August bank holiday weekend. The dunes are lush with flowers, heavy with hovering insects.

***

‘What’s she looking at, fucking busybody?’ Andy thinks as gets out of the campervan in the morning. The woman is sitting in a car parked behind them. So, it wasn’t a designated place for overnight stops, but they weren’t in anyone’s way. ‘She’s nothing to be looking like a slapped arse for. Not going to spoil our holiday, the bitch.’ Andy thinks of giving her the finger, but she’s looking away.

The fire is nearly out. The woman has gone by the time they set off. He’ll recognise the car if he sees it again. He tells his son, Ben, to get rid of the rubbish before they go.

***

‘Firemen called to the dunes again today. Wish the bloody holidaymakers would stop camping there.’

32 likes, 14 angry faces, 95 comments, 0 shares

‘It’s those holidaymakers that keep this place going.

2 likes, 17 thumbs up, 3 thoughtful faces

‘We used to camp there all the time as kids. Never did anyone any harm.’

28 likes, 14 thumbs ups, 1 reply

‘Too right, mate. Original poster just needs to get a life.’

12 ha ha has, 26 thumbs up

***

‘When you come up with the dog, can you bring some more sand, please? Someone’s had another fire here,’ Dawn says angrily into the phone. It’s not her husband’s fault, but there’s nobody else around to blame.

She picks up the stones, throws them onto the beach below, starts to pick up the cigarette butts and bottle tops. She kicks as much of the burnt wood as she can into the surrounding grass, then pours on the sand.

***
‘Lovely evening for it,’ Clare says to the other adults as they watch the kids playing on the beach. ‘Won’t be doing this next week.’

They all groan, thinking of work. It’s just getting chilly, so they would have been heading home, except that they found this bit where someone has had a campfire. Nothing more natural than that. Clare puts on more of the charcoal that she got from the supermarket.

‘More prosecco anyone?’

***

‘He’s been right up my arse since we turned off.’

‘I know. I wish he’d dip his headlights. It’s scaring me.’ Dawn’s not been a good passenger since her breakdown. They had moved here for the peace. The rumble of the campervan behind their car makes her shiver.

Her husband accelerates, hoping they won’t meet anyone coming the other way. Twilight is a dangerous time on these country roads.

***

‘Who’s that, dad? Are we following ‘em?’ Ben asks as the van swerves around the bends.

‘It’s just a woman who was down the beach, busy bodying when we were camping. I’m teaching her a lesson.’

‘Oh. Can we get chips, dad?’

‘Perhaps. When you’ve finished that drink.’

Ben opens the window and throws the half empty can out.

***

Dawn goes back to clear up again the next day.