Beyond the Lens Read online

  Maria walked out of a door far below me and started to hang washing on a rickety washing stand. A dog circled around her legs, and chickens wandered nearby. I crossed the room to look through the opposite window, but I was distracted by Adam and paused to look down at him.

  I’d not managed to get a good look at him yesterday as he was always partially hidden by his camera. I knew he had kind eyes. If he didn’t, I might not be here; there was something reassuring about him and he’d quietly put me at ease about the whole situation. He had sandy brown hair, classically cut, which was now ruffled into a ‘slept on the couch’ style. I wondered how long he’d been on guard up here.

  His eyes opened so suddenly that I didn’t have time to move or look away, and his hand darted for the camera as though he was reaching for a weapon.

  “Sorry,” I told him quickly, banging my leg on the table when I took a step back. “I wasn’t watching you sleep, I promise. I only just came in here. I wasn’t being creepy or anything.”

  There was a brief flash of amusement in his eyes before he stood and brought the camera to his face, while simultaneously pressing a button, making the red light appear beside the camera lens.

  “Looks like a nice day anyway,” I muttered awkwardly, moving to the window at the front of the room to look out over the driveway and rolling hills. “I wonder what we’ll be doing today. Are you coming downstairs?” I turned to look at him as I headed for the stairs. It was weird to talk to someone and not have them say anything back. The silence was unsettling, so I just kept talking.

  “Did you sleep okay? It can’t have been comfy on the couch. You weren’t there all night, were you? Were you supposed to be awake? Am I getting you into trouble now by saying you were asleep?” I realised I needed to learn to avoid asking questions. If you’re going to talk to a wall, at least don’t be crazy enough to ask it questions. I looked into the camera. “He wasn’t really sleeping. Just having a rest. He jumped up as soon as I came in. He’s doing a great job.” I beamed into the camera and then gave Adam a discreet thumbs-up, out of shot.

  I made my way through the dining room and into the cosy kitchen. It was one of the only rooms that felt lived in. I found Maria taking orange juice from the fridge to add to the breakfast buffet.

  “Morning,” I said, making her jump. She looked at me cheerfully, and started chattering in Spanish. I looked at her blankly and took the plate she offered me. She opened the door in the corner of the kitchen and disappeared down the stone staircase.

  I exchanged the plate for a bowl, helping myself to cereal and a glass of orange juice, and almost bumped into Adam when I turned to leave the kitchen. “Sorry. Do you want anything?”

  He shook his head.

  It was nice to sit outside and eat in the glorious sunshine, The camera aimed at me was slightly unnerving but I kept my head down and did my best to ignore it.

  I’d just set my bowl down on the table in front of me when another cameraman appeared and moved into Adam’s spot, leaning on the pillar ahead of me. He wore cargo shorts and a plain green T-shirt: the same ensemble as Adam, only in slightly different colours. A cameraman’s uniform, perhaps. Adam lowered his camera and gave me a quick salute before he headed inside.

  “I don’t think we’ve been introduced,” I told my new cameraman. “I’m Lucy.”

  “Carl,” he told me with a smile. He looked older than Adam – maybe around forty. He had a shaved head and a pot belly. There was an air of calm about him, and I thought that perhaps they’d chosen the cameramen purposely to be the sort of people who you’d happily chat away to even though they stayed quiet. Although I would have thought they would choose people who blended in with the background and didn’t draw inane chatter from us. It was actually slightly strange they had cameramen at all. Surely hidden cameras were all the rage these days?

  “You’re much chattier than Adam already,” I told him. “What do you do for a living, Carl?”

  He rolled his eyes before putting his hand to his belly while he mimed an over-the-top laugh.

  “I can’t help the jokes,” I told him with a grin. “It’s just something you’ll have to get used to.”

  “Morning.”

  I turned, to see Matt walking out to join me with a plate piled high with food, and another cameraman behind him.

  “Morning,” I replied. “How did you sleep?”

