Page 32 of A Summer of New Beginnings
She began to sing Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’, hoping the positivity would rub off on her. But instead she realised she sounded rather like a cow giving birth on account of the pain. She passed more beaches, although the light was fading and she seriously regretted being bewitched by the one she had stopped at to get a closer look.Stick to thebloody schedule, you idiot.After around an hour and a half, not a single vehicle passing her, she was resigned to the fact that she was entirely alone. It was a sobering thought. All the pretty views in the world weren’t worth feeling this isolated. It was a feeling she had never really experienced back home and being out in the eerie dimming light of early evening simply compounded the senseof melancholy that had descended upon her.
Her side was still aching, but it had eased a little, which was a blessing considering that she was just about to embark upon yet another hill. She reached down and flicked the switch for her lights, hoping that she would be able to see better in the failing light, but, more importantly, she wouldbeseen.
There was a loud popping sound and her bikeground to a halt in spite of her hard pedalling.
‘Please, no. Not a puncture. Please, for fuck’s sake, no!’ she yelled at the inanimate object. ‘How the hell do I repair a puncture in this light? Or bloody lack of it. Oh, God, I hate you, Noah!’ If her boss had been there at that precise moment she would have knocked him out. She checked her phone again and, not only was there no signal, butthe battery was dying. She had forgotten to plug it into the solar charger as she cycled. ‘Shi-i-i-it!’ she screamed like a banshee into the open space before her.
She glanced round but couldn’t see much at all now the light was pretty much non-existent.What the hell should I do?She couldn’t see any buildings. All there was to her left was a huge expanse of what she hoped was just grass. Shewheeled the bike over the bumpy ground and found a spot that was as level as possible. It would have to do. She would have to set up camp for the night and then figure things out in the morning.Good thing there are no bloody trespass laws in Scotland.She was grateful her conversations with friends prior to the trip had dished up that little gem.
As she laid down her bike she felt the firstspots of rain. ‘I don’t fucking believe this! Can this day get any worse?’ A bright flash of lightning was followed by a deafening crash of thunder. And a hysterical laugh left Zara’s throat.
‘God, if you’re up there, is this your idea of a bloody joke? Because I don’t reckon much to your sense of humour!’ she yelled at the sky. ‘So please, please, for the love ofMike, just stop it now!’ Hercries were absorbed by the sound of the rain pounding at the ground as she yanked the canvas out of its bag and tried her best to wrestle it in to place. Just then the mocking worm in her ear began to sing ‘It’s Raining Men’ and she really wished for once that it were.
