Page 68 of Midnight
Then there had been setbacks that no one could have anticipated, not even the most advanced forward planner. Her mum’s health began to deteriorate almost the moment Olivia left for university. Early-onset dementia had been the diagnosis. Pretty soon, she knew she’d have to find a job that could pay for her mum’s care. She’d looked up all the options and the starting salary for actuaries was one of the highest for new graduates, along with excellent earning potential; if she could fully qualify in good time, she might just be able to juggle care costs on top of her own living expenses.
She’d landed a position on Pendle’s graduate scheme and the rest was history. She’d blocked sailing, the yacht, the whole trip from her mind.
But now, seeing another yacht with the nameClarissahad shaken her to her core.
It couldn’t be a coincidence. But what on earth could it mean?
She had to see the yacht again or speak to someone who might know about it.
Bells chimed, informing passengers that Zodiacs for the mainland would be leaving shortly for anyone who wanted to go ashore.
Olivia jumped up. This was her chance.
She went back down to the mudroom, carefully dressing in her big waterproof trousers, jacket and boots,making sure to step through the disinfectant. She settled down into the big rubber Zodiac, along with a few other passengers she didn’t recognize.
‘Hold the boat! You can’t go on shore without us.’ Olivia heard Cutler’s big booming voice and closed her eyes.Please don’t be in my boat, please don’t be in my boat, she silently begged. She wasn’t in the mood for small talk.
‘Not with your kids this afternoon?’ asked their Zodiac driver, Dr Vance, the glacier expert from a few nights before.
‘They decided to go for another trip in the kayaks after this morning’s disaster.’ Once Cutler settled in the boat, he noticed Olivia. ‘And there’s the culprit! Not going to tip this boat over too, I hope?’
Olivia’s need to respond was swept away by the wind as the Zodiac sped away towards the shore.
The Zodiac was a remarkable vessel – while it was basically an oversized inflatable dinghy, she was surprised by just how stable she felt nestled down in that bucket of rubber.
They sped through the harbour, passing small rocky beaches separated by cliffs of ice that rose from the blue waters, glacial moraines terminating at the sea. She was glad to be far from them. Behind them lay enormous mountains covered in snow and a pure white landscape that stretched beyond the horizon.
The icebergs seemed to multiply as they approached the shore; there were floating islands and thicker brash ice to navigate that crunched against the rubber of the boat.
‘Is this normal?’ Olivia asked Dr Vance, gesturing to the ice cluttering the bay.
‘Normal?’ He shrugged. ‘It’s hard to say. The continent is shedding ice far quicker than any scientist’s predictions. The whole coastline is unstable. But maybe that is our new normal.’
‘That’s scary.’
‘It is. I worry every trip down here that the continent shrinks. It’s hard to make people care unless they see it with their own eyes. That’s why you should take pictures, share your memories of this remarkable place when you get home. So that it still exists for the future generations.’
He cut the Zodiac’s engine, allowing them to drift on to the landing beach. ‘Please be careful when disembarking – and, remember, use the sailor’s grip when you get off.’
As she was waiting her turn to disembark the Zodiac, Olivia leaned over to look in the water. There was life there too. Wafts of seaweed floated by – even a couple of sea anemones clung to the rock. Whatever lingering perception she’d had of Antarctica as barren and lifeless evaporated.
‘Careful,’ said Dr Vance, the glaciologist, taking her arm above the wrist and helping her on to shore. She stumbled – vertigo from the sensation of going from a constantly moving boat to solid ground.
‘It’ll take a few steps to get your legs back after being at sea.’
‘Actually I’m just wondering. Where can I go to get some good views?’
He looked down at his watch. ‘If you’re up for it, you can follow that path up to the head of that trail there, leading to the top of the hill. You should get a pretty amazing view back over the harbour. Just make sure you’re back within two hours.’
‘Thank you.’ She squinted as she looked up at the mound of snow. Already a few people were making their way up, wrapped in their red jackets, dotting the pristine landscape.
She trudged on, but a flash of movement by her feet caught her eye. She looked down – by her boot clucked a little gentoo penguin, young and fluffy. While she knew they weren’t allowed to approach the wildlife, there were no rules preventingthemapproachingher.She moved slowly, gently removing her camera from her pocket while trying not to frighten the penguin away. But actually the penguin was completely unflappable. If anything, her movement drew it closer to her, ever curious. It even pecked at the hard silicone of her boot as she snapped photo after photo.
She took a step forward, though reluctantly. It quirked its head at her, and she thought she could read annoyance in its face. ‘Sorry, little buddy, I’ve got a mountain to climb.’
The cold stung her cheeks as she walked, and she tucked her chin into the collar of her jacket, pulling the hood up over her head for an additional layer. She was grateful for her sunglasses; the sunlight reflecting off the snow was almost blinding.
As she walked higher, the snow crunched beneath her boots. It was quite steep, and she passed a few people huffing and puffing – including Cutler. His wife was faring better, a few feet ahead. ‘Tell me, how is Annalise doing?’ Cutler asked as Olivia passed.