  “Not great. It’s so hot up there – and Dylan snores. You probably heard him from your room …”

  “I slept like a log,” I told him and sipped my orange juice.

  He shook his head and loaded a piece of bread with ham and cheese, taking a huge bite.

  “What do you think we’ll be doing today?” I asked.

  “Lying in the sun, with any luck,” he said through a mouthful of food.

  “Hey, Lucy!” I turned to see Chrissie hanging out of an upstairs window. “Get your bikini on and we’ll have a morning swim.”

  “I’m all ready.” I smiled up at her and pulled my T-shirt off one shoulder to reveal my striped blue swimsuit.

  “Brilliant! I’ll be down in a minute.” She disappeared from view and I heard some grumbling in the background.

  “Is that your room?” I asked Matt.

  “Yeah. I guess she finally put a stop to the snoring.”

  Chrissie arrived and headed straight for the pool in her tiny bikini. I noticed Matt’s eyes following her. He was smirking.

  “Come on, Lucy,” she beckoned me over.

  I slipped out of my shorts and T-shirt and moved to join her.

  “What’s that?” Chrissie asked as I walked down the steps into the pool.

  “What?”

  “What are you wearing?” She whispered and glanced at Carl over my shoulder.

  “It’s a tankini,” I told her. “It’s great because it covers my tummy.”

  “What’s great about that? We’re being filmed.”

  “Exactly.” I set off to do some laps and Chrissie shook her head at me. “What’s wrong with it?” I asked.

  “Nothing.” She sighed and turned on her back to float around the pool.

  I actually didn’t have a problem with my stomach; I was a naturally slim size ten and was happy with my body. I just didn’t like the thought of having too much flesh on display, especially in front of a bunch of strangers and several guys with cameras. It felt too exposed.

  I swam a few laps while Chrissie relaxed on the pool steps. “If we can just swim in the pool and lie in the sun all week, I’ll be very happy,” I told her.

  “They told me I would have time to study, so we obviously don’t have a packed schedule. I should get my books out later.”

  “What are you studying?”

  “Social work. I’m finishing my second year – just got one year left. I probably don’t need to get the books out on the first day, do I? I should give myself some time to relax.”

  “Maybe.”

  “I’ll do some work tomorrow. It would make really boring viewing anyway, me with my head in my books.”

  I waved to Margaret, Kelly, Ryan and Dylan as they trickled outside over the next half hour. I was floating on my back, savouring the warmth of the sun on my face, when Chelsea arrived, her annoying smile plastered to her face.

  I got out of the pool, wrapped a towel around myself and took a seat next to Ryan, drops of water falling from my hair and rolling down my face while I stared at Chelsea.

  “Great to see you’re all settling in and making yourselves at home,” she said.

  No one reacted. I’m not sure what it was about her – maybe it was that she seemed so fake. It made people ignore her.

  “Over the next week, we have a number of activities for you – some just for fun and others where you will have the chance to win a prize!” She sounded so scripted it was painful. How she’d got a job as a presenter I’d never know. “Your first challenge will take place this morning, and the winner will receive a cash prize!”

  That gai
ned her everyone’s full attention, and we looked at her eagerly.

  “What do we have to do?” Matt asked.

  Chelsea looked at us coyly. “Follow me and all will be revealed!”

  Chapter 6

  We congregated by the fountain. Three quad bikes were parked in front of the finca.

  “Your first challenge of the week,” Chelsea said as we stood around the quads, “is our quad bike time trial, and there is £500 up for grabs for one lucky winner!”

  It was difficult to be excited about the cash prize anymore, since the chances of me winning such a race seemed minuscule. Matt’s face lit up, though, and he exchanged an excited look with Dylan before directing his attention back to Chelsea.

  “See the flagpoles along the driveway?” she asked us. “Each pole has a flag stuck to the top. All you have to do is drive to the gate and back, collecting the flags as you go. Any missed flags will incur a ten-second penalty. The person with the fastest time wins!”

  Ryan rubbed his hands together and looked at Matt. “This should be fun.”

