Martin lived alone in a house outside of the East coast on Redbay, named after the odd colour the coastline changes to during sunset. He was at a fragile age where he couldn’t travel as much as he’d like so when he got news of his niece coming to visit, he was very excited. He didn’t get many visitors, in fact, he’d stopped going into the local town since his vehicle stopped working. It was too far to trek on his own, as it would take at least a day for him to make the journey and at his age, he would never make it.
Amber, his niece knocked on his door. It had been 20 years since he last met her, and she was only 9 months old at the time. He answered the door with the type of enthusiasm found amongst the young at Christmas time.
“Coming m’dear!” As he scrambled to get work the door handle
He opened the door to find a young lady with a bright brimming smile staring back at him.
“Uncle Martin!” She cried as she held out her arms for an embrace. Martin invited her in, amazed at how much she’d grown. They both had tea and biscuits and Amber told him of all the news of her family. At one point she left to retrieve something from her car, it was an album with pictures of the whole family.
Martin was thoroughly delighted. Amber stayed until the late evening and watched the coastline turn to an eerie shade of pinky-red. She thought it beautiful, but disturbing at the same time as it was reminiscent of a bloody sea. Martin was having a lovely day and was dreading the moment where she would have to leave. And sure enough, as the sun dipped down past the horizon, and darkness fell across a crashing sea, she thought it time to leave.
“It is dark and late, why don’t you stay the night and you can head out first thing in the morning” Martin pleaded with Amber.
“No, I’ve stayed longer than I was supposed to…my flight leaves tomorrow morning, so I should really head back” Replied Amber. Martin felt defeated. He offered to walk her to her car. Like a true gentleman, he opened the car door for her and wished her a safe journey with a peck to her forehead.
Amber turned the key to the ignition on her car…the car started up, but then stopped abruptly. She looked to it puzzled then tried again. The same thing happened the next 5 times she tried it.
“The battery must be dead, I don’t understand” Amber panicked. “My flight leaves tomorrow, I can’t be left stranded here” Her breaths became quicker and more hysterical as she considered the prospect of being stranded there.
All the while, Martin remained silent. He didn’t want to let on that he was absolutely delighted by the turn of events.
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