The Survivors(102)

‘Sorry.’ He shrugged. ‘I’m sure she’ll turn up.’

‘It’s okay,’ Gabby said, her forehead creasing. ‘If she’s not here, I think she’s probably at the caves.’

It was Sean’s turn to frown. ‘Why would she be there?’

Gabby looked up at him, as though trying to work out whether it was a genuine question. Deciding it was, she reddened and dropped her eyes again.

‘Because she meets Kieran there.’

‘Olivia meets Kieran at the caves?’

‘Sometimes.’

‘Why?’

‘To …’ Gabby shrugged, her face flushed, her eyes anywhere else. ‘Do things.’

Sean stared. ‘What things?’

‘I don’t know.’

But she clearly did know, and suddenly Sean did as well and all at once he felt a hot rush of mortification at having to learn about it like this.

‘Didn’t Kieran tell you?’ Gabby was looking at him now, her curiosity overcoming her shyness.

‘Yeah. Of course.’

Gabby nodded, but she didn’t believe him, Sean could tell. She was – God help him – throwing him a rope. He looked at this girl and at her expression tinged with the faintest hint of pity and felt a fresh sting of humiliation.

Sean thought about Kieran, or specifically, the way Kieran would watch Olivia at parties, but never quite make the effort to talk to her. Except on the odd occasion when Sean would be chatting to her. Then bloody Kieran seemed to be everywhere, with drinks and jokes and lots to say.

‘Anyway,’ Gabby said, glancing at the sky. The blue had given way to a dirty grey and the wind was whistling through the empty masts. ‘I’d better go.’

Sean blinked. He’d almost forgotten she was there. ‘You’re not going to the caves now, are you?’

Did Ash know, he wondered suddenly, about Kieran and Liv? Probably. Kieran had probably told Ash. He and Ash told each other things like that. Stuff they didn’t tell him.

Down on the dock, Gabby shifted her backpack from one shoulder to the other. The kangaroo keychain rattled against the purple zip. ‘I’ll go and check quickly. I really need to find her.’

Sean shook his head. ‘Have you ever been down to the caves?’

‘No, but –’

‘Because you can’t just go wandering around down there, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. It’s not safe. And the weather’s not good.’

‘Well –’ Gabby seemed torn. ‘Could you maybe take me?’

Sean felt the first drop of rain. He looked along the dock. Still no sign of Toby or Finn. There was no-one around at all.

‘Please?’ The wind caught Gabby’s hair and she swept it away from her face. She looked up at him, and Sean was momentarily disarmed. ‘Our mum will be home in a few hours.’

‘You need your phone back that badly?’

‘She’s had it for nearly a week.’

Sean hesitated. Her eyes were so hopeful. He checked the sky once more. ‘Okay. But we’ll have to be fast. Tide’s on its way in.’

‘Really?’ Gabby smiled then, right at him. ‘Thank you.’

Sean shrugged. His brother was late. His friends were occupied with activities that clearly did not involve him. He was getting cold waiting out there. He felt a second spot of rain. Sean pointed to her backpack. It looked heavy.

‘Leave that here. I’ll lock it in the dry box.’

Gabby shrugged the bag off her shoulders and Sean pulled it on board. It was solid and unwieldy with books. He dropped it in the box and scrabbled around until he found Toby’s spare key. It was hanging from a lanyard with a small pocket torch attached. Sean locked the box and put the lanyard in his pocket as he grabbed a pen and a piece of scrap paper. He checked the time.

4.15 pm, he scribbled. You were late. Gone to caves.

He stuck the note where Toby would be sure to see it, grabbed his own torch and climbed off the boat and onto the deck, where Gabby smiled in a way that lit up her face.

The cliff path was empty. Sean and Gabby walked side by side, leaning forward a little into the wind. It was stronger than Sean could remember it being before. He half hoped they would see Kieran and Olivia appear around a corner. Then at least they could all turn back. But the trail stayed empty.

Sean glanced sideways at Gabby. She was as tall as her sister, and almost as tall as Sean himself. The wind snatched at their clothes as they walked, and she kept having to brush her hair out of her face.

‘Nearly there,’ he said.

‘Great.’ She gave him a shy smile, and Sean found himself suddenly hoping that, in fact, they wouldn’t see anyone else.

They stopped at the top of the cliffs. The sea was angry and green, foaming as it raced towards the sand. The thin beach looked deserted below.

‘Can we go down?’ Gabby said.

Sean frowned. ‘Your sister might not welcome us just turning up, you know.’

Gabby’s smooth face took on a faintly pious air. ‘That’s her own fault. She was supposed to come home and help me.’

Sean couldn’t help but laugh, and she smiled back.

‘Yeah, all right,’ he said. ‘Come on then.’

Her smile broadened as Sean showed her the path. He led them down, hearing her footsteps behind him the whole way. At one point, she stumbled and he reach back to help her.