Dark Waters (3 page)

He broke the surface with a wild cry.

This time he grabbed, kicked, hung on. He was never going under there again.

Never!

And by the time the ambulance arrived Col was unconscious, half dead, lying on the broken ice of the loch.

Chapter Four

Col opened his eyes slowly. A girl was bending over him, white like an angel, except for her chocolate-brown face.

Where was he? In heaven? Had he died and gone to heaven? He couldn’t remember a thing for a moment. Couldn’t understand why he was here, or even where he was. He was disorientated, exhausted, still struggling for breath.

‘You’re awake at last.’ The nurse – she was a nurse – smiled widely. Her teeth were the brightest white he had ever seen. Col wanted to smile back, but it was too exhausting. ‘You’ve just missed your mother. She’s been here all the time, sitting by your bed. We sent her home for a rest half an hour ago.’

While she spoke she was tucking him in, lifting his wrist, checking his pulse against her watch.
Am I still alive?
he wanted to ask. He tried to speak, but his mouth was so dry the words just wouldn’t come. He
glanced sideways and realised he was on a drip. He tried to remember how he got here, but his memory, his brain, something, wasn’t working.

‘Everyone’s been praying for you, you know. The whole hospital. The whole town.’ She still smiled as she jotted down notes on a clipboard at the foot of his bed.

Praying for me?
He thought he’d said it aloud, but he hadn’t. His voice just wouldn’t come. The nurse came close and touched his shoulder gently. ‘You’re a hero, Col.’ She walked to the door. ‘I’ll ring your mother, but until she comes back I want you to rest. OK? That’s what you need after all you’ve been through, complete rest.’ She closed the door softly behind her, and he was alone.

What he’d
been through
?

What had he been through? He looked around the clean, white hospital room, at the window and the darkening, heavy sky outside. He could see the snow-tipped hills, and the icy January fog descending over the town.

Something stirred in his memory. Something he didn’t want to remember.

He was a hero.

Exhaustion was pulling his eyelids shut. He could feel himself drifting away on an ocean with a hot sun beating down on him, gentle waves lapping at his feet. But as he
drifted deeper into sleep the water grew colder. And he wasn’t on a raft any more, but an ice floe surrounded by icebergs. And the ice floe was tipping and slanting under him. Slipping him under the water into a silent world with reeds and strange underwater creatures tugging at him, dragging him down. He struggled to be awake, to get above the water away from the faces that floated eerily in front of him. Faces he knew. Strange faces he had never seen before, drifting towards him through the waving reeds. Now he remembered! He remembered everything. The boy. The ice. And
Death
– reaching out to get him and him only just escaping.

Aagh! He jumped awake, sweat pouring from him, his breath coming in short desperate gasps.

And he wasn’t alone.

A boy was sitting on his bed, staring at him, smiling. Wearing Scotland team pyjamas. He knew his face. Had seen him before wearing a St Roch’s uniform.

‘Oh good. You’re awake.’ The boy bounced on the bed enthusiastically. ‘I’m not supposed to be in here. I’ll get murdered for coming. I had to sneak in. My room’s down there.’ He pointed somewhere down the corridor. ‘The nurse – she’s called Cleo by the way – nice, isn’t she? Well, she says you weren’t to be disturbed, but you had woken up and were going to be fine.’ He bounced
closer to Col and took a breath. ‘We thought you were going to die, Col.’

Col!
This wee snotrag was calling him by his first name as if he was his best friend.

‘I’m Dominic. Dominic Sampson. The boy whose life you saved!’ He said it dramatically and emblazoned an imaginary headline in the air. ‘Sounds good doesn’t it?’ He patted Col’s arm. ‘You don’t say a word. Preserve your strength. I’ll do all the talking.’

Somehow Col didn’t think that would be a problem for Dominic Sampson.

‘My mum and dad are
so
angry with me. You’d think they’d be happy I was still alive, but they just keep going on about staying away from thin ice, etcetera, etcetera … ’ He rolled his eyes.

Col wished he had the strength to punch him. If the boy had stayed away from thin ice, Col wouldn’t be here.

‘I mean, I was sure I would be OK. I’m a really good swimmer.’

A really good swimmer! Now Col really did feel like punching him. He could hardly swim a stroke.

‘But you see, I panicked and you didn’t. You were brilliant, Col. Brilliant. You saved my life.’

Saving Dominic’s life was something Col was starting
to regret.

