All over again The scallops were every where. Many were swimming, with their jerky snappy motion, amongst the drifting clouds of jellyfish. Matt’s goody bag was
full to
overflowing with dozens of the delicacy. All he had to do was to gather the brightly coloured, fan-shaped shells from the sandy bottom or grab at a passing mollusc Later he would get a good price from the smart London restaurants for this bumper catch. He was safely attached to the anchor of his inflatable by a tether that was now stretched taut by the increasing tide. His boat was bobbing up and down some fifty foot above. This motion was made by the wash created by the Ullapool to Stornaway ferry as it hit the boat, passing by less than a stone’s throw away. Earlier he had pulled himself down this same anchor line to where he knew the undisturbed bed of scallops lay. He was breaking all the rules diving alone but he had always been a loner and a bit of a maverick. The thought of easy money for an hours work was not to be missed. He realised he was getting a little long in the tooth to be diving in these cold clear waters off the Summer Isles, but he also knew he wouldn’t pass the mandatory medical. He had often been told that he wouldn’t make old bones. Oldish bones anyway he’d always hoped. Over the years, he’d had a devil may care attitude to any decision that affected his purpose. Any time Matt had been faced with a serious choice a mental penny was tossed and an immediate judgement made with no second thoughts. At least the Dice Man only had a one in six chance of screwing it up. Matt automatically checked his air supply. It was way below the quarter reserve when any cautious person would head for the surface. He was, however, beginning to feel the chill and what with a full haul it was well over time to make tracks. Then it would be full speed to get the shell fish off to the Soho gourmets. Matt was about half way up the shot line when it happened. The chest pain was first. He thought it was a touch of the bends but the pain swiftly spread down his left arm. Nausea filled his stomach, then a gasping for breath, then a feeling of anxiety, then a light headedness, then nothing. Then, aeons later, something, he seemed to still have all his senses but no