Now here is a set of observations that you might like to spin into a mystery story. The things I saw and heard on Friday morning are worthy of an Anne Zouroudi novel.
We were out for our morning walk/jog at six. It’s getting to the time where we will have to consider moving things back to 5.30, the sun is already up at six and things are starting to get hot. We headed up the road, past the doctor’s surgery outside of which is parked a motor bike and a hospital bed, with a rock where a pillow would be. (Could that be a clue?) On up the hill and there to turn off at the Agia Marina cemetery.
The greave diggers were at work. I didn’t stop to browse, but one guy was dragging the earth from a grave (it looked like) while the other was randomly spraying something from a canister into the hole. I am guessing here, but they were possibly freeing up the plot, moving the bones to the ossuary and getting this one ready for the next occupant. But, on up the hill, past the barking dog, towards To Vrisi.
After passing the same goatherd for the third day in a row (on two different routes), we reached that day’s target and paused for some water while taking in the sunrise over the village and over Pedi, where there were a few boats in. And then back down the hill, at a slightly faster pace, with an eye on the old knees, and past the yapping dog (the goatherd had vanished) and past the gravediggers, one of whom had also disappeared, the other one was still raking away, and past the lady putting flowers on another grave. And from there onto the road and towards home.
Okay, back to home and a shower and down to work at the desk with the window open, overlooking the way into Symi harbour. From up here I hear the island ambulance siren, a rare sound but an unmistakable one. A little later and I’m getting on quite nicely with a chapter when I am suddenly brought down to earth by the sound of the Blue Star blasting its horn, up close and a little too personal. That comes in and does its thing and then it starts to head out again. At this point there are death bells ringing somewhere, probably for a memorial service as they are being rung in the morning. But, it’s not impossible that it was a funeral, through very early in the day – they are usually later in the morning, I’ve noticed. And then the Blue Star blasts it horn several more times as it is leaving, which is very unusual.
So, you have the hospital bed and the rock, the gravediggers, the missing goatherd, the lady in the cemetery, the ambulance siren, the death bells and the unusual behaviour of the ferry. Put it all together and what do you get? No, what do YOU get? I’m already working on a comedy and am close to finishing the first draft so don’t want to get put off track. I’ll leave it to you to make up the story for this one. And if you need more inspiration I suggest the Anne Zouroudi Greek Detective series from Bloomsbury. You can find all the titles listed here: Anne Zouroudi at Amazon. Have a fun weekend working on your first mystery story!
Here are two more pics from Friday morning.