Dominic edged closer to him. ‘Do you know, some ancient tribes believe that if you save somebody’s life that person belongs to you for ever?’

Col felt a surge of panic. Dominic Sampson was already beginning to get on his wick. Dominic suddenly jumped off the bed. He seemed only ever to bounce or jump anywhere. ‘You, Col, are my hero. And my life is yours now. You ask anything of me and I’ll get it for you.’ He slid along the polished floor and pulled the door open. ‘It’s a myth … or do I mean a legend?’ He laughed suddenly. ‘Or maybe I just made it up.’

Then he was gone.

Col had saved Dominic Sampson’s life, and risked his own. Why? What had made him do such a thing? He couldn’t find any answer to that.

In the quiet, Col almost drifted back to sleep but he didn’t dare. Too afraid of the dark dreams that might come.

Cleo came back in later, checking his drip, as beautiful as before.

‘Can’t you sleep?’

At last, with a struggle, Col found his voice. ‘Dreams. Bad dreams. The water … going under. Not being able to get up.’

She stopped her ministrations and sat on the bed.

‘It’s understandable, Col. You’ve been through a major trauma. You almost died. You saved a boy’s life. It’s probably the most dramatic thing that’s ever happened to you.’

Col nodded.

‘So I suppose your subconscious has got to go over it again and again, just to come to terms with it.’

She rubbed his hand gently. ‘I had a baby four months ago. And that was the most traumatic thing that ever happened to me. After the birth, every time I closed my eyes I relived every moment, I couldn’t get it out of my mind. But then, it fades. And what you’re left with is a beautiful baby, worth it all. It will fade for you too, Col. And what you’ll have is the memory of the bravest thing anyone can ever do. Risk their own life to save someone else.’

She looked at him as if she thought he was wonderful.

Had he really done anything so fearless? He didn’t remember it like that.

‘You’re a real-life hero, Col. And I’m very proud to be your nurse.’

When she’d gone, he closed his eyes, wanting desperately to just sleep.

When he did, finally, his sleep was deep and dreamless.

Chapter Five

‘You wee devil!’ His mother threw herself at him and hugged him close. Col could feel her tears against his face.

‘Mam!’ His embarrassed voice was like a croak. He pushed her away and she took a seat beside him, sniffing quietly into a handkerchief.

Mungo was there too. Standing grim-faced at the bottom of the bed.

‘Hi, bruv.’

Col smiled at him.

Mungo didn’t smile back. ‘What the hell were you thinking about?’ he snapped at him angrily. ‘You could have died! They thought you had died. Do you know what you’ve put Mam through? And for what! To save a poncy wee snob. You risked your life for that!’

Mam touched his arm. ‘Sssh, Mungo. Leave the boy
be, he’s been through enough.’

‘I know. I was st-stupid.’ Col stuttered out the words, hurt at his brother’s attitude.

‘You don’t go near that loch again. Hear me!’ Mungo came close to him. Said again, fiercely, ‘Hear me! I don’t want you anywhere near that loch.’

Col nodded.

‘Mungo was worried about you as well, Col,’ Mam said softly.

Of course he was, Col thought. But why so angry? The answer, it seemed, came with Mungo’s next words. ‘Do you think these people would have done the same for you?’

Cleo came in then, still smiling. ‘Feel better now your mum’s here, Col?’

Mam clutched at his hand. ‘A boy always needs his mother.’

Cleo came and fussed around him. ‘Just got to give you your medicine. Won’t be a minute.’

She wasn’t. She even made the medicine taste good. Col smiled. Before she left she offered his mother a cup of tea. His mother nodded.

Nurse Cleo turned to Mungo then. ‘And what about you, Mr McCann? Tea for you as well?’

‘That would be lovely, darlin’.’ He winked at her. ‘Unless you’ve got anything stronger.’

When she’d gone Mungo turned to Col. ‘Got to be nice to them sometimes, eh? At least they make good nurses.’

Col was suddenly embarrassed by his brother. He hoped he would never talk like that in front of Cleo. He’d never want her to be hurt.

Yet, he was surprised at himself too. Not too long ago he would have said exactly the same thing.

He was glad it wasn’t Cleo who brought in the tea. Instead, it was a nursing assistant. A man he’d never seen before.

In his wake, came more visitors. The Sampson family.

Dominic burst into the room with an excited shout of welcome. ‘Col, I’ve brought my mum and dad. They’ve been dying to meet you.’

