Catalyst Read online

  Renee swung around. "Hi Lem. I thought you were asleep. Did you hear our conversation?"

  "Bits. I'll go after her. Be back in a moment."

  ****

  Lem stood, brushed himself off and followed the teenager. His flashlight showed a glimpse of her disappearing silhouette and he had to increase his pace to catch up.

  "Hold it, Courtney," he said softly. "You can easily get lost in here. Everything looks the same." He laid a hand on her shoulder.

  The girl's reaction was unexpected. "Don't you touch me!" she screamed and slung her shoulder sideways away from his hand. "Don't you ever touch me." She stopped and turned to show a tear-strained face with wide apprehensive eyes. Tight lips and a quivering chin portrayed fear rather than anger.

  "I'm sorry," Lem muttered. "I had no intention..."

  "No, of course not." The girl's voice reeked sarcasm. "Damn males are all the same."

  Lem flushed. "That was not my intention. Renee was concerned and I offered to come after you, that's all." He hesitated. "It seems you've had a bad time with men but I assure you we aren't all like that."

  Courtney's eyes held his for a second before glancing away. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "You were so kind earlier. It's nothing to do with you. It's just..." She stopped again and gave a glimpse of a smile. "Oh hell, I've just had a hard time, that's all."

  "Well, come back. We need to stick together. Stalking off and getting lost won't help."

  "I know," Courtney said. "Come on. It's Renee with her broken ankle who needs our company. At least we can walk out, if necessary."

  She headed back to where Renee's flashlight could be seen in the distance. Lem watched for a moment, shrugged and followed.

  ****

  Chapter 2

  Renee jerked awake and tried to orientate herself. Pain, like a white-hot poker, burst through her right leg. She moved to relieve it but only succeeded in bumping her foot. More excruciating pain made her gasp and squint tears of agony. Her eyes opened, saw one flashlight beam glowing and she remembered what had happened.

  "Here, have a sip. I put an aspirin in it," the girl said. She felt cold plastic pressed to her lips. "I'm sorry but there's nothing more I can do." What was her name? Courtney, that was it.

  Renee struggled into a sitting position, felt a guiding arm behind her back and grimaced. "Thanks Courtney. What time is it?"

  "Twenty past eight in the morning. We slept for quite a while. Lem's gone off to inspect the hole we fell through. He never said anything but I think he's worried." The girl pouted in the dull light. "I am, too."

  Renee realized her stomach rumbled and she could smell food.

  "We have a small gas cooker and I've boiled that high energy stuff we had in our supplies. It looks worse than boarding school porridge but it's hot and should fill a hole," Courtney said as if she'd read Renee's mind.

  Renee grinned. "You're an angel." She maneuvered herself up further so she could see the surroundings. Everything beyond the flashlight beam was darkness punctuated by light gray stalagmites and the million glowworms overhead. The air was warm with a slight dusty smell.

  Courtney laughed. "I've been called a few things in the last few months but never an angel. Get this into you."

  Renee took the food and the pair sat in silence while they ate before she broke the solitude. "So you know all about boarding school meals?"

  "Yeah. I was at Miss Shelton's Academy. Heard of it?"

  Renee shook her head.

  "It's a private girls' school in New Hampshire, grand and filled with girls whose parents have money but don't want kids hindering their social lives. I boarded there three long years." She shrugged and slurped her broth. "Well, almost, I left in the last term of my senior year."

  "And were your parents like that?"

  "Like what?" Courtney retorted with a defensive ring in her voice.

  "Lots of money but don't want children hindering their social lives."

  "Yeah, I guess. I didn't think they were until that last day of the winter term when it all came out."

  "If you want to talk about it, I'd like to listen."

  "Why not? We aren't going anywhere. It's no great story but something that always happens to somebody else. When it hits you it becomes quite a shock."

  "I know the feeling but go on, Courtney."

  The youngster glanced up from her bowl, gave a shrug and began her story.

  ****

  The afternoon of the last day of the winter term was an anticlimax. Easter and two weeks of glorious vacation lay ahead but Courtney was bored. Almost everyone had left after classes were over at noon and it was almost two-thirty with only a handful of students around.

