Dark Waters(7)

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!’