He was dragging in a woman, her strawberry-blonde hair cut into a soft bob. She was wearing a rich-looking camel-hair coat. Close behind her was Dominic’s father. He was well dressed too. Dark-blue overcoat, long scarf, his hair tinged with grey. Col thought he looked a bit like Sean Connery.

Dominic dived on to the bed. ‘This is Col,’ he said
proudly, as if Col was an exhibit in a museum. Col noticed that Mungo had taken a step back, was almost ignoring them. And because of that Mam kept her eyes glued to the floor.

Mrs Sampson stepped towards him. A faint waft of flowery perfume drifted about her. ‘I don’t know how to thank you, Col. If it hadn’t been for you we would have lost the most precious thing we have.’

Dominic bounced again. ‘That’s me.’

‘Because of your stupidity, Dominic, Col might not be alive. Do you realise that?’ His mother’s angry tone made Dominic’s smile disappear. ‘Because you never obey rules, because you were stupid enough to go out on to that ice an innocent boy could have died.’ She looked now directly at Mam. Mam had no choice but to look up at her. ‘I think you must resent us, Mrs McCann. I know how I’d feel.’

Mam nodded. ‘I’m glad you realise that, Mrs Sampson. If I’d lost my boy …’ She let the words trail off, and tightened her grip on Col’s hand.

‘I know. I know. I’m sorry we’re interrupting your visit. But I … we wanted to come in and thank you personally.’

For the first time Mr Sampson spoke. ‘If there’s
anything you need, Col. Just let us know.’

Mungo butted in. ‘If Col needs anything, I can supply it.’

Mr Sampson looked at Mungo, and Col could see that Dominic’s dad, his whole family, knew all about the McCanns and their reputation – especially Mungo’s.

‘Of course. I’m sorry.’ Mr Sampson’s voice was soft when he answered. ‘But we are so grateful, we feel there must be something we could do to thank Col.’

There was an awkward silence until Mrs Sampson took Dominic by the hand and pulled him off the bed. ‘I think we should leave Col with his family now.’

‘Can’t I stay?’ Dominic’s eyes pleaded with Col, but his mother was having none of it.

‘No, you cannot. I think you’ve given Col quite enough trouble.’

As Dominic was dragged out he called back, ‘I’ll come in and see you later. OK?’ He didn’t wait for an answer. He seemed sure this was something Col would look forward to. ‘I’m only down the corridor if you need me.’

Mr Sampson backed out behind him. ‘I’m afraid he means it, Col. But if he’s being any bother, just let me know.’

‘They seem like a nice family,’ Mam said when they’d gone.

‘I’m never going to get rid of that Dominic. He thinks I’m a hero.’

Col wanted Mungo to smile at him. Just once. But he didn’t. Instead, he growled. ‘Do you know this has been a front-page story for the past two days? We’ve had reporters at the house and everything. I don’t like it, Col.’

Mungo didn’t like any kind of publicity. Although up to now the only kind he’d had was bad publicity – arrest, breach of the peace, housebreaking, not-proven verdicts from local juries too scared to convict him.

‘It’s a nine-day wonder, Mungo,’ Mam said. ‘It was a brave thing you did, Col.’ But she said it softly almost as if she didn’t want Mungo to hear.

It was a difficult visit and Col was almost glad to see them go.

But he wasn’t alone for long.

Col had settled down in the bed, sleep beginning to steal over him, when he had a feeling that someone was in the room with him. He opened his eyes, slowly.

A young man, maybe the same age as Mungo, stood beside the bed. He looked dirty, unshaven; as if he
hadn’t washed for a while. His dark hair was long and unkempt.

Col sat up. ‘Who are you?’

The young man shrugged. ‘My name is Klaus. Does not matter.’ His accent was funny. German? Dutch? ‘I came to see if you were all right – if you really existed. A McCann who saves the life of another. A miracle surely?’

Now Col was beginning to get angry. He wasn’t going to have a stranger come in here and insult his family. ‘What do you mean by that?’

‘I was there. At the lake. I could not believe what you did. It was very brave.’

Now Col really was angry. ‘You were there! Watching. And you didn’t help. You’re sick, pal.’

The young man shook his head. ‘I could do nothing. Believe me. But you did not need help. You were amazing.’

Col raised his voice. ‘I did need help. I almost drowned. I’m going to tell the cops about you.’

Klaus shook his head. ‘No. Please. No police. Not anyone. I should not be here.’ He looked frightened.