Lifeboat

10. The Zoologist

We were supposed to spend the rest of the daylight hours sleeping. The Neighbours showed us into a small, dark attic room, furnished with only an old mattress and a large rug on the hardwood floor. The rug was thick and fluffy so I dived to claim it for myself before the other two even got through the door. Big mistake. It stank of wet dog and old spilt beer.

Marco smirked at me as he pulled off his boots to settle down on the mattress. I bet he'd already slept here before and knew full well what I would have to put up with.

I huffed and turned my back on him. Pushing my hands into fists under my cheek, I raised my nose as far away from the stink as possible.

Listening to Dante's soft, low voice as he discussed things with the Neighbours in the doorway, I started to drift off. However, I was soon rudely awakened by a rush of air past my face. I opened my eyes to see Dante's huge, black boots stepping over my head. He'd obviously chosen to kip down on the mattress. Well, what did I care? Two thumps of his boots discarded on the floorboards, and a few seconds of pushing, shoving and mumbling, then both men began snoring.

It proved to be intolerable. Not only did I have to put up with the stench of the sticky rug, but now I also had the accompaniment of musical nostrils. What the hell was wrong with these two men? One sucked in air like a leak in an ancient aeroplane compartment, and then spluttered it out with what could only be described as dribbly lips. The other held his breath until he had to be ready to pass out, then opened his mouth to release a snore loud enough to wake the dead! How could anyone get to sleep in here with all that going on?

I buried my head with my arms, desperate to go back to the wonderful slumber I'd slipped into so easily before. For a few minutes I tossed and turned, trying to find a good solution to block out the racket and ease my sense of smell, but to no avail.

Eventually I gave up, kicked my legs out in frustration and jumped up on my feet, mad as a wildcat in a cage. I stamped hard on the floor, sending up a cloud of dust and yelled at the top of my voice.

"For goodness sake will you two just shut the heck up?"

Then I stormed out of the room, probably before they even had time to comprehend what I'd said, and slammed the door behind me. I waited on the other side of the door, breathing heavily, blood coursing through me.

The staircase down to the next floor brooded darkly and I had no hurry to meet the Neighbours alone. After what seemed to be at least five minutes passed, the two annoying snore rhythms started up once more. Only this time louder, if that were at all possible. I growled to myself and moved towards a slim passage which led away from the stairs and up under the roof.

It was dimly lit and full of cobwebs, but a glow of natural daylight beckoned me to make the effort and get in there. I pulled the long sleeves of my disgusting sweater down and over my hands. Then I used this to batter away the cobwebs as I stepped sideways through the narrow space.

No matter how much further I progressed, I could still hear them snoring.

As I got to the end of the corridor under the rafters, I discovered that the light came from a small, round window. It had been left open on a catch. Outside the window there was a fairly good sized window ledge which stuck out from the sloping roof tiles. I unlatched the window and swung it outwards. To a magnificent view.

So this was the Italy I had seen in the library books and file archives. The hillside I'd climbed up the day before looked pretty steep, rolling down to a fertile, heavily wooded valley. The sea, there to the left, past the strip of pine trees, sparkled in the hazy afternoon sunshine. But from the other side of the pine trees a wave of hills and farmland stretched out inland to the right. Subtle shades of green, grey and brown crawled up and down as far as I could see. I took in a deep breath of fresh, sea air and exhaled in contentment. I couldn't hear the snoring, I couldn't smell the rug, and even better, no one was here to bother me. This place had to be the best ever.