Sarah was bored. At ten minutes to midday, nobody had entered the book shop for more than an hour. She didn't blame them. It was a lovely warm summer day and most people would have headed off to the coast, rather than spend time roaming around the shops which surrounded the market place.

Leaning her elbows onto the counter, she watched the second hand of the clock on the wall above the doorway, willing it to move faster and get the minute hand to finally reach half past the hour. Then, her boss would arrive and relieve her for lunch.

As much as she loved picking up unusual novels and investigating nonfiction paranormal editions, they were of a finite number and she'd been through them all. Sarah sighed heavily, shifting her bottom on the round stool she rested on behind the cash desk, making the seat twist from left to right with her motion. She counted up the hours she'd worked this week in her head. Calculating the hourly wage against the time. Would she have enough left over this month to get hold of some new equipment? She needed evidence, to stop her mind from turning over the bleak possibility that her father's experiences melted down to nothing but hallucinations. That she would be following in his footsteps.

Duncan had been very generous in loaning her the infra-red camera, but she didn't want to keep relying on his charity. There was some great stuff on offer in the local paper's private sales section and she'd like to try out different techniques of catching certain moments on other instruments. Maybe a tape recorder type thing would do it, or that gadget with the electrical charge reading, or perhaps - -

"Miss Laker!"

Mrs Elizabeth Harrison shouted so loudly that Sarah stumbled in her twirling movement and slipped off the stool, banging her ankle bones on the metal legs.

The short, slightly built fifty year old, had crept in unnoticed from the back door which led into a storage yard. She was a walking contradiction of first impressions. To the customers she came across as a caring, intelligent and friendly lady, from Caribbean descent. However, to Sarah, the one and only member of staff, she was just a good source of heartburn.

Rubbing her sore ankles, Sarah jumped free of the stool and tried to force a smile of greeting for her boss.

"Hello, Mrs Harrison. How are you today?"

Elizabeth Harrison rewarded her inquiry with a snort of impatience and a curl of her upper lip. The little woman slammed her fake Gucci handbag down on the counter beside Sarah, making her jump once again, and began unbuttoning her smart, blue cardigan. Sarah knew it was best to avoid making eye contact with her employer. The Medusa effect as Duncan said. She listened as the lady spoke to her in a deep voice, void of expression.

"I suppose you can go for lunch now. Make sure you are back on time today, please, or I will dock it from your pay again."

It had only happened once and Sarah had been barely three minutes over.

"Go on. You can go."

Not needing to be encouraged further, Sarah snatched her small backpack and bolted for the door. The doorbell on the top clanged as she swung it shut hastily behind her.

Freedom.

She fished out her John Lennon-style sunglasses from her bag and made her way through the mingling shoppers, crossing through the narrow passage between the market stalls, browsing the wares as she went. The traders called out for customers, each one yelling in competition with the next. After her eight years working in the city, the few she knew called after her, simultaneously greeting and tempting her. The aroma of bacon sandwiches and sweet fudge threw themselves at her, clinging on to her senses for dear life.

Bursting out from under the cover of the market's canvas roofs, she spotted Luke's familiar form. He strolled up the street on the far side of the square, heading for McDonald's. She followed him down to Hay Hill.

She smiled as she watched him stand aside and hold the door open for a young mother with a pushchair to enter the restaurant first - always the gentleman. A gentle giant, with a good heart. Crossing the road, Sarah snuck up behind him and stabbed his back with her fingers and shouted at him.

"This is a stick up. Give me all your cash, big man."

Luke span round not noticing all the stares from other customers inside the restaurant and picked Sarah up off her feet.

"More like a fuck up, lady!"

He set her down and they went in to the order counter giggling and pushing each other like schoolchildren. Now that she was by Luke's side, her whole dull day brightened. His booming, infectious laugh never failed to make her smile.

After receiving their dinner, they took their trays to a corner table, out of range of the kids' party happening on the other side.

"How's the Wicked Witch of the West doing today? I take it her broomstick landed okay?"

Sarah grinned, dipping her fries into the ketchup container.

"Happy Harrison is in a wonderful mood. She must have caught some more children to cook."

"Or she ate the last ones she fattened up for breakfast. Are you sure you don't want to try for a job at my place?"

"Nah, her bark's much worse than her bite."

"Unless there's a full moon."

