Above the Vaulted Sky - Page 158

                 I look to my side and follow Elle’s gaze to Windermere’s heels. The corridor stretches in front of us. To our left is an open vista separated by pillars looking out at the stormy sea. I can hear the waves crashing into the rocks below us. I shudder at the thought of falling. I can’t travel, I’d be stuck to fall on the sharp rocks, beaten by the memory of pain, only to fall and sink into the ocean, forever tortured by the crushing pressure of the water.  I try to stare even harder at Windermere’s heels.

                ‘How did you do that?’ I reply.

                ‘Internet.’ She smiles. ‘The hypochondriac’s friend. I always knew there was something wrong. I had this lump under my armpit. Because they never tell you to check for that do they? They tell you to check yourself out, but never the other symptoms. So I looked online.’

                ‘What did your parents say?’

                ‘Denied it,’ Elle says. ‘I can’t blame them, what parent wants to believe their child has the c-word?’

                ‘I know why you’re so worried,’ I say to her. ‘And I promise, as soon as we’re allowed to go, we’ll go and visit your parents, make sure they’re alright. I’m worried about mine too. They’re more internet obsessed than internet phobes.’

                ‘Internet obsessed parents,’ Elle sounds impressed. ‘How did you manage that one?’

                ‘It’s more of a curse than a present,’ I say. ‘You can’t do anything without them knowing.’

                ‘Try to sneak out and party?’ Elle says. ‘I bet you never stopped.’ She nudges me and winks.

                ‘Oh yeah,’ I say, layering the sarcasm on my voice. ‘Drink, drugs, sex, the works, that was me.’

               We laugh and draw a glance from Windermere over her shoulder. We fall silent again.

                We end the corridor with the scary drop and Windermere opens a set of double doors set into an impressive arched alcove on the left. There’s an enormous sense of grandeur about the place and that’s what makes it creepy. The empty spaces and the endless corridors that seem to lead nowhere. With only the sound of the sea breaking the silence, it feels very lonely here.