necromancer• enoch o'connor

3

———

dense fog billowed around the ferry, creating a beautiful scene akin to those lakes back home in the early morning.

"y'know i called the only phone on the island, it connected me to 'the piss hole'" jake muttered, looking ill as a pig with swine flu.

marlene snorted, "it's probably a nickname for a bar, maybe the beer tastes like piss."

jacob chuckled nodding.

he then turned away from the water, face drooping slightly, "do you think even one of them is alive?"

"i have no doubt that most of them are still here." she looked away, not wanting to reveal anything too soon.

"what do you mean?"

"nothing jacob." she smiled, moving her attention to the ship wrecks under the surface.

——

the village was picturesque, or it would've been if not for the hideous wiring around town. the judgmental looks from everyone didn't help either.

"we're looking for the priest home, could you point us in that direction?" frank had asked three separate locals and marlene was growing tired.

she rolled her eyes gently pushing herself in front of the man, her accent seeming to get stronger in her frustration, "maybe a converted church, just point us somewhere we can get help please!"

the man, nodded, muttering something in welsh about disrespectful mainlanders, and pointed to a run down church.

she made sure to thank him in welsh, turning and leading the way.

one they made it inside it was apparent that this was not what they were looking for, "excuse me, is this the priest home?" frank asked, and obviously didn't care for how it looked.

the poor man, who seemed so excited for us to be here, frowned slightly, "i reckon you're looking for the priest hole."

marlene sighed, "i don't mean to be a bother, but do you think you could point us in that direction?"

"course ma'am "

she listened carefully noting the instructions he gave rather than the mindless information.

when he finished, he spoke to jacob while she looked around.

reading quickly over the small description for what few items were here. "marley, let's go." frank waved her toward the exit so she waved politely at the man, "thank you"

——

they arrived at the tavern not fifteen minutes later and marlene marveled at everything around her. course the people around her most likely thought she was a dumb american tourist.

while the two men checked into the rooms marlene say at the bar smiling at some of the old photos of drunkards, smiling in alcoholic bliss.

"you all right girlie? friends o' yours is already in the rooms." the barkeep asked.

she nodded, smiling, "been a while since i've come back overseas. i'm just appreciating this fine establishment." that made the man laugh and she chuckled, waving again as she went up the stairs.

"i guess we're sharing a room then jacob." marlene spoke from the doorway spooking the boy.

he held a hand to his chest, "you scared me."

"i know."

——

after reading for a while marlene knocked out, exhausted from her trip and the walk around the entire town.

it seemed however, that jake wasn't going to let her sleep in, "we've got to go to the house today. cmon marley wake up." he shook her and she wanted to punch him.

instead she slapped his hand away and stood up shooing him away so she could change. making sure to tie her boots up properly she walked out.

once she made her way downstairs she was informed that they needed an escort to go to the house, and frank simply couldn't go, he had to get started on his book immediately.

so they headed down to the beach, the sun occasionally peeking from behind the clouds, only to return moments later. once we made it there frank started to look around, marlene already walking slightly away.

"you can't go alone, you'll get lost or hurt."

"then i'll find someone who can take us." jacob replied.

frank raised a brow, "who?"

this time marlene took the pleasure of answering, "we'll ask kev, i'm sure he'll know someone."

"you know what the answer would be if your mother were here." frank sighed, not wanting to argue in such early hours of the day.

eventually he gave in, "alright, just make sure you leave me the number of whoever you go with"

marlene snorted and jacob just shook his head, "there's only one phone on the island."

"fine, as long as they're reliable."

so, she and jacob made their way back into town, unfortunately finding kev gone.

jake just moved on, dragging her toward the nearest shop.

"fishmonger sounds like a place to get murdered." marlene murmured, unnerved by the blood on the counters.

jacob called out, "excuse me," the big man behind the counter glared but jake continued, "we were wondering if you knew anyone that could take us to the other side of the island."

"what the hell for?" the man growled, "nothing over there but bog land and barmy weather."

jacob briefly explained the situation and then the man told them dylan could take 'em but jake would need to change his shoes, "smart girlie, wearing boots. island is mostly bog."

she nodded, "i wouldn't come over to a rainy island without boots."

he called for dylan to get jake the boots and then they were off. they were joined by dylan and another boy, who kept staring at marlene like he'd never even seen a woman, as they made their way to the other side of the island.

———