  "Why didn't you take the bus to Manchester, Courtney?" Sada Manoharan asked.

  "Mom and Daddy always arrive and pick me up," Courtney replied. "They're usually early. Last year Daddy wandered into our final assembly just after ten as if he owned the place. I could have shriveled up."

  "Perhaps their car broke down." Sada suggested.

  "Could be. Anyhow, what are you doing over the next two weeks?" She continued talking as the pair walked towards the junior students' common room.

  A modern automobile drove in the long curving drive. Courtney glanced back. No, it wasn't her parents' metallic green BMW. She followed Sada when a horn tooted and a familiar voice called out. "Courtney, honey. Sorry we're late but we're here, now."

  It was her mother but why the different car? The girl frowned. Daddy always drove BMWs. She said a brief goodbye to Sada and stepped towards the vehicle that stopped a few yards away.

  Something else was different. Mom was the same but it wasn't Daddy driving the car.

  Her mother, Lizzie Howlett stepped out and rushed to her daughter. "Selwyn knew a shortcut," she said, "but we became lost on one of those little back roads. Silly man." Her face clouded. "You know about Selwyn, honey. I wrote you about him. Remember?"

  "Where's Daddy?" Courtney retorted. It was true. Her mother had written about problems with Daddy. They were always fighting but why was her mother with this other man? She remembered she had refused to finish reading the letter.

  "You never answered my letter," Lizzie said. "I explained everything."

  "But never damn contacted me, Mom," Courtney whispered. "You could have texted, called to even dropped in to see me. Hell, the school isn't that far from home."

  "I was in England until a week back, Honey and this last week..." Lizzie sighed and stared into Courtney's eyes. "Your father left us, Courtney. I told you. He's still in England and is not coming back."

  Courtney glared at the immaculately dressed woman, still not forty, with slim figure and short-cropped brown hair, the businesswoman who had balanced a career and family life, her mom. "Daddy always comes back," she said.

  "No, not this time, Honey. We're finished but come and meet Selwyn Benson. I know you'll like him."

  "Yeah, sure," Courtney muttered and swung away. Daddy was gone without contacting her and her mother had a fancy man.

  "Hello Courtney," interrupted a husky voice. "I've heard so much about you. Your mother hardly stops speaking of all the fine things you've been doing."

  Selwyn looked a typical businessman, slightly overweight, clean- shaven with gray receding hair. If anything, he'd be older than Daddy and certainly wasn't as fit.

  "She doesn't know," Courtney retorted. "She hasn't been near me since Christmas. She never came to parent interviews and I bet she never read my report. Too damn busy in England, no doubt." Her eyes touched the man's for the first time. "Perhaps it was the south of France in the sunshine."

  "Courtney," her mother said in the voice she used when suppressed anger was about to bounce out. "You can at least be civil to Selwyn. He didn't have to come but offered to drive me here. He wanted to meet you."

  "Where's the BMW, Mom?" Courtney turned away from the man.

  "Your father sold it," Lizzie sighed.

  "And what else did he do, Mom
?"

  "Very little. Everything is the same at home."

  "I see and where's home?"

  "I haven't moved, Courtney. Selwyn joined me, that's all."

  More emotions flooded Courtney's mind. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, to scream nobody could replace Daddy, to run into the common room and refuse to budge, or to tell the man he had no right to take Daddy's place. In the end she glanced back at Selwyn and saw an unexpected expression. The man averted her gaze and looked hurt.

  "Thank you for coming to pick me up, Selwyn," Courtney whispered. "I hate traveling in the bus. I've a load of stuff to pile in so I'm glad you have a big car. Drive to the dormitory block. I'll meet you there."

  ****

  "So this Selwyn was the trouble?" Renee asked.

  "Not really. In some ways, I felt sorry for the guy. I think Mom was leading him on. It's his kids that drove me crazy. He had three, two stuck up girls, fourteen and twelve and their little brother. He was okay."

  "So what was wrong?"