"I like being in the books and the hours are regular. You've got to do Sundays now and again haven't you?"

"Yeah. That sucks. You'd have me and Gavin and Matt to have a laugh with though. Oh, by the way, they're coming out this evening with us for a bit."

Sarah threw a French fry at Luke's lunch. He picked it up and ate it, grinning.

"Thanks. Thought you'd be happy about that."

"They stink." Sarah sulked, pushing herself back in the chair. "What did you have to do that for?"

"Ah, come on, Saz. It'll be fun. You can take the piss out of them when they get turned down by all the girls."

"That would be nice to see."

"Alright. I'll see you back at Duncan's then." He checked the time on his flip top mobile and began to clear up the packaging. "Better get moving, Loopy. The witch'll have her flying green monkeys out looking for you."

Sarah finished her milkshake and stood up to go. Unfortunately, Luke did the exact same thing at the exact same time. Their heads crashed together with an audible thump, rattling her teeth.

"Aww, shit, Loopy! Are you okay?"

Rubbing her forehead Sarah laughed.

"Your head's made out of bricks. Get your huge arse out of here before you kill me."

**********
The three friends started the evening off with a dinner of veggie noodles, prepared by Duncan's aunt and delivered hot and spicy, and a bottle of Chardonnay. After getting adequately 'suited and booted' for the night out, they headed to the bar of a hotel, next to the canal.

It was karaoke night in the main bar, so the group went out into the beer garden, enjoying the warm evening and chatter of fellow drinkers sat beside the water.

"Ahh. Look at those swans." Sarah mused, watching the birds float gracefully by. "They're so beautiful. Did you know that they mate for life?"

Duncan pulled a face. "They taste better than they look."

Sarah kicked her feet out from under her long, purple gypsy dress and swung her legs over the picnic table bench to sit facing the river with her shoulder to the guys sitting opposite. She sipped her cocktail through the plastic straws, avoiding the little umbrella attempting to go up her nose.

"You what?" She snorted in disbelief at Duncan. "When did you ever eat swan?"

"I have."

Duncan avoided eye contact with her and swilled the ice cubes around his scotch, his face serious.

"Spit it out then!" Luke turned on the bench so that he was straddling it and facing Duncan's side directly. He bent round so Sarah could see his expression. "Was it at the last banquet you had with Henry VIII?"

Sarah joined in, laughing. "No, I bet it was that time you and Robin Hood shot one with an arrow in Sherwood right? Well?"

She enjoyed the spectacle of watching Duncan keep his face straight for as long as he could. She and Luke continued making up bizarre situations for his ridiculous statement. He would have to crack eventually.

"Alright you pair of arseholes. So I haven't actually eaten a swan, I have however made love to one."

"Oh, give over you sick bastard." Sarah squealed at him, throwing the cocktail umbrella across the table. "Take that back."

Laughing at her, Duncan argued on. "No way, Laker. How do you know if I have or haven't?"

"Because I would have strung you up and shot you, you absolute pig."

"Oooh. I love it when you're angry."

"Kiss my arse, shit bag."

Coming up behind Luke and Duncan from the hotel's bar exit, Sarah saw two young men dressed in smart black trousers and pale, silk shirts. They were grasping pint glasses of beer and the taller of the two had a cigar hanging from his lips. Reaching their table, the man with short, ginger hair, slapped Luke on the back making him jump.

Sarah caught Duncan watching her face fall as she groaned at the approach of the two intruders.

"Sorry to interrupt you bunch of geeks, but are we moving on to somewhere with a bit more life than this old people's home?"

Luke stood up, laughed and grabbed the man's arm in greeting, sending his beer into a frothy storm.

"Wey hey! Gavin, you made it you loser."

Duncan still had his eyes on Sarah, she guessed he was enjoying how she was transitioning from just slightly annoyed to completely fed up.

"Hi Gavin," he called, without much enthusiasm. "Hi Matt."

Gavin flicked his cigar ash and nodded his head towards Sarah.

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing that another drink won't fix."

Sarah got up to go to the bar. Duncan stood up too, smoothing down the wrinkles in his light beige trousers.

"Come on, Loopy, let's give these guys what they want. Find something with a bit more life."

He winked at her and the others drank up to go. She felt relieved that Duncan was coming along for the ride, he always had her back.

