The Valley

Shadow of a Doubt

They spread out the cans and bottles and pre-packaged sandwiches on a sheet of mangled metal they'd pulled from the wreckage when they rejoined Alice and Naveen, who were still sitting on the train seats by the carriage.

Naveen eyed Brett and his snaking tattoo, like a new kid at school checking for threats against his lunch money, but visibly relaxed when he received a friendly arm-punch and 'Sup, mate' for a greeting. Alice glanced up only briefly, as Brett dropped down crossed-legged onto the grass, as though the bell had just rung for double maths and they'd all gathered in the park to drink, smoke and generally stick two fingers up to the tweed-suited teacher and his bloody equations. He opened one of the cans with a sudden metallic crackle. Alice started with a whimper.

'Easy, darlin'...' Brett reassured her with a quick wink before swigging deeply from the can.

Alice's gaze snapped to Brett's face. 'I'm not your darling.' She seemed to puff up by some unknown force, her cowering posture uncurling as she bristled. 'I am married, you know!'

The following silence seemed to acknowledge that she'd just spoken the most she had since they'd all met.

Brett's eyes widened as he choked with laughter, his lips to the frothing can. 'Whoa...I was takin' a drink, not asking for a quickie. Dunno 'bout you, like, but the smell of burnt metal doesn't get me gagging for it.'

Alice flushed deeply. Her watery blue eyes seemed to empty again as whatever it was that led to her outburst left her and she retreated inwards, with the dazed look of someone trying to remember something important. Sam bit her lip to stifle her smile at Brett's exasperated eye roll, and she thought she caught Naveen doing the same before he checked himself and gingerly offered a drink to Alice. Sam was surprised to see her accept it wordlessly.

'Has everyone tried their mobiles?' Mike ventured, changing the subject and reminding Sam he was here.

'Naw, mine lost battery on the train.' Brett responded first, lying back on his elbows like he was about to sunbathe.

Mike nodded. 'Alice?' he said, gently.

Her sullen eyes darted upwards. 'Curtis says I don't need a phone.'

'Who's Curtis, like?' Brett asked her.

'My husband.' She seemed to try to smile, or at least her features twitched slightly into a strange expression, like the civilised grimace you'd give a doctor who tells you an injection is just a sharp scratch. 'I can't be late getting home. He'll worry.'

For the first time, Sam noticed the gold glint on Alice's ring finger, and the unbidden thought of their loved ones wondering where they were made her throat constrict with an ache. She clenched her jaw in an effort of trying to force the one face that swam into her mind away. She couldn't, she wouldn't think of him right now.

Naveen was fumbling in his pockets. He pulled out a phone and, looking at the screen, his face sank. 'Did you find the driver?' he asked, hopefully.

'No, we didn't,' Sam answered, slowly, not sure whether to voice the thought, 'We didn't find anyone.'

'Shame, 'Brett said, tilting his shaven head. He had a friendly face and easy manner, despite the oversized ripped jeans, skull-crushing boots and leather fingerless gloves. He dressed like the type to steal purses off old ladies, but gave the impression he'd help them across the road afterwards. The corners of his mouth seemed to twist upward, as if he were amused by everything. Sam was impressed; it was taking all her resolve not to curl up in a ball like Alice. 'Be harder to get any compo without no driver as witness,' he continued. 'Bad enough the whole train's taken a beatin' and we're all sitting about without a scratch.'