Shadow in the Tides - Bonus Material 2

The flurry of white gossamer is momentarily caught on the breeze before falling in a neat circle around Chloe’s purple shoes. She finishes on a ‘loves me’ and laughs.

‘Let’s see now. I tell them, I tell them not. I tell them, I tell them not.’

She laughs again, turning to speak over her shoulder. ‘I know you’re there. Always watching. Relax, I won’t tell them until the time is right. I know my role. Besides, they need a final nudge. Give the town something new to talk about.’

Chloe glances down at her empty hands and sulks. ‘All gone. Need some more.’ She holds out her hand. ‘One more, I promise. I’ll stop once I have the answer.’ A moth lands delicately in the palm her hand. ‘Hey, pretty,’ she says before capturing it in both hands. ‘And when I said one more, I obviously meant one more after that and another and another.’

‘Chloe!’ Addison waves from across the field.

Chloe motions for Addison to join her. As Addison walks closer, Chloe continues her decision-making with a whispered, ‘Go big, go home. Go big, go home. You notice how Mia and Addison have distinct faces? I can’t recognise Sara from Olivia, Liam from Alex. Couldn’t say if they’re fifteen or forty years old. They all look the same to me. But I can see Addison from all the way across this cesspit. It’s obvious she’s not one of them.’

As Addison draws up alongside her, Chloe shakes off her feet and a shower of delicate fibrous wings scatter from her shoes.

‘Are those wings?’ asks Addison.

Chloe makes a face. ‘The damp attracts bugs. And they somehow lost their wings. Careless, no?’

Addison bends to scoop up the wings and gasps. ‘Are they flying ant wings? Some are still alive, crawling in circles like they’re drunk and unbalanced without their wings. There are so many. I’ve never seen them here before.’

Chloe knocks them out of Addison’s hands. ‘Ugh! Don’t touch. Probably have bird flu. Besides, you need to tell me what happened after I strategically left the room at the perfect time.’

‘Nothing!’

‘Adi, tell Chloe what the teacher’s son wanted to ask you.’

‘You knew?’

‘Oh my word, yes! Poor thing has been trying to ask for days but you were too busy gauging if snake bites, secondary drowning and undiagnosed heart conditions were fatal in and of themselves or because the hospital is forever away.’ She bounces. ‘Tell me what he said!’

Addison steels herself with a deep breath. ‘He suggested we go to the oath ceremony.’

‘Like a date?’

‘More like an extension of scientific research.’

Chloe gags. ‘You’re so boring. How did we end up as friends? Although, what am I saying? You clearly need all the help you can get.’

‘It’s not a date. We’re going as friends. As ourselves. Casual.’

This earns a sceptical look from Chloe.

‘Why don’t you come too?’ Addison asks. ‘We can all go together.’

‘Oh, sure, I’ll be around. I love a Mantua town event.’

‘Have you been to one before?’

Chloe tosses her hair. ‘You know, small town shindigs.’

‘Will you take the oath?’

‘Me? Swearing by the elements of Mantua. Ha! Ironic.’

‘How do you mean?’

Chloe gazes up to her favourite spot in the clouds. ‘Just a word I’ve heard and always wanted to use. Not even sure what irony is, if I’m honest. But I can identify that pause the second before you’re supposed to call something ironic.’

Addison nods. She is familiar with the evasion tactic of using too many words. Her mother often takes that approach to lying. ‘Meet you there at 7:00 p.m.?’ she suggests.

‘Okay. And, Adi? I’m going all out with the outfit so up your game. Else it’s likely the teacher’s son will be obsessed with me, like that!’ Chloe snaps her fingers.

After a beat, Addison asks, ‘Have you changed your mind about dating?’

‘No. I vacillate over the small things, never the things that matter. But the season is long and a girl gets bored. You don’t believe in the legend, so the teacher’s son is fair game, right?’

‘Are you trying to get a reaction out of me?’ Addison asks.

Chloe blinks in wide-eyed innocence. ‘I think more about myself than you, Adi. I’m more interesting, you see.’

‘Fine, let’s meet 7:00 p.m. at the ruins. We also need a few able-bodied people to carry chairs for the elderly. Could your parents help us?’

‘Definitely not. I’m the most conscientious in my family and, well, you’ve met me.’