We trickled one by one out of the van, emerging warily into the thin Scottish sunlight. The clouds overhead were a pale grey - so not too threatening - and the sun did its best to pierce them. There was no wind, no rain. Complete stillness. I glanced at James and Tom. In one conspiratorial sigh we knew it wouldn't last.
Benedict and Michael were already working together to unfasten each bike in turn, having freed three so far. James and Jan, the remaining adults, stepped in to help.
"Hey, where'd John Green go?" I asked.
"The school called him," Benedict explained, grunting with the effort of swinging a bike off the roof. "There was an emergency with one of his pupils."
Once all bikes had been freed and we were all ready to go, I gestured behind me towards the start of the Blue Route ascent. As I started to turn myself around to face in its direction, James cleared his throat.
"The road," he murmured.
I rolled my eyes. The road was just an endless slog of boredom that left you with an empty feeling when you reached the bottom. It was as if you'd cheated because you hadn't taken the tricky single track up the hill. Last time I took it, I got barely any excitement from the swooshing downhill berms. I wasn't here for excitement today, I reminded myself. Besides, the presence of James ought to take care of that.
We powered up the steep, rocky hill. Even with everyone pushing as hard as they could, however, it still took us at least half an hour to reach Blue Velvet. We weren't even halfway to Betty Blue. Michael planted his legs on either side of the bike and leaned his arms on the handlebars. His forehead was shiny with sweat and the hair sticking out from under his helmet was matted. James walked his bike around between everyone. He smiled at each of us and there was desperation in his eyes.
"I know yous're all tired," he said, "But we have to keep going. For Tara."
We nodded as one, swung our legs over our crossbars, and continued onward. I groaned. This was where the road got really boring.
I heard a scream from behind me.
"Michael!" screamed James.
I whirled around and saw a pale young figure holding a knife to Michael's neck. A little blood trickled towards his collarbones and his veins bulged from his skin like writhing snakes. James lunged for the youth, his eyes wide with terror. His brow was creased deeply and his teeth clamped down on his tongue.
"James, no!" Michael bawled. Jan leapt for him and held him back.
"Stay back," the youth hissed.
"Paul," James whimpered.
So this was Paul. This was the cause of all James' guilt, terror and stress. I wanted to hate him, but the terror in Paul's own eyes was just too clear. He dragged Michael off his bike and drew him backwards towards the tall heather that surrounded the cycle path. James shrugged Jan off and chased after them, disappearing into the forest.
"James!" Hanien cried. She and Annisa barrelled off after him.
I tried to follow but Tom and Isaac held me back.
"We have to go get Tara," Tom murmured.
I gripped his gaze with desperate eyes, pleading with him. He shook his head and glanced further up the hill. I nodded reluctantly and pedalled frantically upwards. I heard screams, but I had to ignore them. I was going to get Tara, even if it meant taking my eye off James.
We powered up the steep, rocky hill. Even with everyone pushing as hard as they could, however, it still took us at least half an hour to reach Blue Velvet. We weren't even halfway to Betty Blue. Michael planted his legs on either side of the bike and leaned his arms on the handlebars. His forehead was shiny with sweat and the hair sticking out from under his helmet was matted. James walked his bike around between everyone. He smiled at each of us and there was desperation in his eyes.
"I know yous're all tired," he said, "But we have to keep going. For Tara."
We nodded as one, swung our legs over our crossbars, and continued onward. I groaned. This was where the road got really boring.
I heard a scream from behind me.
"Michael!" screamed James.
I whirled around and saw a pale young figure holding a knife to Michael's neck. A little blood trickled towards his collarbones and his veins bulged from his skin like writhing snakes. James lunged for the youth, his eyes wide with terror. His brow was creased deeply and his teeth clamped down on his tongue.
"James, no!" Michael bawled. Jan leapt for him and held him back.
"Stay back," the youth hissed.
"Paul," James whimpered.
So this was Paul. This was the cause of all James' guilt, terror and stress. I wanted to hate him, but the terror in Paul's own eyes was just too clear. He dragged Michael off his bike and drew him backwards towards the tall heather that surrounded the cycle path. James shrugged Jan off and chased after them, disappearing into the forest.
"James!" Hanien cried. She and Annisa barrelled off after him.
I tried to follow but Tom and Isaac held me back.
"We have to go get Tara," Tom murmured.
I gripped his gaze with desperate eyes, pleading with him. He shook his head and glanced further up the hill. I nodded reluctantly and pedalled frantically upwards. I heard screams, but I had to ignore them. I was going to get Tara, even if it meant taking my eye off James.
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