‘What if no one comes?’ said Adam.

Molly shrugged as she poured more petrol on the Audi’s undercarriage. The flames roared briefly, sending thick black smoke billowing straight up into a pristine sky. The acrid stench of burning fuel and rubber filled their noses. She shoogled the canister and listened. It was half empty already. She put it down next to Roddy, passed out on the ground under Ethan’s coat.

‘Someone will come.’

Adam looked west, the direction of the still. There was no trace of smoke in the sky over there. Were they too far away to see it? Had it burnt out already? Had someone spotted it in the night and called the fire brigade to put it out? Did they even have a fire brigade on Islay?

‘There’s no smoke from the still,’ he said.

‘I know.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘I don’t know.’

Adam looked back at their own smoke signal, reaching lazily upwards into the cold blue.

‘What if no one comes?’

Molly turned to him. ‘I don’t have all the answers, I’m as much in the dark as you are. Stop asking stupid questions.’

Adam looked at her. She seemed close to tears, a wetness in her eyes, but then it could’ve been the petrol fumes. She turned away from his gaze.

Adam looked out to sea, then turned back as he realised Molly was crying – thick, heavy sobs into her hands as her body convulsed with the release of it.

‘It’s OK,’ he said, getting up and trying to put his arm around her. She flinched at his touch and shook him off.

‘It’s not OK,’ she snapped. ‘It’s never going to be OK, what’s happened.’

Adam stared at her back as she composed herself, wiping away tears with the backs of her hands and sniffing. He felt empty and didn’t know what to say.

‘Look, we’re all just a bit stressed,’ he said.

Molly laughed, a slice of acidic sound. ‘You think?’

They looked at each other, something passing between them, a flicker of what they’d felt back at her place, maybe, a painful reminder of how their lives could’ve been.

‘Sorry,’ he said again.

‘What do you have to be sorry for?’

‘If it wasn’t for me, none of us would be in this mess.’

Molly shook her head. ‘We were unlucky, that’s all.’

It was Adam’s turn to laugh. ‘I think unlucky is an understatement, don’t you?’

‘Maybe.’

He tentatively tried to put his arm round her again. To his surprise, she allowed herself to be held, leaning into him. He smelled her hair, a faint flowery shampoo amongst the bitter smokiness of the fire. It felt so nice holding her, he never wanted to let go. In the middle of the night, back in the still, he could never have imagined being this close to her again. He didn’t want it to end.

She pulled away awkwardly and nodded at Roddy.

‘Better check on numb-gums,’ she said. ‘Make sure he hasn’t OD-ed.’

She knelt and took the wrist of his good arm, felt for his pulse. She nodded. ‘Still with us, but weak. We should think about a Plan B for getting rescued quicker.’

‘Like what?’

Molly shrugged again. ‘Maybe one of us could walk round the coast the other way, see what we can find.’

‘You think that’s a good idea?’

‘I really don’t know.’

‘Wait,’ said Adam. ‘You hear something?’

It was faint, but there was definitely a rattling chug in the air. As he strained to listen it got louder, the sound of a rough diesel engine clanking and rumbling away. It was coming from above, up on the road, although he couldn’t see anything from down here.

Molly ran over and threw some more petrol on the fire, standing back as flames and smoke whooshed into the sky. They both turned, looking desperately along the top of the cliff where the road ran, and screaming. They were shouting and hollering for all they were worth as the engine noise grew louder and louder, then suddenly they saw a rusting tractor pulling up to the edge above them.

They were still yelling and now jumping up and down, waving their arms frantically as an old woman climbed out of the cab and peered down at them. She waved and they waved back.

‘Are you all right?’ Her voice was faint, with a thick island accent.

‘We need help,’ shouted Molly.

‘Anyone injured?’

‘One of us,’ said Molly. ‘We’ve got one dead as well, and one … missing.’

She looked at Adam on that last word.

‘Heavens,’ said the woman. ‘Oh my goodness. Hang on, I’ll get help. Can you wait? I need to go back to the farm to phone the police. That’ll take half an hour, it’s the other side of the Oa.’

Molly laughed. ‘Half an hour is fine, thank you.’

‘Not at all, my dear,’ the woman said. ‘Just hang on, we’ll get you out of there in a jiffy.’

The woman disappeared into the tractor, which revved then crawled away. They listened as the engine noise receded, then looked at each other, grins breaking out on their faces. They quickly hugged each other, then separated clumsily.

‘Thank Christ,’ said Molly, smiling and shaking her head.

‘I know.’ Adam put his head in his hands. ‘I can’t believe it.’

‘Come on,’ said Molly. ‘Let’s tell Roddy we’ve saved his miserable wee life.’

They trudged over and slumped to their knees next to him.

‘Roddy,’ said Adam, shaking him. ‘Come on, Roddy, wake up, we’re saved.’

Roddy didn’t move.

‘Come on, big guy,’ Adam whispered into his ear. ‘Wake up, it’s going to be OK.’

No response.

Adam put two fingers to Roddy’s wrist, waited a moment, then pressed the fingers into his neck.

‘I can’t find a pulse.’

‘What?’ said Molly.

Adam put an ear to Roddy’s mouth and a hand on his chest.

‘Is he breathing?’

Adam shrugged, then grabbed Roddy’s head and shook. ‘Roddy, fucking hell.’

A smile crept over Roddy face as he opened his eyes, taking a while to focus.

‘What are you cunts waking me up for?’ he whispered. ‘I was having a pretty sweet dream about an orgy.’

‘Never mind that shit,’ said Adam, breathing heavily. ‘We’ve been spotted. We’re going to be rescued. Some old dear is away to get help. The smoke signal worked.’

Roddy smiled weakly.

‘Now it’s going to get interesting,’ he said. ‘Pass me that fucking coke.’