HICCSTRID: How Life Goes

Chapter 25: Oh My God

On Sunday morning, I'm wide awake as soon as the seagulls start squawking. In the end, I decide to do the one thing guaranteed to help me get my head straight. Go out and take some photos. I meet Mum in the kitchen as I'm about to head out.
"Oh are you going somewhere?" She says, looking at me, surprised.

"Yes, I thought I'd go and take some photos down at the beach, while it's still empty."
I grab a banana from the fruit bowl and stuff it in my pocket.

"How long do you think you'll be?"

"I don't know, about an hour, maybe two."

Mum frowns. "Ok, and then you're coming straight back home?"

"Yes, why?"

"Oh I was just wondering when I should start making lunch." She disappears back behind her newspaper.

The beach is completely deserted when I get there. It's one of those bleak days where the whole world seems to be painted in shades of grey. I kind of like it though, I like my own private place. I sit in the shelter of one of the shingles and watch the waves rolling out. And all of a sudden I'm engulfed by sorrow. It's like now I've finally stopped thinking about everything else, Casey, school, Holly and Snotlout, it's left a space in my head for memories of Hiccup to rush into. I sit there for ages, rerunning everything that happened. I don't feel angry any more. I just feel sad. Finally, I force myself to get up. I need to think about something else. Something pain free. I pick up my camera and head down to the old pier.

I love the old pier here. With its. Blackened, crumbling frame it looks like something from a scary movie. And it looks even more atmospheric today with the wind whipping around it and the waves crashing at its legs. Behind me I hear a sharp whistle, like someone calling for their dog.

I crouch down and zoom in on the pier thinking how cool it would be if I spotted the pale outline of a ghost hovering.

I hear that whistle again, longer and more insistent this time. Maybe someone's lost their dog or maybe it's gone swimming in the sea. I turn around but I can't see anyone. Then I spot a flash of colour on top of the shingle where I was sitting. A flash of bright pink. I instinctively train my camera on the object and zoom in.

"What the?"

I blink and look back through the lens.
One of Bella's favourite dolls, the one she kept showing me, is sitting on top of the shingle.

But it can't be. That doll is with Bella in New York. I start striding back up the beach, the pebbles crunching beneath my feet. There must be some explanation. I must have made a mistake. However, the close I get, the more certain I become that it is the doll. I can see her pink dress and the creamy white colour of her face and her hair billowing in the wind.

When I get within a few feet, I stop walking and look around. This has to be some kind of trick. But who's playing it? And how? And why?

It doesn't make any sense. I turn and scan the length of the beach right down to the sea but there's no one in sight at all. Then I hear a crunch on the stones behind me and I spin around.
"Oh my god."

Hiccup is standing next to the shingle. He must have been crouching behind it. He's wearing his leather jacket, black jeans and scuffed boots, with the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up over his head.

"Bella told me she was missing you." He says, nodding at the doll.

I'm actually unable to say a word. I'm so sure that I must be hallucinating. This can't be real.

Hiccup takes a step towards me and i instinctively take a step back.

"I came to talk to you." He says with real urgency in his voice.
-=+=-
Alright, I'm stopping this chappie here. 😁 thank you for reading this far, I seriously appreciate it. And if you're that like 20% of people that actually bother to read this part, thank you. Whoever that may be. I seriously appreciate you. And so does everyone else. You are loved dearly.

Thank you.