  “I’ve never driven a quad,” I told Chelsea nervously.

  “Don’t worry, you’ll get a lesson first. Why don’t you jump on?”

  Cautiously, I climbed on to the nearest quad bike. A man approached me with a helmet and gave me brief instructions in broken English. Chrissie sat on the bike next to me, looking just as apprehensive as I felt. Margaret had confidently driven away already.

  The quad lurched slightly when I first pressed the accelerator, but I quickly got a feel for it and drove slowly down the dusty driveway, taking care to avoid the many potholes. Margaret looked like she was having a great time when she whizzed past me.

  As well as the flagpoles and trees that lined the path, I also noticed the cameramen dotted around the place. I gave Adam a wave when I passed him on my way back towards the house.

  I stood in the shade of the finca and watched as everyone took turns having a test drive. The boys all shot off at top speed and I was surprised to see that Kelly was fairly confident too.

  “I think that’s enough practice,” Chelsea announced half an hour later when we’d all had a turn. “Time to start the competition! Ryan, would you like to go first? Drive up to the line and wait for my signal, please.”

  Chelsea stood on the starting line – a line of green paint – holding out a white hanky. There was a man beside her with a stopwatch and a clipboard, and when she lifted the hanky Ryan put his foot down and took off towards the first flag.

  He seemed to make great time, and was back with all ten flags in no time.

  Chrissie went next and missed three of the flags. Chelsea told her immediately that she hadn’t beaten Ryan’s time. I think it was fairly obvious anyway. Dylan managed to get all the flags, but Chelsea told him he was three seconds slower than Ryan.

  Ryan was looking thoroughly pleased with himself and not at all worried when I set off down the drive. My slow and steady approach meant that I got all the flags, but it didn’t prove to be a winning tactic. I didn’t even ask what my time was. I knew I hadn’t beaten Ryan’s time.

  Kelly also didn’t manage to knock Ryan off the top spot, but did provide some entertainment when she overshot a flagpole and sent a cameraman diving out of her way.

  Ryan looked nervous when Matt drove up to the start line. Matt gave Ryan a wink before he set off at speed along the path. He collected all ten flags with ease and looked expectantly at Chelsea when he returned.

  “You made good time,” she told him, glancing at the clipboard. “But …”

  Ryan’s face broke into a grin.

  “There’s still a chance for Margaret to knock you off the top spot, Matt!”

  Matt pulled off his helmet and cheered.

  “Don’t get too excited,” Margaret told him seriously. “You’ll only be disappointed when I beat you!”

  “Go, Margaret!” Chrissie cheered when she climbed onto the quad and manoeuvred it to the start line.

  She took off quickly and seemed to maintain a good pace as Chrissie, Kelly and I cheered her on.

  “She’s doing really well,” Dylan commented to Matt, who was starting to look worried.

  We got more animated as Margaret returned with the ten flags. She looked full of confidence when she pulled off her helmet.

  “Sorry, Matt,” she said. “I think that money’s mine!”

  “Hang on a minute,” Matt replied, looking at Chelsea for confirmation.

  “And the winner is …” Chelsea’s voice rang out. “Margaret!”

  Margaret looked very smug. Matt hung his head for a moment before congratulating her, along with the rest of us.

  We moved slowly back through the finca and found lunch laid out for us.

  “That was fun,” Chrissie said as we sat down together and tucked in to the delicious food. “Now we get a lovely lunch and an afternoon by the pool. It’s not bad really, is it?”

  “Not bad at all!” Margaret said, still on a high from her win.

  “If I had a beer, it would be like a proper holiday,” Matt said grumpily.

  “Hola!” Maria appeared with jugs of iced water and placed them on the table.

  “Don’t suppose you’ve got a beer for me, have you?” Matt asked. “I’d love you forever …”

  She stared at him, with clearly no idea of what he’d said.

  “Cerveza?” Dylan added, looking at Maria, who beamed at him and started chatting away in Spanish. He shook his head nervously. “Sorry, I only know the word for beer. That’s the extent of my Spanish.”

