Flux

can bear witness to this moment: My time of glory has come.” With this, it raised the talon which still dangled over the baby. Its intent obvious.
    “Noooo…” Iain screamed as he rushed forward, throwing himself face down onto the altar and shielding the child from the piercing blow.
    He felt no pain as he was lifted up into the air, impaled. Looking down, he could see the pointed tip of claw sticking from his chest, framed by jagged red and white shards of his own sternum.
    He closed his eyes.

    Iain passed away in the back of the ambulance before reaching hospital. The paramedics turned off the blue flashing lights and siren; there was no longer any need to hurry. Rebecca Goodman was waiting solemnly at the hospital entrance and she herself declared the death. Days later, she sat in on the autopsy and agreed with the coroner that the cause of death was a massive haemorrhage deep within Iain’s brain. Weakened by his accident, the damaged blood vessel had gone undetected, hidden behind the plates of titanium holding his skull together. Like a bulging inner tube, it had simply expanded until the day came for it to burst.
    In a tragic twist of fate, Iain’s parents landed in the country on the very morning of his death. They’d come as soon as they’d heard of their son's illness but had been on another adventure in the wilderness and the Australian authorities had a difficult time tracking them down. Apart from the vicar, they were the only ones present at Iain’s low key funeral and cremation.
    Dave couldn’t bring himself to attend, instead he went and sat beside Gary’s grave; drinking, smoking and weeping until well into the night. He thought it a more fitting tribute.

    Eve stood atop the grassy hill waiting for him, smiling, arms outstretched for an embrace. As he went to her, Iain noticed that any sadness once held within her eyes was gone. The watery blue orbs were now filled with nothing but tears of joy.
    Holding each other tightly she whispered into his ear; “Thank you.”
    “What for?”
    She didn’t respond, simply stepping away from him and lifting an arm to point down the hill. Down at the bottom of the gentle, lush slope ran a river and sitting by the bank, in the shade of an old willow was a figure. Iain’s heart caught in his chest.
    Unsure of whether the scene would turn into another nightmare, he glanced back to Eve. With a heartfelt smile and a nod of the head she told him to go. Iain almost galloped to where Gary lazed by the water’s edge, overcome with absolute joy. He pulled up short, concerned his friend may hold a grudge. He needn’t have worried as upon hearing Iain’s arrival, Gary turned and patted the ground next to him, an invitation to sit, which he did gladly. The grass beneath him was cool but not damp.
    “I think you need these,” Gary said, handing Iain a cold, crisp beer and a perfectly rolled smoke. They sat in silence for a while, savouring the moment. Over the river and on the opposite side of the valley, ripples spread out across the grass in a lazy summer breeze. Nearby, crickets were chirruping. High within the branches of the willow, a magpie noisily clattered its wings.
    Iain was the first to break the silence. “I’m so…” He wanted to say sorry but Gary cut him short before he managed to complete the sentence.
    “There’s no need for apologies.”
    They stayed quiet for a while longer; absorbed in the sights and sounds of a perfect summer’s day before Gary spoke once again, “Shall we go?”
    “Where to?”
    He pointed to a canoe, hitherto unseen and tied up at the river bank. The two friends smiled and shared a chuckle before making their way to the edge of the water. The long, open craft rocked gently as they climbed aboard and seated themselves. Picking up their paddles, Iain and Gary manoeuvred into the middle of the flow before letting the gentle current carry them away downstream.

    ###

A Note From The Author.

    If you're reading this then you probably got to the end of my book. It's really appreciated and I hope you enjoyed it.
    I'd like to thank anybody who's given me support during the writing of Flux. Whether that support has been practical, moral, or simply putting up with me wittering on, it's been invaluable.
    If you enjoyed Flux then please tell your friends, I'd be eternally grateful.

    You can find out more at https://www.facebook.com/MarkRFaulkner

    Many Thanks
    Mark.