  "Mom. She changed. It was as if Selwyn's kids were perfect and I was the visitor. The fourteen-year-old was a little bitch. We fought all the time but Mom never saw my view. Laura, that was her name, stole my make-up and lied through the teeth about everything but it was me who Mom blamed. Anyhow, I survived the vacation and for the first time looked forward to returning to school." Courtney stared into the darkness. "I lasted only a month though."

  "I see."

  "Yeah, I stuffed that one up, too"

  ****

  "Come on, Courtney," Kathleen Anderson said. "You're the one who always said we should stick together."

  "I know," Courtney replied. "It sounds fun but what if we're caught?"

  "Well, if you're going to take that attitude you'll end up doing nothing in your life," Brigitte Somerville retorted, " We might as well be in a convent."

  Sada, the fourth girl present in the dorm, sighed and watched while Kathleen tried to persuade Courtney to accompany them.

  "That's the trouble," Kathleen said. "It's as bad as any convent. If they were a bit more liberal around this place we wouldn't have to sneak out." She gazed at her friend. "Come on, it's Saturday night. Half the staff are off duty and we'll be back before lights out at midnight."

  "Okay," Courtney relented.

  "Right," laughed Kathleen. She ran to her wardrobe and took out her jeans and white sweater. "I've got some make-up, too." She giggled. "Want to use some?

  "Why not?" said Brigitte.

  Fifteen minutes later the four girls sneaked down the back stairs to Kathleen's Honda car. Kathleen reversed onto the street, screeched around and accelerated towards Manchester. Forty-five minutes later they were in a seedy looking club near the town center. Courtney shivered. She didn't like the look of the place one bit but had to be confident in front of her friends.

  "Hi, you girls," said a formidable looking character at the door. "Are you all eighteen?"

  Courtney gave a mental sigh of relief. If they weren't allowed in she could suggest they go to a movie.

  "Yeah, sure," Kathleen replied and grinned at her friends. None of them were and Sada, in particular, looked even younger.

  Courtney's relief was only momentary when the doorman shrugged. "No drugs allowed," he said and opened the glass door.

  Courtney noticed only the stink of sweaty bodies and cigarette smoke, flashing colored lights and the rock band. The group pounded out at full decibels and the girls were bumped and shoved as too many people tried to enjoy themselves in too small an area.

  Kathleen handed Courtney a small pink drink and giggled. "It's only pink punch. There's nothing in it."

  However, something was wrong. The drink made Courtney lightheaded, not in a bad way but enough to make her throw her previous doubts aside and begin to enjoy herself. She pulsed to the beat when a young guy ambled up to her.

  "Howdy," he muttered in a slurred voice. "Me name's Gary. Want'ta dance?"

  "Sure." He seemed quite a hunk.

  ****

  Pulsing colored lights, loud music and a crush of sweaty bodies mixed. The dancing became energetic. Time was a blur. Courtney's eyes caught her watch. My God, it was almost midnight. She was in the ladies' room and had vomited in the toilet. In a mild panic, she tore out of the room right into Sada.

  "Are you all right, Courtney?" the girl asked. "We've been looking everywhere for you."

  "Better now," Courtney replied.

  "Have you seen Kathleen?" Sada continued. "We have to go."

  Courtney bit her lip and gazed around the crowded room. Darkness intercepted by flashing blue and red lights made the dancing bodies mere silhouettes against a haze of smoke and gloom. It was difficult to recognize anything.

  "We lost you both," Sada explained. "It's so late we decided to get the Honda. Brigitte has it out the front. I said I'd come in and find you. Hurry! You've been missing for ages."

  Courtney followed her friend around the room. It took elbowing and squeezing but they found their friend giggling and gyrating in the middle of the floor. She seemed oblivious to everything.

  "We're going," Sada ordered as she grabbed her friend's arm and propelled her towards the door.

  "Hi guys," Kathleen yelled. "One more dance?"

  "No," Sada hissed. "We're going. Brigitte has the Honda out front."

  "Spoil sports," Kathleen muttered but allowed herself to be guided out the exit.

  Brigitte saw them approach, jumped out of the driver's seat and folded it down, so Sada and Courtney could crawl through into the back.

  "I'll drive," Kathleen ordered. As soon as Brigitte was seated in the front passenger seat, she accelerated down the city streets towards I-93.

