Secrets in the Battlements

Chapter III

Violet was becoming fairly anxious as her two-day road trip was coming to an end. The views were spectacular along the quiet highway. Enormous oaks and pines lined the roads with vivid crimson and golden leaves. The evergreens were barely hanging onto their warm brown needles. She had been deep in the forest for a while until she emerged to an even more breathtaking sight.

On her right, beyond the guardrail was a slope of taupe rocks leading down to the shore. Dark crystal blue waters swayed back and forth to touch the shore below the highway. On her left, the forest continued in a beautiful autumn landscape. In front of her, the road curved along the water and a lush green hill loomed in the near distance. She coasted over the hill, and finally laid eyes on the place she would call 'home' for the next few years. It was an island, an odd but luxurious place, for a college. Since it was mid-morning the fog concealed the school itself which simply amplified her intrigue. She pulled up to the ferry loading area and docks.

A few other students milled around while college staff loaded their belongings into the the hold of the ferry. After stepping out of her car into the cool morning air and the smell of saltwater and pine trees, she opened her trunk and began unloading her own suitcases. "A lovely girl like you shouldn't be lifting her luggage." She turned to see a young man smirking. He had ember skin that showed under his blue muscle shirt and cargo shorts. His hair was dirty blond and shaggy but not messy, as if the wind had just tossed it a bit, which was likely. He had a big white smile and deep green eyes. "I'm Brady, I guess you could call me the handy-man around here, well sort of" he mumbled. "Anyways please allow me to take your things over to the ferry. Just have a seat and relax." He picked up two of her heavy suitcases and Violet noticed the muscles in his arms defined, she shook herself out of a trance but before she could introduce herself he had walked towards the ferry. Violet did as she was told and sat on the waiting bench, she picked up her sketchbook and began to capture some of the moments from her drive to the docks. Suddenly, her sketchbook was knocked out of her hands as a gruff, hunched over man shuffled by, pulling a rope. She leaned over to pick it up expecting an apology for the accident but the man kept muttering and trudging away. Violet watched as the man, who was dressed in khaki pants, hiking boots, a tan shirt with a moss vest and a black fishing hat, which covered most of his face with its shadow, tied the rope to a dock post near the boat. He proceeded to get onto the ferry and began to lift the walkway out. "Brady!" he yelled with a hoarse voice. "Git over ere' an' help me." The young man who had helped Vi, leaped over some stacked suitcases and onto the deck of the ferry. The older man just walked aimlessly to the helm.

A few minutes later Violet was comfortably seated on the ferry and peering over the rail into the blue abyss. The ride was very brief and soon massive sand-colored stone turrets broke through the clouds. The sun too was peering through the clouds slowly casting away the morning fog and dew.