Autumn to summer in Penny Lane

September - Part one Barabundle

The cheerful voice of Lauren Laverne betrayed the awkward silence that engulfed the car. Of course Caitlin had been polite but Calam had seen the temporary look of dismay fall from her face before quickly recovering. Now she was putting on her acting skills but couldn't help with a few barbed comments about the prospective weather in Wales.

'Barabundle beach is meant to be cool.'

Caitlin rolled her eyes. Rather than somewhere nice and warm like Ibiza or a little village near Barcelona they were on their way to Wales. Only pensioners and saddo's in hiking boots who liked walking dogs in wet weather or cyclists on a pub crawl would appreciate Barabundle. Plus if the weather forecast was correct it was going to be terrible with heavy rain predicted.  A grimace broke out as Caitlin had hardly packed for a wet weekend.  Instead of jeans and raincoat she had shorts, vests, t-shirts, bikini and flip flops. 

Another pause as Calam continued to try and press how good Barabundle was and what they could do.  For Caitlin she had dropped off after great pubs and lovely walks in the countryside.  Of course Caitlin loved to chill and take in the beauty of the countryside but a bit of warmth on her bones was what she wanted.

There was a sigh from Calam as he wondered whether getting back together was the right thing to do.  Maybe the fact that this was the fourth or was it the fifth time was telling them that it was never going to work.  Calam felt a bit low at that because he did love Caitlin.  She was strong, feisty, not afraid to voice her opinion, fun, street wise but supportive and showed affection.  It was at times like this that Caitlin might as well have been on another planet.

Caitlin too was thinking along the same lines although her concern was whether Calam was stifling her.  Was she going for the safe option but then Calam was always there come rain or shine and there was that connection and love that infuriated Caitlin.  At times they understood each other and there was that warm gooey feeling of life being so cool and that it seemed impossible that they would ever be apart.  Then weekends like this made Caitlin question their relationship.  Maybe they were fighting against the tide. 

A small little cottage that looked lonely and on the edge of some paranormal world hovered into view.  It looked a weekend retreat for witches and poltergeists.  If Vanessa was here she would be on the phone to her psychic Doris.  Glancing at the oddly off angled windows and the dirty white walls it might as well have been a glare of 'abandon hope, of all ye enter.'

'Well that looks nothing like it did online.'

'May be more cosy inside,' Calam mused. 'Still looks... well'

'Looks like the Salem witches summer retreat.' 'Jaysus Cal, there will be all sorts of pentagram's and frogs spawn.'

'A slight exaggeration.'

Caitlin gave Calam a cynical glare as she carefully watched the dark skies above. A rumble of thunder made the pair jump as they got out of the car. Carefully Calam put the key in and twisted it as he slowly opened the door. There was an eerie feeling of a sad emptiness but Caitlin was sure that there was something watching them. Inside it seemed tidy and clean but a feeling that the cottage had been abandoned.

'Time to make this place our own.'

'Can't you feel it?'

'Since when did you become superstitious?'  Calam asked rolling his eyes in exasperation.  After all Caitlin had given Vanessa stick for going to a psychic.

'There's something not right with this cottage.  You can feel it.'

'It's just a musty old smell.'

'What?'  'I am telling you now there's a presence and not a particular good one.'

Calam was just about to interrupt when Caitlin stopped him in full flow.

'All places have a vibe.  This place well,' Caitlin glanced at the darkening corner of the cottage.  'Something evil has happened here.'

'Don't laugh,' Caitlin snapped as Calam stopped with a short sharp pause that she was serious.

'Things don't go bump in the night.  Anyhow we'll only be kipping here and it's for a couple of nights.'

'You can do my head in at times with your know it all attitude.'

'Look I don't believe in ghosts.'

'So it's just in my mind?'

  'Oh come on Cait. Can't we just at least try and enjoy the weekend?' Calam said exasperated at Caitlin appearing to be wilfully trying to ruin this weekend.

'In the cottage of Freddie Krueger?'

Calam paused. Why was Caitlin making things so difficult? There was that sickening stomach lurch that this wasn't going to work out. It was as though they were back at opposite ends of the spectrum. Did they have enough to keep it together or was this just a case of pretending? What hurt was that he still loved Caitlin but there was that surveying of the battlefield knowing that it was going to come. Maybe Calam should just have it out but instead he hoped that it would just somehow sort itself out.

'Come on Cait, let's give it a chance.'

There was a roll of the eyes as Caitlin bit her lip. It was at times like this that Calam really winded her up. That laid back puppy behaviour that she felt as though she had kicked a three month Labrador up in the air. Still maybe they could make something of the weekend. 

'So fancy going for a walk?  There's meant to be a cool pub just down the road.  Nice and snug.  Everything what a pub should be.'

Glancing outside the window and just seeing the green fields was more than enough to lower Caitlin's mood pretty much like an elevator going down.  That was not even counting the dark foreboding clouds that made the cottage look as though it was the manor of the damned.  Nevertheless it was a catch twenty-two.  Stay here and wait to be attacked by a poltergeist or some escaped maniac that would stumble on their cottage. 

'Besides,' Caitlin thought as Calam sighed exasperated at the cool response of her.  'I am being a bit of a bitch to him.  Who knows it be a bit craic.'

'Why not.'

End of Part one. September - Barabundle