MAGE | Chapter 1: The Umbrella Man
Sharon Ede www.magethenovel.com © 2023 all rights reserved
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Adelaide, South Australia, ten years later
AMBRA SLIPPED INTO the amusement arcade and held her breath. Had she lost him?
Looking down at her sandy feet, she hoped that the grainy trail would not give her hiding place away. The adoring brown eyes of Casper, her golden retriever, whose leash she dangled from her left wrist, looked up at her.
‘Good boy.’
She stroked the dog’s downy fur.
Inhaling deeply, she tried to slow her breathing. Her inner voice chided her:
There’s nothing to worry about. You’re just being stupid!
Ambra’s breathing slowed. Around her, various retro arcade games and pinball machines blinked, bleeped, jangled, and sought the attention of damp-haired kids in board shorts.
This old-school arcade had been a favourite place for Ambra and her friends to hang out during high-school days, and right now it was a safe haven.
Either she was paranoid, or that strange little man was following her.
She had first seen him less than an hour ago, as she walked Casper along the beach.
There was a peculiar sort of paleness about the man, set as he was against the neon blue water and the myriad bright-coloured swimsuits, towels, and sunshades of the beach-goers. His white, Buddhist-style robe was gathered about his slight frame, and he was completely bald. His movements were calm, languid.
No one else seemed to notice him among the swimmers diving into rolling waves, the drone of the shark-spot- ting plane, squeals of sandcastle-building children, beach cricket cries of ‘caaatchiiiit!’, and the owners of various dogs ensuring their canine charges were not taking off with the tennis balls thwacked by beach cricketers.
That he did not attract attention other than Ambra’s was even stranger than the man himself, for to shield his pale skin from the harsh sun, he held aloft an extraordinary umbrella.
It was the most magnificent umbrella Ambra had ever seen, shimmering with all manner of pale pinks, blues, greens, and silver. It was ethereal and looked like it might tear if you so much as touched it with the tip of your finger.
Casper in tow, Ambra ploughed her way through the soft white sand back to the foreshore. She longed for a cool drink herself but stopped to give the panting dog some refreshment before continuing home.
As she emptied the remaining drops from Casper’s bowl, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the man making his way up to the foreshore.
Ambra and Casper crossed the street, and had begun to set off in the direction of home, when she noticed the stranger … following them? It was surely a coincidence; after all, paths to the beach for everyone were only at certain access points.
But a niggling unease gripped Ambra.
As she ambled along with Casper, she stole a glance at a shop window across the street and caught the reflection of the curious character, and his umbrella, about fifty paces behind her.
Should she stop and confront him? Or go to the nearest police station? What, and make a fool of herself if it was nothing! Perhaps she should just go home? Then this odd person would know where she lived. Until she was sure, she could not bring herself to go home.
Ambra chewed her lip and weighed up her options. The best way to find out if the pale man was following her was to quicken her pace. To keep her in sight, he would have to increase his pace too, and give his intentions away. Then what? She would worry about that later.
Ambra broke into a run, Casper loping along beside her, her bag — containing Casper’s metal bowl, the plastic litter she had collected during her walk, and other beach paraphernalia — banging painfully on her hip. She rounded a corner as soon as she possibly could to break the stranger’s line of sight.
She darted through Pete’s fruit and veg shop, which had two street frontages, in this one and the next street over. Although Pete and Casper were good friends, dogs were not allowed in his shop. But Ambra and Casper shot through at such speed that they were in and out the other side before a surprised Pete could say a word.
Ambra doubled back towards the beach and bolted towards the amusement arcade on the foreshore. She would wait in here until she was sure the man with the pale umbrella had gone, and she could make her way home.
Casper flopped down on the floor of the arcade, tongue lolling, patiently waiting for Ambra’s next game. Five minutes passed. No further sign of the man. Ambra cautiously peered outside. He was nowhere to be seen.
‘You alright, love?’ came a gentle voice.
Ambra looked around to find Stan, the arcade owner, peering at her over his glasses, a look of concern on his grizzled face.
‘Uh — yeah, all good, thanks, Stan. Just playing a game with Casper,’ Ambra said, her cheeks flushing further.
‘Bit hot for games. Going to be another scorcher tomorrow,’ said Stan, taking off his glasses and using the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat from them. He ruffled the fur behind Casper’s ears.
‘Yeah — I’ve got to work tomorrow too,’ said Ambra, glad for a chance to change the subject.
‘Still, if you have to work on a hot day, an ice-cream shop’s not a bad place to be,’ chuckled Stan.
Ambra smiled as Stan gave her a wink and then went back to tinkering with the electronic insides of an arcade game.
‘Come on, Casper,’ Ambra tugged at the leash. Two feet and four paws headed for home.
From under a shimmering umbrella, a pair of pale eyes watched them go.
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