"How about the Cellar Bar?" Luke suggested.

All agreed and the party moved down the street and back into the city centre, talking loudly and laughing.

The Cellar bar was literally that. A dark, atmospheric music club in an old brewery cellar. The stone steps led down from the street entrance and into the musty rooms. A bouncer waved the group through and they went down, Sarah being extra careful to pick up her long dress so she didn't slip on it.

Young couples and groups of single females were crammed onto a hardwood dance floor, gyrating and shouting to each other above the loud music. A four piece band of thirty year olds were playing eighties 'mod' tunes. The lead singer giving his all to keep up with the impression of his Paul Weller haircut.

Luke and Duncan headed straight for the dance floor, banging their heads along to 'The Jam', jumping up and down with the beat.

Sarah laughed and propped herself up on a vacant stool at the bar. She couldn't stop giggling while she watched them messing around. The crowd had quickly moved away from their bouncing and pushing, both of them wearing such serious expressions that they made her laugh even harder. They could be a real pair of big kids and she was a little jealous of them to be honest. Letting herself go in public like that terrified her. But they were oblivious to everyone and everything around them.

She saw that Gavin had followed her and he stood close by while she tried to get the busy barman's attention. He leered at her and she could feel him taking in everything about her. She shifted uncomfortably. He concentrated way too hard on her cleavage for her comfort. Gavin looked like he was about to make a move. Oh God, please no! Now she'd have to get rid of him somehow without upsetting a friend of Luke's in the process.

"So, Sarah is it? You been here before?" He yelled into her ear.

Sarah fixed Gavin with a cold stare.

"I beg your pardon?"

The music was so loud.

Gavin tried again. "I said, have you been here before?"

"No!"

She turned her back to him. Knowing exactly what he was intending to do and not wanting any part of it. It was better to say nothing than something hurtful.

Gavin pulled at her shoulder until she turned back.

"No need for that. Hey I heard you wanted to join the army."

Sarah decided to suffer him and let him get to the point. The quicker this was over, the quicker she'd be rid of him.

"What?"

"I said, I heard you wanted to join the army. You were going to be a..."

Sarah leaned closer not really wanting to hear what he'd actually said, but trying not to give him a chance to say something derogatory without giving her an opportunity to put him down for it. God, he was an idiot. Why on earth did Luke want to put up with him after hours as well as at work?

"Sorry?"

"I said," At this point the song finished abruptly, leaving a hollow sound of clapping and background chat. "That you're a TANK!"

This time it wasn't just Sarah who heard what he said but the entire club.

Humiliated beyond belief, she lept off her stool and raised her hand high to slap him. Her hand wavered for a moment from its purpose as she caught the eye of other people watching them. She gulped down hard to contain her emotion as hot tears welled up to cloud her vision. Everything was in slow motion and it was revolving around her. Pushing past Gavin, with his superior expression, she rushed to the ladies toilets. The band started up the next song.

Thank goodness nobody else was in the bathroom at the time. She flicked back her long fringe and looked at herself in the mirror.

"Come on girl." She told her reflection in the smeary glass. "Don't you dare cry over anything that dickhead tells you."

But it was impossible. Inconsolable and belittled, the tears wouldn't stop. She covered her face with her hands, embarrassed by the sight of herself. Why did it have to bother her so much? She knew it didn't mean anything, coming from such a pile of shit, why couldn't she just brush it off? After all she'd been through and dealt with she was so mad at herself for being so weak.

Strong, compassionate arms wrapped around her waist and she glanced up briefly to see Luke smiling and holding her close.

"Don't pay any attention to that twat." He whispered into her ear. "You're beautiful."

Once her tears had subsided, Luke wiped away the moisture on her cheek. She left the sanctuary of the bathroom on his arm. They went out up the stairs and into the fresh night air.

Across the street Duncan was packing Gavin and Matt off into a taxi. He slammed the door hard and as it pulled away, she noticed he kicked it for good measure.

"Pricks."

Spotting his friends he skipped over to them, kissed Sarah on the cheek and then grasped Luke's hands. He shook them energetically while complementing the big man with the slightly embarrassed face.

"Well done, my son." Grinning at Sarah he explained himself. "This one gave Gavin a good smack and laid him out flat. Well done, big guy. Couldn't be prouder."