The Letter

Prompt

Character: a police inspector    Place: flight of uneven stairs

Situation: two more days to live    Object: a submarine   When: when we were in France

Inspector Radley put his hands onto the side of the boat to steady himself, the speed that they were going at he was surprised that no one had fallen overboard!

It felt like an age before he finally saw the submarine in the distant waters. He still couldn’t believe that he was even here! Whisked away from his usual duties because of an urgent message he had received from his life-long friend and Commander in the navy, just that morning.

The message had been vague. It read:

Dear Brian, do you remember when we were in France last year and I got taken away on an urgent matter? Things have come to a head. Please come, it’s a matter of life and death, transport has been arranged, we need to talk. I have been told I only have a few days to live, hurry! Regards John.

Brian kept thinking what that last sentence implied and he had to swallow several times to get rid of the lump in his throat. He couldn’t bear the idea that John wouldn’t be part of his life for much longer.

Finally, the boat pulled up next to the submarine and Brian wished that he had better sea legs as he tried to navigate himself up the uneven step ladder that they had thrown over the side. Eventually he reached the top and was distraught to see that his once tall proud friend was now a shadow of his former self, he wouldn’t have even recognised him if he hadn’t of been expecting to see him there. What on earth has happened? Brian thought.