‘You should try it sometime. It’s amazing.’
‘I don’t know. It sounds scary to me.’
‘It can be,’ Emma said. ‘I’ve had some less than brilliant experiences myself. The shadow people can be very frightening. But if you don’t show fear, they’ll generally leave you alone.’
‘Right,’ Aidan said, as if this made perfect sense.
‘By far the worst thing I ever encountered while astral travelling was when I accidentally astral projected into my neighbour’s house and caught him doing the Gangnam Style dance completely naked in his kitchen.’
Aidan laughed. ‘I’m surprised that didn’t put you off for life.’
Emma shrugged. ‘It’s worth the risk. There’s so much more to this world than the physical realm, you know. It’s amazing what comes in when you open your mind and your heart to the possibilities.’
‘I bet. Anyway, what’s astral projection got to do with you moving to Dingle?’
‘Everything. It’s what brought me here – literally.’
‘Is it easier to do here or something?’ he asked, hoping he wasn’t paving the way for a discourse about ley lines and fairy forts and all sorts of woo-woo nonsense.
‘No, not particularly. But the first time I came here was when I was astral projecting and I found myself on the pier atDunquin. I didn’t even know that’s where it was at first. I’d never been there before in my life. But it was so vivid and real, and I had this deep sense that it was where I needed to be – that I was home. Then something – a voice, you could say – told me where I was.’
‘There was someone else there?’
‘Not physically. It was more like telepathy. Anyway, I looked up Dunquin the next day and I couldn’t believe it – it was all exactly as I’d seen it. I remembered flying down that pier to the sea, with the waves crashing against the rocks and feeling so happy.’
‘What made you think it wasn’t just a dream? I mean, you’d probably seen pictures of Dunquin before.’ It was one of the most photographed spots on the Dingle Peninsula. ‘Maybe you remembered it subconsciously.’
‘You’d know if you’d ever done it.’ Emma smiled, her face suffused with a kind of evangelical joy. ‘It’s nothing like dreaming. I woke up with the most profound sense of peace and certainty. I knew this was where I was supposed to be – you know, in the physical realm. So I packed up and moved here, lock, stock and barrel, and I’ve never looked back.’
‘Right.’ Aidan was relieved when the waiter arrived with their dessert and they could return to the physical realm themselves.
‘This looks great,’ Emma said, cracking the top of the crème brûlée with a spoon.
‘It does. The food here is really good.’
‘High praise, coming from you. I have to admit I’ve never been to your restaurant.’
Aidan shrugged. ‘There are a lot of restaurants in Dingle and you haven’t been living here that long. It’s hard to get around them all.’
‘But I intend to fix that soon. I’ve heard so many good things about Coast.’
Aidan shifted uncomfortably. This was his cue to invite her, and half an hour ago he would have. But now… ‘Yeah, you should. Let me know if you’re ever coming in and I’ll see you’re taken care of.’
‘Oh.’ Emma’s smile faltered and Aidan felt like a shit. ‘Thanks.’
They called for the bill and Aidan insisted on paying – he felt it was the least he could do to make up for blowing Emma off.
‘Well, this was lovely,’ Emma said as she shrugged into her coat. ‘Thanks.’
‘You’re welcome.’
‘I’m getting a cab,’ she said, pulling her phone from her pocket as they left the restaurant. ‘Do you fancy coming back with me for a nightcap?’
Aidan knew what she was asking and he’d normally have been tempted. But there was no way he could relax and risk falling asleep beside her. He wouldn’t be able to get the idea out of his head that she might leave her body as soon as he was unconscious and be hovering over him… possibly plotting a takeover. ‘Thanks, but I’ve got an early start in the morning.’
‘Okay.’ She nodded, hunching her shoulders against the evening chill. ‘I hope I didn’t scare you off with all my talk of astral projection. I know it can be a bit much for some people, if you’ve never experienced it.’
For a moment, Aidan hesitated. She seemed so normal again, as if she knew what she’d been saying wasn’t rational. But it was too late. He’d seen behind the curtain.
