Simi looks around the little group. She sees Marybelle undaunted, standing beside Fred who is pale and creased, next to the blanketed Bernard. On the other side of Bernard is Tim, his glasses spattered.

What keeps these people going? Place is ruined. We’re in the middle of nowhere. No blue lights in sight. I feel like I’m about to fall over. About as much use as a bread stick stuffed in water. Why are they still standing? And anyway who’s going to pay for all this?

She doesn’t mean to ask the question, but she does, and too abruptly. Marybelle, turns and stares at her, then echoes the question, as if she can’t understand it. “Who’ll pay?”

Come on … surely. Surely somebody’s thinking like me.

“There must be insurance?” Simi tries to make the question a little clearer, to unhook herself from Marybelle’s question mark eyes.

“What? Insurance? Doubt these guys had any.”

 “Maybe they do,” says Tim, with a shrug. “Maybe. Anyway, the big thing is everyone’s okay … at least I hope there was nobody in that squash court.”

“Oh no! I hope not …” A flash of horror crosses Marybelle’s face then vanishes. “No. We would have heard by now. Thank you God,” she says closing her eyes.

“Not sure what God’s plan is,” says Fred, “but I think he’s going to need a hand here. We’ll have to make the plan. Help Rudd sort himself out.”

 “Hope it works,” Simi mumbles, trying to smile.

“Well, nothing much we can do about any of it right now.” Tim, voice energetic, turns to his charges. “Priority is to get you two gentlemen to a place to rest. That’s my plan. Let’s go. Hope to catch you ladies later.”

Together Simi and Marybelle watch the trio squelch slowly across the verandah, towards the stairs down to the bedrooms.

“Shall we go and check on our rooms?” Marybelle asks.

Simi nods. She is glad to feel the small arm loop again through hers, glad to be able to think of a bed at last.

At the top of the stairs, they pause to look out over what was once the swimming pool terrace, with the angled height of the squash court along its far end. Now there is just a small lake, with a pile of bricks in the distance, and a group picking its way over them. Simi recognises Rudd out in front. They hear him call out to the others. “Hey guys, doesn’t look like there’s anything here. Think you’d be better off searching in the other area. Be careful though. More may collapse.”

The five or so move off, weary as flags at half-mast. Rudd does not follow. Instead he begins to head up towards the Lodge. Then he turns and calls back to them. “I’m going to see if I can get breakfast together. Give me an hour and I should have something ready for you.”

A few replies bounce back as he continues on towards the kitchen. Marybelle shouts across to him. “Rudd, can we give you a hand with breakfast?” Rudd stops and waves. Even from a distance Simi can see the strain on his face.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023