Below the Radar - Cyprus Summer of '74

Chapter 25 : The Finish Line? (Pressure Drop)

Days 5: Everybody's Talkin' II

The day five hike down to Kato Milos was completed successfully by the remaining participants, but with little enthusiasm. The teams from Episkopi were the only ones that had not been affected or involved directly, though like all the teams, they had friends who were.

The previous night's events dominated the chat in all twelve teams throughout the day, opinions split on every aspect. Who started it and why? Who was to blame? Who had been punished? Who had been thrown off? Who had been withdrawn voluntarily and what exactly were the injuries?

Even those who claimed vociferously to have seen the 'whole thing' told very different tales of the nights events.

Nige from Episkopi and friend to most of the BG lads up until the By-Pass Incident a few weeks ago, bored his team mates rigid during the day as his allegiances swayed this way then that, before explaining how he would have finished the whole thing quickly if only he'd been able to reach the scrap in time. Nobody quite knew what that meant or which side he now favoured.

* * *

Kate's team avoided the topic most of the morning, everyone aware that Kate had been involved, even if unintentionally. Kate herself was unusually subdued. As they relaxed over lunch Jess, Kate's close friend, decided she'd had enough of the sombre mood ....

"So, Kate, what's it like to have half a dozen boys fighting over you then?" Ploughing on into the silence that greeted her, "I can't believe it. We hike all the way to the top of a beautiful mountain and they still get into a bloody punch up".

The rest of the team instinctively stopped chewing their lunch and smiled, all eyes turning toward Kate to see how she'd react. Initially Kate looked up slightly aghast, her mouth half open....

"Jess! I ..... I didn't want anything like that to happen!"

"Oh, don't look like that. I know it wasn't your fault Kate but come on ...... it was exciting. If it was me, well two good looking guys fighting over you, then everyone else diving in, you must have felt a little bit special?"

"No.... no way, of course I didn't". The words came out slowly and even to Kate felt unconvincing. She couldn't stop a small smile and the bloom in colour spreading across her cheeks.

She sighed before continuing. "I was getting fed up with Tristan, you know how clingy he can be. And then it felt good when Alex plunged in from nowhere, trying and save the day. Not that I needed his help, I was about to clout Tristan myself, for nearly wrenching my arm off, but when Alex got involved it got totally out of hand".

"See, Jess was right", Lesley chipped in. "Hey, I'm not saying we blame you Kate, boys will always find something to scrap over. But, come on which one do you fancy most – the older, dashing outsider Tristan or the cute, funny Alex with the cool but dangerous big brother!"

All the team decided to join in now, laughing as banter flew over the competing qualities of Kate's two bruised suitors.

"Well Alex is pretty good looking as well and really nice ...."

"Yeah but Tristan is a bit different..... I like that posh moody thing he does."

"What, the jealous guy rubbish?"

"Alex lives here as well; Tristan is only here for about eight weeks a year."

"Still - what about you Kate?" Jess wondered.

"Well, officially I am still going out with Tristan. Though after last night I don't know why. He gets so jealous, particularly over Alex. And like you say he's only here during holidays anyway. He's great when it's just us two, but Alex is good fun to be with all year round. They're just both so stupid, though Alex was only really looking out for me ..... and Tristan flies back to England next week. He won't be back until the summer holidays".