The Beach

At the guest-house the silent heroin addict sat in his usual seat. When he saw us he drew a line with his finger over each wrist. 'Sad, huh?' I tried to say, but my lips were sticky and barely opened. The sound that came from my throat was a sigh.

Francoise

Etie

'Ko Samui?'

'Yes. Look. All the islands have protection. Tourists ca

I couldn't. The guidebook was written in French, but I nodded anyway.

Etie

'So this beach is in a national park?'

'Yes.'

'How are people supposed to get there?'

'They ca

I leant back on the bed and lit a cigarette. 'That's that sorted then. The map is bullshit.'

Etie

'He called himself Daffy Duck. He was mad.'

'I do not think so. Listen.' Etie

'The most adventurous travellers are… exploring the islands beyond Ko Samui to find… to find, ah, tranquillity, and Ko Pha-Ngan is a favourite… destination. But even Ko Pha-Ngan is…' He paused. 'OK, Richard. This says travellers try new islands beyond Ko Pha-Ngan because Ko Pha-Ngan is now the same as Ko Samui.'

'The same?'

'Spoiled. Too many tourists. But look, this book is three years old. Now maybe some travellers feel these islands past Ko Pha-Ngan are also spoiled. So they find a completely new island, in the national park.'

'But they aren't allowed in the national park.'

Etie

'The Thai authorities would just get rid of them.'

'Look how many islands are there. How could they be found? Maybe if they hear a boat they can hide, and the only way to find them is if you know they are there – and we do. We have this.' He slid the map across the bed at me. 'You know, Richard, I think I want to find this beach.'

I smiled.

'Really,' said Etie

I did believe him. He had a look in his eye that I recognized. In my early adolescence I went through a stage of mild delinquency, along with two of my friends, Sean and Da

The look I recognized in Etie

Etie

'I think,' I said, 'we could probably hire a fisherman to take us to the island.'

Etie

'We'd have to go to Ko Samui first.'

'Or Ko Pha-Ngan.'

'Or maybe we could even do it from Surat Thani.'

'Or Ko Phelong.'

'We'd have to ask around a little…'

'But there would be someone to take us.'

'Yes…'

At that moment Francoise appeared, having returned from the police station.

If Etie

I didn't want to seem impressed by her prettiness, so when she stuck her head round the door, I looked up, said 'Hi,' then went back to studying the map.

Etie

After some minutes the tone of their voices relaxed. Then Francoise said in English, 'May I have a cigarette, Richard?'

'Sure.' I gave her one and held out a light. As she cupped her hands to cover the flame from the ceiling fan, I noticed a tiny dolphin tattoo half hidden behind her watch-strap. It seemed like a strange place for a tattoo and I nearly commented on it, but to do so seemed too familiar. Scars and tattoos. You need to know someone fairly well before asking questions.

'So what is this map from the dead man?' Francoise asked.

'I found it on my door this morning…' I started to explain, but she cut me off.

'Yes, Etie

I passed the map to her and Etie

'Oh,' she said. 'Near Ko Samui.'

Etie

Francoise put her finger on the X-marked island. 'How can we know what we will find here?'

'We can't,' I replied.

'And if there is nothing, how do we get back to Ko Samui?'

'We get back to Ko Phelong,' said Etie

Francoise took a delicate puff on her cigarette, barely taking the smoke into her lungs. 'I see… Yes… When are we leaving?'

I looked at Etie

'I am tired of Bangkok,' Francoise continued. 'We can get the night train south tonight.'

'Well, uh,' I stammered, thrown by the speed at which events were developing. 'The thing is, we've got to wait a bit. This guy who committed suicide… I'm not supposed to leave the guesthouse for twenty-four hours.'

Francoise sighed. 'Go to the police station and explain you have to leave. They have your passport number, yes?'

'Yeah, but…'

'So they will let you go.'

She stubbed out her cigarette on the floor as if to say, end of discussion. Which it was.