“No, this is ten times worse. He’s stuck in the playhouse chimney.”
5
Lucas slid his key into the lock of the small beachside cottage he’d inherited from his grandparents four years earlier. The lock was rusty and stiff, and it took some force to make the key twist inside it. With a click, the door unlatched and slowly swung open, revealing a dusty, run-down interior that was in desperate need of renovation.
The wooden floorboards were covered in a thick layer of sand that must have found its way through the gaps under the door. His feet left imprints as he walked inside. The disturbed dust and sand danced around him, scratching his throat as he breathed it in.
He couldn’t help but feel guilty as he took everything in. The small galley kitchen that had once been his grandmother’s pride and joy was a mess – cupboard doors hanging off their hinges, broken crockery littering the floor, and then there was the living space – once filled with cozy overstuffed armchairs and all the decorations his grandparents had collected over a lifetime – now bare and dark, with no life in it at all.
Lucas and his sister, Caitie, had practically grown up in this beach side cottage. His father had been working hard at his job at the local pharmaceutical company, while his mother ran the Heavenly Page Bookshop on Main Street – the same way she still did. Lucas and Caitie had spent a lot of time with their grandparents, especially when they were younger. It was why the cottage held sentimental value, and why every time he thought about how much he’d neglected it he felt bad at letting his grandparents down.
He should have done something about this before. Or taken up the offers so many people had made to buy the cottage from him and Caitie. Instead he’d let it fall to ruin, too busy caring about his career to worry about the legacy two people he’d loved had left him.
“Hey, man, I thought that was you,” a voice called through the door, pulling Lucas’ attention away from the detritus in front of him. “I saw the front door open and wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
Lucas turned to see Griffin Porter standing at the front door, one hand curled around the lintel; the other holding onto a surfboard whose tip was resting on the stoop. He was wearing board shorts, no top, and the ocean was still clinging to him. His hair was wet, his beard wetter, and his body glowing in the Californian sun.
“Hey.” Lucas smiled and walked over to him and the two of them shook hands. The pair of them couldn’t be any more different to look at. Lucas’ cropped black hair and freshly shaven face was a stark contrast to Griff’s more rugged look, and yet they had so much in common. Lucas had known Griff for years. They’d been as close as they could be at school, hanging around in a group together with their friends, Jackson Lewis and Brecken Miller. Jackson was a businessman now – running his own high-tech start up right outside of town, and Brecken had left California when he was seventeen. Out of the four of them, Griff was the only one who remained in the heart of the town, running a Whale Cruise Business on the weekends and all week during the summer. The rest of his time he spent surfing in the cool Pacific Ocean.
“Wow,” Griff said, looking over Lucas’ shoulder to the inside of the cottage. “You were right, this place needs a lot of work.” He shook his hair and droplets of saltwater flew in all directions. He reminded Lucas of a dog drying itself after a swim.
“Yeah, it’s pretty neglected.” Lucas’ voice held a hint of regret. “But hopefully I can change that now.” Chief Simons had been right about one thing – renovating this cottage was definitely taking his mind off his job. He would be spending the next few days drawing up plans and working with Frank Megassey on all the tools and fittings he’d need.
“You want to come take a look?” Lucas asked Griff.
“Why not?” Griff propped his board up on the side of the cottage and stepped through the doorway. Lucas took him on a quick tour – the space so small there really wasn’t that much to see. The two of them discussed his plans for updating the tiny bathroom and kitchen, and what type of paint would be best for the interior of the house. Then Lucas grabbed them both a soda from the ice cooler he’d brought with him, and they sat on the front stoop, overlooking the golden sand.
“Remember when we used to come here after school?” Griff asked him. ?
?Me, you, Jack and Breck? We’d surf for hours until your grandma yelled at us to come and get a drink.” His lips curled up. “They were good times, weren’t they?”
“Yeah, they were.” Lucas nodded. He lifted the can of soda to his lips, taking a big mouthful. It tasted good, but nothing like the homemade lemonade his grandma used to make.
In the distance he could see a surfer paddling to hit an oncoming wave. When was the last time he’d been out on the surf? He could barely remember. Too busy saving lives to think about living his. Maybe that was the problem.
“How often do you go out there?” he asked Griff, inclining his head toward the water.
“Most days if I can. It’s gonna get harder once I’m running the daily boats, but I’ll still try and hit the waves in the early morning.” Griff gave him a lopsided smile. “I guess I’m the one out of all of us who never grew up.”
“Does Jackson not join you?” Lucas asked. “I thought he still liked to surf.”
“He comes when he can, but he’s busy, ya know?” Griff shrugged, running a fingertip along his overgrown beard. “Mostly it’s just me.”
He didn’t look too sad about it. Why should he? He was living the life they all thought they would. There was a time when all four of them lived for the waves. Now, they had to work for a living instead.
“Maybe I’ll come out with you some time. I’m a bit rusty though.”
“It’s like riding a bike, or so they tell me. You never forget once you’ve done it.” Griff grinned at him. “You should come out this week. The swell is great right now. I’ll message you when I’m next going out.”
“Yeah, that’d be great.” He rubbed his finger along his chin. It had been a while, but right not the thought of riding the waves sounded like bliss. No need to think, no need to worry. Just him and the ocean.
“It’ll be like old times.” Griff rubbed his hands together. “We can surf, grab something from the beach café, and then if you’d like I’ll come and give you a hand with your renovations. I’m pretty handy with a saw.”
“I’d really appreciate your help.”
A sharp sound cut through the air, coming from the counter on the far side of the kitchen. Lucas recognized it right away. His pager – the one they’d issued him at the Angel Sands Volunteer Fire Department. He shot up and ran into the cottage, grabbing the pager and reading it quickly.
Incident at Angel Sands Elementary School. Emergency Crew required.