Chapter 4: Hell, or Dangerous Freedom

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Barley two hours later. The couple stood at the gates of the Brixham berry head orphanage. Each had only packed a single bag of belongings. Natalie Buxton caught sight of them from the office window. She gave a small wave thought the broken glass and beckoned them to come thought the gates. Liam and Zayn waved back but they did not step forward and a moment later they had disappeared. Confused a bit the woman pushed open the door and stumbled out into the afternoon sun. As she reached the gates she saw Liam and Zayn heading off towards the harbour road and the sea beyond.

"Come back, come back!"

She cried

"This is your new home!"

"As if!"

Zayn threw back over his shoulder

"Good call"

Liam said squeezing his boyfriends hand. In the afternoon sun the Paphitis residence glittered like a magical castle.

"That will be my wing"

Zayn said, pointing into the distance.

"And that will be mine"

Liam said

"I'll persuade mr Paphitis to let me drive all his sports cars."

"And I'll fill the swimming with roses so we can both swim together and make out."

They both laughed and, for a moment they didn't see mrs Paphitis, walking through her flower garden. A watering can in her hand. But she had spotted them.

"You came"

She cried.

"You came early!"

Dropping her watering can on the lawn, she ran towards them, wobbling like a jelly in layers of purple chiffon.

"Time to get out of here!"

Zayn shouted and, grabbing his boyfriends, he ran.

The couple only stopped running when they reached the harbour. It was swarming with activity, as always on a fine afternoon like this. The fishermen had already returned with their catch of fish. On the wharf, the sorting process had already begun. They threw their fish into the air as if juggling them, this way a tuna, that way a salmon, over here a cod. Beyond the sorting deck, the wharf was crowded with crab fresh from the ocean. Inside the cages the snake like creatures still moved about, as if trying to escape.

"Ok, we've said our goodbyes, there's not much time."

Zayn said. Liam took one last look around and with a long heavy sigh he nodded. Beyond the wharf the harbour gave way to the moorings of private boats. In the distance, the palatial cruiser belonged to Edmund Paphitis glistened in the sun. It dwarfed its neighbours and blocked out their light. Geoff Payne's boat was moored amongst the smaller crafts. It was a simple yacht, fashioned in the old style, aboard which the couple had spent many happy memorable hours with Liam's dad. Liam and Zayn hurried along the wooden jetty that led towards it.

"Here she is"

Zayn said. He reached out a hand and touched the side of the boat. His fingers running across its name - annabelle.

"Do we dare?"

He asked.

"Yes we dare"

Liam answered.

At that moment, the sun was blocked by a passing cloud. A surprisingly cold breeze snaked around Liam's and he shivered at the sudden drop of temperature. In one swift movement, Liam jumped onto the boat wile Zayn uncoiled the ropes that tied the raft to the dock.

"Stop them!"

Rasped Natalie Buxton.

"Grab them!"

Cried mrs Paphitis.

As Zayn leaped on board Liam looked up to the low clouds scudding overhead and felt the breeze run through his short hair.

"It's a following wind, force two, maybe three"

He said as Zayn brushed past him.

"Sail up!"

He said. The sail billowed out, filling with the wind that would propel them away.

"Cast off forward!"

Called Liam, neatly winding the loose rope.

"Cast off, and we are away!"

Released from all it's moorings, the boat slipped smoothly away from the jetty. As Zayn let out the boom, the mainsail saild gratefully with the extra air and the boat quickly picked up speed.

"Goodbye Brixham berry head!"

Liam echoed, looking back towards the light house, he could have sworn he saw his father up in the lamp room, waving them goodbye. He closed his eyes. Opened them again and the image was gone. They set the boats course to the darker waters beyond the bay. The couple looked hopefully towards their future. As the yacht picked up more speed,Liam noticed the wooden sign that rested on the bow.

"Property of the cooperative bank my ass!"

He grabbed the sign and threw it like a frisbee into the murky waters ahead and it sunk without a trace.

Back on the harbour, Natalie Buxton and mrs Paphitis found that shared distress can be a wonderfully powerful bond.

"Good riddance to them both! Let the sharks get them!"

"No Natalie not sharks. Let the pirates at them!"

"Ohh yes"

Natalie said with an evil smug grin.

"Let the pirates have those ungrateful monsters."

Her day had certainly turned from sour, to sweet. And better still was to come.

"Was that a drop of rain?"

Mrs Paphitis asked.

"Why yes, I believe it was"

Natalie said.

"And look how dark the sky has grown"

"A storm is brewing"

Natalie said.

"And that poor couple, are all alone at sea."

Neither woman could contain her laughter as they turned off to shelter from the, rapidly, deteriorating weather.

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So whats going to happen to Ziam at sea? Do you think they're going to drown? Or meet some unusual presence. Vote, fan, comment whatever. Chapter 5 is next hope you enjoyed :D

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