passed Laurie, and bolted towards Mario.
“Dylan,” said Mario, a smile spreading across his face. He crouched, careful not to dirty his jeans further. The dog ploughed into him, nearly knocking him into the mud.
“How you doing, boy?” he said, vigorously rubbing the dog’s back. It had been in the pond at some point, or one of the smaller pockets of water that littered the dunes. The fur separated between his fingers, hair cold and slick. The dog smelt dank, like a gym kit left to fester.
Mario breathed it in, welcoming the stench. He scratched the dog’s ears.
Dylan responded by cocking his head, dropping the stick and releasing a low, guttural moan.
“You haven’t changed, have you?” said Mario.
The dog flopped onto its back, keen to have its belly rubbed. Mario obliged.
“I guess he missed you,” said Laurie. Mario glanced up. The girl had walked closer. “We…” She paused and sighed. “I guess we both have.” She walked away from the pond with small, careful steps and up the small slope to the start of the dunes. “You coming? Or just going to spoil Dylan all day? You know he’ll let you.”
“Yeah,” said Mario and stood. The initial rush of adrenaline had been replaced by a light head. His body tingled, and his limbs seemed heavy. “You…you want to sit down?”
Laurie turned and smiled. She walked backward. “Where? It’s wet.”
“Everything’s wet! You’re wet. I’m wet. The dog’s wet. What difference does it make?”
She laughed. It spurred Mario into action, and he jogged after her. Dylan picked up the stick and followed.
Laurie approached a small, grass-covered hump. It protruded from the base of a towering dune like an earthy tumour. She prodded it, testing the dampness. Apparently satisfied, she sat, her legs straight and slightly apart. Her heels pierced the sandy ground.
That’s our spot. That was…
That was the first place we kissed.
On the initial walk, Mario hadn’t yet made his first move. He remembered his nerves, and his initial shock of this gorgeous girl inviting him along. Laurie had been a different person, too. The blonde hair, tattoos and navel piercing were present, but underneath her rock chick facade, Mario had sensed a sweet girl, confused and desperate for attention, but sweet nonetheless.
Mind returning to the present, Mario peered at the sky. The rain had faded away, and the air smelt fresh and clean. He stepped towards Laurie. She shifted across to make room.
Mario froze and glanced around. Hairs stood to attention on the back of his neck.
“Mario? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he said, scanning the pond behind him and the surrounding trees and bushes. Again, a seagull called across the dunes. “Nothing at all. Just had the feeling we’re being watched.”
Laurie tilted her head back, painted red lips delicately raised. “This place giving you the creeps, hon? Isn’t this why we came here? The beautiful isolation. I haven’t seen anyone else at all…” She lifted a foot and playfully jabbed him in the leg. “Unless you brought someone along. You didn’t have a little friend of your own and lose them, did you?” She pouted.
Mario stared back at her. Her mocking voice sounded familiar. His brow creased. The memory refused to emerge.
K…K…Kathy? Or Kerry? Do I even know a Kerry?
No.
Who the hell am I thinking about?
Laurie saw his expression and her smile fell.
“Seriously, you’re on your own, right? You’ve gone all weird on me.”
Mario shook his head and beamed.
“Don’t be stupid! Of course I’m here alone. Would I bring anyone else here?”
He sat beside her and realised their hips were touching. For a moment, he thought of nothing else, except…
This isn’t right. I didn’t come here alone. Did I?
He glanced at Laurie. She smiled.
Those eyes. Why did I ever leave those eyes?
“…you won’t…”
Mario ignored the voice. He knew its owner, an old man in a musty jacket, but they sat
“Dylan,” said Mario, a smile spreading across his face. He crouched, careful not to dirty his jeans further. The dog ploughed into him, nearly knocking him into the mud.
“How you doing, boy?” he said, vigorously rubbing the dog’s back. It had been in the pond at some point, or one of the smaller pockets of water that littered the dunes. The fur separated between his fingers, hair cold and slick. The dog smelt dank, like a gym kit left to fester.
Mario breathed it in, welcoming the stench. He scratched the dog’s ears.
Dylan responded by cocking his head, dropping the stick and releasing a low, guttural moan.
“You haven’t changed, have you?” said Mario.
The dog flopped onto its back, keen to have its belly rubbed. Mario obliged.
“I guess he missed you,” said Laurie. Mario glanced up. The girl had walked closer. “We…” She paused and sighed. “I guess we both have.” She walked away from the pond with small, careful steps and up the small slope to the start of the dunes. “You coming? Or just going to spoil Dylan all day? You know he’ll let you.”
“Yeah,” said Mario and stood. The initial rush of adrenaline had been replaced by a light head. His body tingled, and his limbs seemed heavy. “You…you want to sit down?”
Laurie turned and smiled. She walked backward. “Where? It’s wet.”
“Everything’s wet! You’re wet. I’m wet. The dog’s wet. What difference does it make?”
She laughed. It spurred Mario into action, and he jogged after her. Dylan picked up the stick and followed.
Laurie approached a small, grass-covered hump. It protruded from the base of a towering dune like an earthy tumour. She prodded it, testing the dampness. Apparently satisfied, she sat, her legs straight and slightly apart. Her heels pierced the sandy ground.
That’s our spot. That was…
That was the first place we kissed.
On the initial walk, Mario hadn’t yet made his first move. He remembered his nerves, and his initial shock of this gorgeous girl inviting him along. Laurie had been a different person, too. The blonde hair, tattoos and navel piercing were present, but underneath her rock chick facade, Mario had sensed a sweet girl, confused and desperate for attention, but sweet nonetheless.
Mind returning to the present, Mario peered at the sky. The rain had faded away, and the air smelt fresh and clean. He stepped towards Laurie. She shifted across to make room.
Mario froze and glanced around. Hairs stood to attention on the back of his neck.
“Mario? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he said, scanning the pond behind him and the surrounding trees and bushes. Again, a seagull called across the dunes. “Nothing at all. Just had the feeling we’re being watched.”
Laurie tilted her head back, painted red lips delicately raised. “This place giving you the creeps, hon? Isn’t this why we came here? The beautiful isolation. I haven’t seen anyone else at all…” She lifted a foot and playfully jabbed him in the leg. “Unless you brought someone along. You didn’t have a little friend of your own and lose them, did you?” She pouted.
Mario stared back at her. Her mocking voice sounded familiar. His brow creased. The memory refused to emerge.
K…K…Kathy? Or Kerry? Do I even know a Kerry?
No.
Who the hell am I thinking about?
Laurie saw his expression and her smile fell.
“Seriously, you’re on your own, right? You’ve gone all weird on me.”
Mario shook his head and beamed.
“Don’t be stupid! Of course I’m here alone. Would I bring anyone else here?”
He sat beside her and realised their hips were touching. For a moment, he thought of nothing else, except…
This isn’t right. I didn’t come here alone. Did I?
He glanced at Laurie. She smiled.
Those eyes. Why did I ever leave those eyes?
“…you won’t…”
Mario ignored the voice. He knew its owner, an old man in a musty jacket, but they sat
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