Writer's Notebook

Nothing beat the dawn. As he walked out onto the lane the ground crisped below his feet. He looked up at the church tower shrouded in white and the trees besides lifting crystal-gloved arms up to the sky. He set off at a steady pace up the hill, his mind limbering up for the work ahead. The weekend at La Roche had given him a new lease on life. For the first time in years Robin felt his head was above the clouds. Life stretched itself out before him, swarms of paths, highways and byways, opening themselves out, beckoning him to start the journey. Now was the time for decisions.

Wrapping his scarf tighter round his ears he quickened his pace. The day's freshness filling him with renewed zest. He got to the top of the hill in under 30 minutes. Even as a spritely 18 year-old he had never managed that. He looked out over the valley. The sun was just beginning to fulfil the promise of yet another day. Her still weak rays were enough to chase away any of dread still lurking around Robin. Just a few minutes later its light had even given energy to the snow-capped mountains in the distance. From here Robin slithered down the bank to rejoin the pathway which snakes its way around the mountain. He made several rounds of the pathway allowing successive views blend into each other, much like the images kaleidoscoping around his mind: images of joy he'd no longer thought possible, with just an occasional image from the albums of the weeks and months before. Only now did Robin realised such images no longer troubled him.

In the distance the bell-tower sent out its never-failing message. If he was going to get down for breakfast, he'd have to hurry. Of course, the descent was not so wearisome, and so it was not long before he heard the sweet hum of expectancy coming from the dining-room. As he passed through the door, he saw there were still two seats left, one, at the end of the long table afforded him at least some privacy. He walked into the room and took his place right in the centre of the table. He had made his first decision. He had re-entered the world of the living.