Page 14 of The Island in Bramble Bay
‘I know, we’re going to get you sorted, don’t worry.’ Maggie pulled out her phone only to find it had no signal. ‘I’m just going to call the office, I won’t be a sec.’ She made her way towards a clearer area of the wood and hoped for a couple of bars. Nothing. She had to go all the way back to the main path before she saw any sign of life. She rang Megan and asked her to call an ambulance to the quayside in Sandbanks and to see if she could hold the ferry to get them across there.
Maggie went back to Charlie who was exactly where she’d left him, though he’d fallen asleep and the blood was already seeping through the sling.
‘Charlie! Wake up!’ She rubbed his cheeks to try and revive him until he opened his eyes with some effort. ‘Okay, we’re going to get up and walk now. It’s not far, ready?’ She stood in front of him and pulled on his good arm to try and help him up. Once he was standing, she wrapped his good arm across her shoulders and held him around his waist as they started to walk.
It was tricky to walk through the wood two abreast, the trees were so close together and Maggie was constantly looking ahead to decide on the best route while trying to avoid any ground that was too uneven underfoot.
‘I need to stop for a sec…’
‘No, we’re nearly there now, let’s carry on.’ Maggie could feel the full weight of him as he struggled to keep going, both of them struggling and soaking wet. Maggie kept glancing at Charlie’s forearm which was bleeding profusely again and wondered whether they ought to stop to try and stem the bleeding properly or whether it was better to just get to the quay quickly. She felt like if they stopped, she’d never get him going again. It was a definite possibility that Charlie might pass out as he had become so drowsy. They just had to get there.
Finally, just as the visitor centre came into view, Megan came running towards them. The strength fled from Maggie’s body as the relief that they had made it overwhelmed her and she struggled to support Charlie’s weight.
‘Oh my god!’ cried Megan, trying to support the injured side of Charlie without hurting him. She managed to take some of his weight from Maggie by holding onto Maggie’s arm where she was gripping around Charlie’s waist. It was enough to enable them to walk faster, and they managed to get to the quayside before he passed out.
‘Where’s the ferry?’ gasped Maggie.
‘It hasn’t come back yet. I tried to call them but I couldn’t get through.’
Because of the low cloud, the Sandbanks quay was completely obscured from view and there was no sign of the ferry as far as they could see. For a minute, Maggie felt completely helpless. She had got Charlie this far and now they couldn’t get him off the island. Then down to their right, Maggie caught sight of Charlie’s boat bobbing next to them.
‘Help me get him into the boat!’
Between them, they hauled Charlie to his feet again, causing him to cry out.
‘Charlie! We’re going to take your boat. Where are the keys?’
‘Pocket,’ he mumbled as he stumbled into the boat. ‘Maggie, you can’t…’ he began, then passed out again.
Maggie checked his trouser pockets and found the keys. She was so glad she’d gone on that shopping trip with him, otherwise, she’d have no idea where to start with turning on the engine, or anything.
‘Shall I come with you?’ asked Megan.
Maggie agreed without hesitation. It seemed sensible to have someone to keep an eye on Charlie while Maggie was driving the boat.
‘Do you want me to take the tiller? My dad’s got a boat with a similar motor.’
‘Oh god, yes!’ Maggie handed the keys to Megan and sat in the bottom of the boat, with Charlie’s head resting in her lap, stroking his forehead and feeling for his breath with her other hand, relieved to feel it, warm and regular.
As she sat there, looking down at him, his forehead knotted in pain despite being unconscious, all she wanted at that moment was for him to be okay. This man, he meant everything to her.
12
CHARLIE WAS AWAKE, although his eyes were still closed. It was too much effort to open them. He knew he wasn’t at home, in his own bed. Someone was holding his hand and after a couple of minutes, curiosity won the battle he was having with his eyelids.
‘Maggie,’ he whispered.
She was sitting next to him, holding his hand, her hair looked crazy and she was pale but smiling.
‘Hey, how are you feeling?’
‘I’m good…I don’t know…what are we, in the hospital or something?’
‘Yes, remember…’
He followed her gaze to his arm which was heavily bandaged, resting on a pillow at his side.
He went to lift his arm, to take a look and winced when it hurt. ‘Oh god.’ He looked back at Maggie who tried to reassure him.
