea to get out. There won’t be another bus out heretoday, lad, not in this storm. You’re gonna be stuck, mark my words. Just goback to your seat and I’ll drop you back off where I collected you.”
“It’s OK, I am meeting someone here.” Hisface says it all, he is unconvinced but opens the doors anyway.
I dash out as fast asI can. I have to get to Caroline before he does. I can’t even look back. If Isee him giving chase, I fear my panic will reach new levels and I won’t be ableto continue. A little voice in my head questions whether he will leave theconfines of his warm cosy car at all since the storm is wild now. But, eventhrough the wind, I hear the unmistakable sound of a car door being slammedshut.
“Thomas. THOMAS!” How did he knowto come out here?! He is hot on my tail and shouting to get my attention, but Ihave a sole focus and that is to get to Caroline. His calls ease off (perhapstailing off in the wind) and I wonder whether he has given up; choosing insteadto go back to his car. I mustn’t be complacent though and I dig deep and carryon, all the while scanning for any sight or sound of her.
The focal point of Neist Point is thelighthouse standing 62 feet high and 142 feet above sea level. It is visiblefrom the carpark. But not so today. I have been running in the direction of thelighthouse for the past ten minutes and have yet to catch a glimpse of it. Theblizzard conditions are making it impossible to see anything. I look in thedirection of where I imagine the lighthouse is situated and sense a vagueoutline of its structure but, like a nomad in the desert glimpsing an oasis, Ican’t tell if it’s real or a mirage. Must plough on I tell myself. But what ifshe’s not here? What if I’ve came all the way out here and there is no sign orher? And to top it off, I have infuriated father beyond measure. If he has beenled here on a wild goose chase, I dread to think what will be in store for me.
It takes all my strength to battle throughand keep the momentum going. My cheeks are bright red, and my face is sore totouch; a result of the snow and wind battering my exposed skin. I heard nofurther call from father so whether he has given up or is just keeping hisdistance for now remains to be seen. Still too frightened; I daren’t turnaround to check. If I see him in close proximity, I fear all my resolve willdisappear instantly.
Some respite. The wind dies down, and thesnow eases off slightly as a result. With the brute force of the wind tamed forthe time being, the falling snow takes on more uniformity in its trajectorytowards Earth. Then I see it – the lighthouse in all its glory. And, if I amnot mistaken, a figure, a solitary figure.
The figure (if that is indeed what I see,and my eyes are not deceiving me) is some distance away. But it is enough tospur me on. I call
