The ghost appears to Jannine

The cold winds whistled through the broken planks as Helmut felt the cold bite of the winds coming off the sea. Jannine noticed him shiver and said, “Come on, let’s get you out of those wet clothes and into some dry ones; we don’t want our guest to think we don’t wish him to be comfortable on such a windy night.”

Helmut started to undress but stopped after taking his jumper off. His tall, muscular frame showed through his soaking shirt and Jannine’s eyes glistened as her irises opened to the sight of such a sexy man, never before had she been this aroused. She had seen the men on the docks and fantasised about them but they were like family; here was a new man in the area, lost and lonely. Jannine was beginning to think her fantasy of making love to a sailor may yet come true; Helmut hesitated and she said, “Don’t tell me you’re shy, Helmut.”

The blonde haired sailor shook his thick head of hair as he dried the salt water from the matted mass and said with a wink and twinkle in his eye, “I am not shy, I just think it a little inappropriate for you to see me naked at the moment, Jannine.”

The young girl’s imagination ran wild as she thought of all those muscles and the hard firm hands running over her body, involuntarily she bit her lip in anticipation as she felt a slight dampness in her crotch. By saying ‘For the moment,’ Helmut had hinted to her he may have other ideas later and the thoughts of being held in those arms raced in her mind. “Anyway, I am not leaving until I am sure you had at least a hot drink, Helmut,” Jannine said sternly, “the bedroom is over in the far corner of the hut, if you wish for privacy you can close the door and I will put the kettle on for us, while you get changed.”

Helmut picked up the damp towel and took it to the bedroom, as he walked he rubbed his matted chest hair and Jannine saw the scars of old injuries on his bared chest and some not so old on his arms, including a raw wound which could only have been done a day or two ago. Though in pain when he moved, Helmut never let Jannine know of his agony, not only the loss of close friends but the personal pains of rope burns dowsed in cold and icy salt water; “I am a man and men are not allowed to show pain,” he thought.

Jannine’s long black hair shone like a raven’s wing across her shoulders as the droplets of water travelled down her checks and onto her waterproof jacket; she moved from her seat in the corner to the window overlooking the sea and stood watching as waves crashed onto the point, at times the spray lashing the pane of glass. Jannine was looking out of the window when she got startled, “Oh Lord!” She cried out.

Helmut had got to the bedroom door and heard her cry out, he dashed over to the window to find her shaking and crying, “What is wrong?” He asked in a gentle voice that oozed love and kindness.

Not knowing how to phrase what she thought she had witnessed, Jannine said, “Please don’t think I am a silly little girl but I think I may have seen a ghost.”

He pulled her into his half naked body and said, “Jannine, you may be young but you are certainly not silly and as for the ghost; the sea mists can create all types of illusions. Who or what did you think is out on the point?”

“I thought I caught a sight of Ian’s face, he was walking past and I only got a glimpse so I can’t be sure.”