Tenderly, inaudibly, the gentle sound of nearby lapping waters of the snaking creek endlessly echoed in my ears. As I walked, my hand glided through the shallow, clear water- cold to the touch. In the sun, rays of warmth separated the aqua-marine sky. We were in Crete, a Greek island known for its mysterious myths and legends. Mmmmm… Paradise. Or, so I thought… “Oh my gosh, am I seeing things, Bob? Or is it the Cooper family over there, nearby the stream?!” enquired Linda. “Oh yes… so it seems!” countered Bob, her husband. “Hi!!” exclaimed the couple and their younger daughter, Lisa, coming towards our sunbeds. The noisy family plonked their mountain of inflatables right down next to us and put some of their beach blankets down onto the floor. Silence. The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. “Well,” began Nick, my dad, awkwardly. “Would you like me and Leanne to go and get some drinks for us all?” “That’d be lovely!” responded Linda, already climbing onto my parents’ deckchairs with Bob. “See you in two!” my mum, Leanne sarcastically answered. Walking off down the rocky pathway, straightaway, I could hear the bunch criticising my family. “Are they going to sort their kids out?” noted Bob. “They’re causing such havoc in the pool” he pointed 25 yards ahead to my enthusiastic siblings. Linda nodded. “That sound you can hear,” commenced mum “Is fun! Obviously, your family won’t be able to recognise it!” She laughed. As the appraising continued, I walked back the other way to the creek; gradually, I dipped my feet into the rippling water, flowing down the opening, it rapidly tickled me. It wasn’t all what it sounded though, inside I felt mad, ripped off. All these years our family had hated the Rhoades, yet, they followed us everywhere- it was like they had a tracking device! The one time that we wanted some space to ourselves, they come and follow us on holiday! But rest assured, there’s a perfectly logical explanation… It all began when the rowdy bunch moved in next door. Since they had been in Bourne, the family had been involved with everything in our small town. Always asking for favours, a ride into town, a cuppa out our house; it never stopped! Everyone knew them in the area, and everyone hated them. Some people’s reactions, you would think, would show them that they weren’t welcome in the village! Their seven-year-old daughter, Lisa, was an only child and as an only child- it was blatantly obvious she would be spoilt. Spoilt rotten. With all of the latest video games and toys it was unreal. She spoke to people like a little terror, too. Back in the real world, I dried my feet and lumbered back to the sunbeds. Laying down on a beach towel, I could recall one thing, falling to sleep, dad muttered “I think we’ll book a private villa next year. In AUSTRALIA!”
