I suppose it was a strange reaction to immediately think the sudden outburst of frightened cries and shouts was due to my big-eared, woolly pet.But that was my first thought, and I immediately raced toward where I thought the sound originated.Dave, who somehow managed to tear himself away from the magical glass blowing craftsman, followed me.
As I reached the main lawn, I saw a group of people gathering near the low rock wall that created a minor barrier along the lawn, which dropped abruptly down to the rocky cliffs and crashing waves of Friendship Bay below.
Several parents held their children, keeping them away from the cliff and agitated crowd.I slowed down as I reached the growing group, carefully weaving my way closer to where many stood staring down at the rocks and waves.
Through the small breaks in between the lined up people, I caught glimpses of woolly white.
Jack.Oh no, Jack.
Again, I sped up, shoving forward, mumbling my apologies vaguely as I jostled past the onlookers.My pounding heart immediately calmed as I realized the white I’d seen was one of the capes of the carolers, the furry ivory material fluttering in the sea breeze.
But my relief was short-lived as another horrible thought occurred to me.What if Jack fell over the edge of the lawn?Could he have gotten startled and jumped the short wall?Did llamas jump?I didn’t know, and I suddenly couldn’t recall if I’d ever seen Jack jump.Maybe.
I managed to wriggle my way to the very front of the wall and peered over.Then I saw what caused the viewers distress.
Down on the craggy rocks with the dark blue-gray waves covering then revealing to only cover again, I saw a crumpled body.
A very human body clad in soaked red and white material.
“Whoa, it’s Santa,” a teenager in a faded rock band T-shirt and mom jeans said to her friend, another girl dressed very similarly with the addition of space buns on either side of her head.
“Gross,” the other teen said, still staring down at the prone body.
Red fleece and white faux fur rippled in the seawater like festive—although creepy—seaweed.
I couldn’t see from this distance any features, but I could tell by the soggy clothing and the build of the person, that this had to be Peanut.
On the other side of me I heard someone speaking loudly into their cell phone.
“Yes, there is a body that fell over a cliff.At The Captain’s Inn.”The woman in her mid-forties paused.“He’s badly hurt.”
I hoped the woman was on the phone with 911.Her next words reassured me.
“I think he might even be dead.Please send an ambulance.”
“Dead?”one of the teenagers beside me whispered, her voice dismayed.
“Gross,” the other one repeated, although this time she also seemed rattled.
“Maybe we should step back,” I said.They didn’t need to keep staring at someone who had met a terrible end.Possibly.
I glanced back over and winced.I was going to go with definitely had met a terrible end.
“What happened?”I heard Cameron call out from behind me.I turned to see both Cameron and Oliver pushing through the gathered crowd to reach me.
I waved for the teens to follow me.To my surprise, they did.I ushered them past the cluster of gawkers and to the less congested lawn.
Oliver stayed with me and the girls, while Cameron strode to the wall to see what was causing such a stir.
“What are they all looking at?”Oliver asked, dread in his voice.
“There was an accident,” I whispered.
“Why are you whispering?”the teen in the mom jeans asked.
“Yeah, we saw the slayed Santa,” Space Buns added.
“Sleighed Santa,” Dave, who I forgot had followed me, said, clearly amused at the unintentional play on words, but he immediately sobered as we all frowned at him.“Sorry.Not the time.”