  Maria carried on talking, and when we all looked blankly back at her she grabbed Matt’s hand and pulled him away from us. I followed them, and saw a door which I’d not registered before.

  “I think I’ve pulled,” Matt shouted over his shoulder as Maria opened the door and dragged him inside. Chrissie and I watched from the doorway as Maria led Matt into the bare room and showed him a huge fridge filled with assorted drinks, including plenty of beer.

  “Wow!” Ryan followed them into the room and peered into the fridge with Matt. “Heaven.”

  Maria shook her head and left us alone.

  “There’re pool inflatables in here too,” Ryan said as he surveyed the room, “Now it’s like a proper holiday!”

  We dumped the inflatables into the pool and I settled myself in an inflatable armchair. It felt like we were in slow-motion bumper cars as we filled the pool and bobbed around, bumping into each other before pushing off, only to bump into someone else.

  “Now this is the life,” Margaret said with a sigh, lying on a lilo.

  “We need to explore later,” Ryan suggested. “If there was a room full of beer and toys we didn’t know about, what else are we missing?”

  “Don’t really care!” Matt told him as he nudged over and splashed me before pushing away again.

  When I finally left the pool to dry off in the sun I noticed Adam sitting on the low wall at the edge of the lawn, camera pointed at me.

  “There you are,” I stated, choosing the sun lounger nearest to him to spread my towel over. “Is it weird that I missed you?”

  I watched a smile creep over his face.

  “Can you do me a favour and not sit on that wall? There’s a huge drop at the other side and I’m concerned for your safety.”

  He rolled his eyes and stretched out his legs with a grimace.

  “I don’t care how much your legs ache; I can’t relax thinking you might fall to your death at any moment. I’ll find you a chair, if you like …” I ignored his silent headshake and wandered off in search of a chair. I found a pile in the little room with the beer fridge and took one back to Adam. “Here, sit there and I’ll feel much better.” He moved into the chair, smiling at me the whole time. I settled on my sun lounger and turned, to find him still looking at me.

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  “You’re welcome!” He finally averted his gaze, though his smile stayed fixed, creating l
ines around his eyes and I found it suddenly difficult to take my eyes off him.

  Chapter 7

  The afternoon passed amiably by, and I sat with Chrissie and Kelly on the couch, taking a break from the sun and tucking into a fruit platter. We watched Ryan and Matt kicking a ball over the pool to each other. They seemed to be getting on better since they’d found the beer and pool toys.

  My eyes wandered to Dylan, who’d been swinging quietly on the hammock most of the day.

  “Who needs beer?” Matt shouted as he moved to get a fresh one.

  “Everyone!” Chrissie called back to him.

  “Ryan,” I shouted when I saw him going inside the house. “Can you grab some more snacks from the kitchen if you’re going that way?”

  “Good idea,” Chrissie said. “Fruit and beer isn’t the best combo, is it?”

  “No,” I agreed. “I want some junk. I don’t think Ryan heard me though.” I got up and followed him, Adam behind me. I was surprised to find Carl on his own in the kitchen. “Where’s Ryan?” I asked.

  I couldn’t read Carl’s expression as he looked at Adam. “I lost him.”

  “How could you lose him?” I said.

  “Oh my God!” Ryan burst through the door in the corner. He looked at me with big eyes. “You won’t believe what I just found!”

  “What were you doing down there?” I asked, looking beyond him to the stone stairs which descended into darkness. They led to Maria’s apartment, and we’d been told not to go down there.

  “I heard a scream,” he told me quickly, shaking his head. “It was just Maria, she’d burnt herself on a pan, no big deal. Anyway, you won’t believe what’s down there ...”

  “Ryan!” Chelsea appeared in the kitchen. “It’s time for your interview now!” She linked her arm through his and marched him out of the kitchen.

  “Ryan!” I hurried after them, and he turned while Chelsea took him up to the rooms designated for the crew.