Europa Poets' Gazette No 76

Fear Of The Dark
A novel by Joe Lake
(So far: Julie and Robert have left their mobile home on the beach and have gone for a walk in the park where they make love, but someone is watching.)
"The man is still watching," Julie said.
"Why should he?"
Julie shrugged, but kept looking back. "Maybe he means harm?"
"What harm?"
"I don’t know... He may have a mate who is robbing the van this moment and he’s in touch with him on a mobile phone?"
Robert smiled. "Rob us? He’ll most likely be cleaning up our mess."
"Maybe he’s carrying a grudge?"
"No one knows us here."
"He robs tourists?"
"If he meant to, he wouldn’t be hanging around back there."
The park lights came on. The sun had gone. The air was nippy. A salty breeze wafted up from the nearby sea. The leaves in the trees rustled in the evening breeze and seemed like black cut-outs against the night sky. The reflections from the lamps on the pond were now rippling, dancing stars.
They walked hand in hand. After a while, Julie said, "Maybe he’s waiting?"
"A stalker and a robber?"
"A thug."
"I thought you found those in Afghanistan or Iran," Robert said, as he looked back into the deep shadows of the park’s trees where he saw no one, "and if he were? I can look after you."
"Yes," Julie said.
"Always." He pressed her close and found her lips.
"He might be just a shadow in the dark," Julie muttered. Her attention was now focused on Robert’s kiss. Her mind wandered. "He might like to watch."
As Julie thought about men in shadows, Robert was exploring her face in the dim light of the lamps. He brushed hair from her eyes and kissed her on the tip of her nose. To him, this togetherness with Julie was what all the future was supposed to be about - all he wanted from life. Their mobile home would roam Tasmania and then all over Australia in never-ending exploration and adventure.
Julie said, "He looks like Obama."
Robert let go off Julie’s hand, spun around and raced towards the dark trees. He was young and fit. He caught Obama by the shoulders, spun him around and saw that it was a rubber mask. When he had torn it from the head, he was looking into a blonde woman’s smiling face.
(To be continued next month)