The Morning After

 

Chapter 15

THE MORNING AFTER

 

Liana was watching television when Filo and Curro entered the house carrying an almost unconscious Irving. She stood up and the three of them put him on a bed. Filo removed his torn shirt and then very delicately removed his trousers.

“Keep these, he’ll probably want to see them later.”

“What’s happened to him? His face is like a rainbow,” Liana said.

“He’s had an accident.”

“What with? Look at the beating he’s received. This was no accident, he’s been attacked,” Liana declared.

“You know nothing, do you hear? Nothing.” Filo said.

“I’m listening. What has he done to be so brutally punished ?”

“I didn’t get to see the aggressor. I arrived a bit late.”

“Were you watching him?”

“Yes, both him and the girl are in danger.”

“Why?” asked Liana.

“I’m not going to tell you. Once he’s been sorted out and he’s cleaned up, you go to bed. I’ll stay with him all night.”

Liana and Curro went to bed without speaking any more on the subject.

 

Irving woke up and saw Filo sleeping in a hammock. He remembered everything that had happened and thought, Camette! Would she be all right? He had to wake Filo. “Hey! Filo, wake up,” shouted Irving as loudly as possible, which wasn’t much. Filo woke up and rubbed his eyes, and got down from the hammock. “Are you better?” Your face is a horrible plum colour.”

“I don’t suppose I look that good this morning.”

“What happened? I found you in this state among the bushes near the apartment block.”

“The woman on the beach, Matina, invited me to dinner last night. Everything went wrong. I don’t know why I went. Curiosity is my work, peculiar things, different people, strange happenings, and so on.. The dinner was a disaster, revolting, very unpleasant. She tried to seduce me. Awful it was. Very disagreeable. I ran away from there and hid in the bushes. My shirt and trousers were already torn by her. My idea was to return to the hotel as best I could, without being seen by too many people. These men found me and I was beaten up and insulted. I don’t know who they were. They appeared out of the blue. There were two of them as far as I recall. When I couldn’t take any more and was lying on the ground, they left.”

“How were they dressed? Did you see their faces?”

“They were dressed like fish. It must be the fruit of my imagination. Will you do me a favour? Bring Camette here with some clean clothes, and, please, with as much discretion as possible.”

“I’ll do it now.” Filo left Irving in Liana’s care and went with Curro in search of Camette at the hotel.

 Curro got the key to Irving’s room from reception, and she had no doubts about entering Irving’s room to pick up clean clothes. She shut the door, then wrote a note for Sonila explaining her absence, just in case, and pushed it under her door, and then Curro returned the key to reception.

 

Irving was overjoyed to see her. Camette screamed on seeing his broken face, and covered it with kisses. “Where’s the stuff you wore last night? You didn’t come here half naked.”

“Filo put them in a bag. Why do you want to see them?” Irving asked them.

“I’d like to know what happened in her apartment, and after. Filo gave me some idea of the woman.” Filo showed Irving’s clothes to Camette. “You say she is very tanned?”

“Yes, incredible.” Irving answered.

“Well, your clothes are covered in rust stains,” observed Camette.

Irving gazed at Camette, at Filo, and at the clothes, in astonishment.