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to spot a sign advertising where they were, but she couldn’t see anything. There didn’t appear to be anything with writing on. What looked like a signpost had been painted over with black paint. The acrid smell of diesel filled the air, making her stomach curdle again. Walking arm in arm with Jane toward the helicopter, she expected someone to jump out and shout ‘surprise!’
    “Boys and their toys,” Jane mumbled, slurring her words slightly under the influence of fresh alcohol.
    The helicopter door was open and Chase climbed into the spacious rear. A pilot and co-pilot sat at the controls. Neither of them acknowledged Chase or Jane. Moments later, they fired up the engines and the rotors started to rotate.
    “All settled?” Drake asked above the roar of the engines as he entered the helicopter and secured the door.
    Chase nodded, feeling her stomach lurch as the helicopter left the ground. She felt quite disorientated as the nose dipped down, the ground starting to blur beneath them as they increased speed. The ride was like an uncomfortable roller coaster as they pitched and yawed across the countryside. Even Jane remained quiet, looking queasy.
    With no idea how long the flight would take, she tried to sleep but couldn’t get comfortable and she kept fidgeting. Eventually she heard Drake shout, “Almost there.”
    Chase opened her eyes and stared in awe at the carpet of fog obscuring the land. She could see that they were in a valley, the hills in the distance trapping the fog in a natural bottleneck. As they skimmed over the fog, an occasional tree jutted out like a strange island in a seething white sea. In the distance she could make out a hill rising from the fog like a lighthouse in a storm. The closer they got, the more she could make out. Houses became discernible, dotted across the hillside. The buildings were interspersed by trees, tall Poplars, Noble firs and Scots pine that looked like bonsai trees in an oriental setting. Most of the houses appeared old, late sixteenth, early seventeenth century, which made Chase wonder which had come first, the houses or the trees. She didn’t realise her mouth was open until Drake spoke.
    “Beautiful, isn’t it.”
    “Beautiful, it’s ...” Chase was lost for words. “ Paradise .”
    “And you’ve won one of those!” Jane squealed and shook her head. “Damn, why don’t I enter competitions?”
    Chase didn’t say anything, too afraid that if she did, the illusion would fade and she would wake up.
    The helicopter descended into a field, causing an impromptu crop circle.
    “Mind your heads when we exit. Keep low and run for the lane over there.” As he opened the door, Drake pointed out a lane that snaked into the village.
    Chase and Jane did as they were told and ran from beneath the rotors to stand marvelling at the village. From a lower perspective it looked even more beautiful. Many of the houses were black and white beamed structures, half hidden by the majestic trees that stood guard like proud soldiers. Chase hardly noticed the helicopter engine noise increase as it took off, banking to return the way it had come. She was too awe-struck. As the noise and draft receded, the smell of fresh pine invaded the air. Chase inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, savouring the moment and the fresh smell. She no longer felt sick; too awed to feel ill.
    “Follow me,” Drake barked, striding off along the lane, a holdall slung over his shoulder and Chase’s suitcase and Jane’s overnight bag in each hand making his muscles bulge.
    The fir trees lining the lane were gnarled and old. Sunlight danced through the needle foliage, stabbing the ground with flickering hypodermic shadows.
    Chase saw movement from the corner of her eye and she caught sight of the grey bushy tail of a squirrel racing around the trunk of a tree. Turning to face back the way they had come, she found it surreal to see a wall of fog not two hundred feet away. It felt as though Paradise was