Chapter Twenty-four

Day Ten, Day On The Beach

Well it was Sunday again and Ray and Dona had decided to have a very easy day.

They spent the morning just sat in the garden of the house, with Dona just resting on the sun lounger and Ray typing his blog into his laptop.  Dona wasn't actually feeling too good but that was her own fault and Ray just left her to it.

After breakfast and wishing Steve and Janet off, Oscar was watching what Ray and Dona were up to in the garden but nothing much was happening at all.

At lunch time Ray asked Dona if she wanted anything to eat, nothing big just a sandwich or something.  She said that sounded good and off he went to get something ready.  Soon he returned with cheese sandwiches, some crisps and some hot chutney he had got in Lidl.  He also offered her a beer but she declined, he just laughed and gave her a tea he had already made.

Oscar's stomach rumbled so he made his way down and out to the cafés in the square, he reckoned he had plenty of time, while Ray and Dona had lunch.   After all he could keep a check on them by looking on his phone.

After lunch Ray said to Dona that he fancied going to the beach and just having a nice easy day sat in the sun.  Dona agreed to a nice relaxing day and maybe a dip or a plodge in the sea.  So about a hour or so later, they set off towards the coast for a walk and maybe, that plodge in the sea.

Oscar gave up for now, they had said absolutely nothing at all about the Artifact, he had a quick thought that he may be wrong but he knew that he wasn't, usually.  He decided to go out and see if he could find them, he knew from their conversation round about where they were going, over by the campsite he had visited.  So he dressed in shorts, a T shirt and trainers, then set off to follow them.

Ray and Dona walked through the town towards the sea walls, where they joined them around half way along, here they turned left and made their way to the end.  Ray said to Dona that he did not believe that they had not walked the town walls before.  At which Dona pointed out that they could come and walk them any time they wanted to.  Something Ray thought was very interesting but wondered whether they actually would come back.

They came out from inside the walls and found a small beach which look just about right for sitting on.  They made themselves comfortable and relaxed for the afternoon in the sun.  Ray started to read his book but Dona just laid down on her towel and Ray suspected, went to sleep.

It was only about an hour latter that Oscar turned up and pretended that he was just out for a walk.

"Do you mind if I join you for a while" he said "the beaches around this part of the island are a bit sparse".

"Here sit down" said Ray "there is plenty of space for all of us, isn't there love."

Dona rolled over and said "Yes there is, there's plenty of room, have a sit down Oscar and by the way, I wasn't asleep"

They all had a laugh, then settled down facing the channel and relaxed.

"Did Steve and Janet get away ok" asked Dona.

"Yes they did" replied Oscar "but Janet seemed to be a little bit worse for wear, they will be well on their way home by now."

"She is not the only one a bit worse for wear today" replied Dona "I hope they have a nice quiet and safe drive home."

They sat quietly looking out across the straits, Ray and Oscar started reading, Dona just laid there, could have been asleep but Ray and Oscar didn't know and just left her to it.

Ray was reading a book he had brought with him, part of The Emperor Series, The Field Of Swords, by Conn Iggulden, no it wasn't SF but lately he had been reading books set in the Roman Empire. This one was about Julius Caesar, but he had also been reading, Simon Scarrow's books, set in the Roman Legends, with Cato and Macro. Ray actually thought that most of the modern SF books were, boring and nothing at all like the old stuff, although some was really good.

Oscar, was still reading Jumpers but as he sat there, he suddenly thought, that he maybe should not be reading this.  What if Ray knew what it was about, what if he twigged what was going on.  Oscar slowly closed the book and slipped it back into his bag and then, just sat looking across to the mainland.

About and hour and a half later, Dona sat up and said, "anyone fancy a bit of a walk and then a bit later going for a drink"

"Sounds good to me" said Ray "how about you Oscar?"

Oscar looked at his watch and said "Lets me see, it is getting on for four, ok then, Ray is right, it dose sound like a very good idea."

They eventually wandered of away from the fort, north along the coast.  In about half a mile they came across a campsite, right on the front and an Aire, the only price they could see was 8€, very cheap, but whether they would need something like that again, well that was debatable.

Just after the campsite they headed to the seaside again and when they got there, Ray pulled three beers out of his bag.  He had a small cool bag with four beers in it, Duyck, Reflets de France Bière de Garde du Nord, whatever that meant.

Oscar said "No thanks, it's beer for you two not for me and you have carried it all the way"

"Don't be silly" said Ray "just have one and if you want to, you can get the first beers when we get to a bar".

"Ray" said Dona

"I was only joking, here please have a beer with us" replied Ray handing the bottle to Oscar.

Oscar took the beer and said "Thanks, thank you very much indeed and I will get the first beers when we find somewhere".

They sat and drank the beers, chatting like old friends, until the beer had gone, then they headed back towards the town and probably, a bar that none of them knew.

Bodega la Cigale, was a bar / tabac that they happened to pass on the way back, well not so much pass, more like went in. Even though they were not exactly dressed for a drinking session, that is what they got.  They even had some food, although none of them remember just who ordered.  It was about nine when they eventually set off for home, not a bad afternoon out.

When Oscar got back to his apartment, he switched on the surveillance cameras and started to watch, unfortunately, within minutes he was fast asleep.