  "Don't worry," she said cheerfully. "I'll get us back to school."

  "It's after curfew," Courtney wailed.

  Kathleen turned her head. "I know but what else could we do?" she retorted. "It's not my fault you got yourself lost. We couldn't just leave you."

  "Me?" Courtney said. "I wasn't lost. You were."

  "Well, whatever."

  "It'll be okay," Sada said. Her calm voice soothed Courtney's emotions. "We can go up the back stairs."

  "We'll be home before lock out," Kathleen said as she turned onto the interstate. She grinned and accelerated above the speed limit. Within seconds blue and red lights flashed in the rear view mirror and a siren sounded. Kathleen's eyes turned wide in panic and she sped up.

  "Stop!" screamed Courtney. She grabbed the girl's shoulders. "For God's sake Kathleen, stop."

  The police car kept pace in an adjacent lane. "Will the driver of the Honda please pull to the curb," a loudspeaker crackled through the night air.

  "We'll lose him here," screamed Kathleen as they flashed under the large sign indicating an exit.

  Whether it was the speed, the alcohol, or Kathleen's inexperience, nobody ever found out but the Honda did not complete the turn. Courtney's mind blurred with vague memories of a screech of brakes and flashing lights before she blacked out.

  ****

  A flashlight shone in her eyes and screaming reached her ears. It sounded like Kathleen. Courtney struggled to move but throbbing pain cut through her mind and she found it difficult to breathe.

  "Hello, there young lady," said a kind voice. "Just lie still. We'll get you out soon. The seat belt saved you." The highway patrol officer turned. "We need help here. There's a lot of blood."

  Courtney lost consciousness again.

  When she woke she found herself on a stretcher with a paramedic holding a satchel of clear liquid above her head. The Honda looked wrecked with the far side squashed in against a concrete wall. Skid marks gouged deep ruts across a grass strip and steam rose from the engine.

  One other stretcher was beside her. It was Kathleen. Their eyes met and the other girl burst into sobs and reached out. Courtney found a cold limp hand to squeeze and wondered where the other two were.

  ****

  "Sada and Brigitte were k
illed that day," Courtney whispered. "A concrete support beam crushed their side of the car and they never had a chance. Kathleen was hardly hurt but I was cut up a bit."

  "I'm sorry." Renee's eyes were filled with compassion. "Have you kept in touch with Kathleen?"

  "Yeah," Courtney replied and gave a little grimace. "I wish I hadn't."

  "So what happened next?"

  "I was suspended for a week. Mom had a blazing row with the principal, withdrew me from the school and I went to the state school at home. It didn't work out though. Laura was a freshman at the same school and caused trouble. Mom and I couldn't get on, so one day I walked out." Courtney stared through the darkness at her companion. "I thought that would solve my problems but I was wrong. My God, was I wrong."

  ****

  Chapter 3

  Lem stopped, wiped a hand across his perspiring brow and searched around. The flashlight beam showed an almost vertical section of loose rock above him. He grunted. It would be impossible to go higher. Far below, one tiny flashlight showed where the other two were while overhead the blue glowworms sparkled across the ceiling. A faint movement of cooler air tumbled from the tunnel above and stirred particles of dust in the limestone. Lem coughed and made one last inspection across the face before he decided to return to the others.

  The slip on the far side was steeper and unstable. He turned and was about to retrace his steps when his flashlight beam caught something orange. It appeared to be clothing. Lem frowned and made his way forward. When the area lit up his casual interest focused.

  Lying with one arm and his head out of the rubble was their guide. His head tilted back at a grotesque angle and open eyes bulged from a ghostly face.

  "Sam." Lem gasped and scrambled through the loose soil.

  He reached the body in seconds. Sam was dead and by the look of the pallid, gray skin, had been since they'd slipped. Lem sighed, pulled the jacket from the debris and laid it across Sam's face.

  "Sorry, Sam," he whispered. "You did not deserve this."

  He squeezed the stiff arm and made his way back.

  ****

  "It's bad news, I'm afraid," Lem said to the others. "Our guide never made it."