Page 90 of The Other Side

“Think this is the way?” Drum asked.

“This or back.”

As they crossed the water, the air changed. It became quieter. Even the birds fell silent. It was almost as if somewhere, a whole lot of breaths were being held. Then, as they rounded the next bend, Sparlow lay below them.

It looked…ordinary. Just another village in the Peak District. Stone cottages either side of the water, some built high on the hill. There was a forest stretching as far as they could see on the right side.

“Strange to see so many trees,” Drum said. “There are forests in this area but they’re small and in sheltered valleys. Not a wilderness like that. Are you sure it’s not Faeryland?”

“Yes. Same world as the one where we left the car. Let’s go down and have a look.”

“Should you glamour yourself?”

“I don’t see the need. You could have met me on the path and I decided to accompany you.”

The closer they drew, the more normal it looked. Bright gardens with beautiful flowers. People walking down the street. Then an Amazon van which made them both laugh.

“Okay, so we just took the wrong road to get here,” Drum said. “I feel safe now if Amazon delivers.”

Osian elbowed him, and Drum returned it.

“Maybe there’s a café and you can sit and have a drink and piece of cake while I do my job,” Drum said.

“Is that what you want me to do?”

“It’ll look a bit weird if you walk around with me.”

“Okay.”

When they came to a café, Osian waved goodbye to Drum, then went around the corner to hide before following him. There was something wrong about this place and until he’d identified what that something was, he wasn’t deserting Drum.

There weren’t many people about, and a few ducked back into their cottages as Drum approached, but Osian watched him greet those who stuck around. He introduced himself as the new PCSO and they all mentioned Matthew Green, about which Drum could say very little other than Matthew was fit and healthy.

It wasn’t until Drum bumped into a guy in his twenties, with blue spiky hair and a lot of piercings, wearing a pink sparkly T-shirt and shorts that were too short—but he did look good in them—that Osian had seen anything that bothered him. This guy bothered him. Especially when he looked away from Drum and stared directly at Osian, who was supposed to be invisible. The guy gulped and scurried away. He could see me. Faery? That was interesting.

Osian followed Drum all over the village, hoping he didn’t decide to walk up the hill into the woods. He didn’t. Osian was back outside the café and visible before Drum reached it.

“Did you not get a drink?” Drum asked.

“I wanted to wait for you. Shall we sit outside?”

“Why not?”

“Coffee and cake?” Osian asked.

“Lemonade and cake.”

“Okay.”

Osian pushed open the door and went inside. He was sure a couple had been talking as he opened the door, but all was quiet as he walked up to the counter. A young guy with beautiful dark brown hair and eyes to match came out from behind a curtain.

“Good morning. What can I get you?”

“Two lemonades and two slices of whichever cake you think we’ll like.”

“The one I can’t get rid of?”

Osian laughed. “I’m sure they’re all delicious.”