Hassles And Hope by Noel McCready.
Category: Romance
Paperback: 228 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1906755000
ISBN-13: 978-1906755003
Publisher: Spinetinglers Publishing

August 2007
"The coast rambler bus dropped Don off at the Giant’s Causeway car park. A gentle Atlantic breeze eased his troubled brow. Tourists and sightseers were strolling to and fro across the car park, the purpose and destinations of their journeying of no consequence to him. He wandered aimlessly towards the shop, wondering why he bothered. None of the shop items inspired him to make a purchase. Leaving the shop, Don blended with a group of French speaking tourists walking towards the famous rock formation. After reaching the rocks, he took several deep breaths of fresh salty air, watched a small child dancing on top of a basalt column, and made his way up a path to the cliff top. His heart was full of empty and his mission to end it all crystal clear.

There was no escaping passers-by. The air was getting distinctly cooler so he hoped there would be fewer people around to bother him or interfere. Buttoning his grey leather jacket against the chill, he walked towards Benbane Head. Somewhere between Port na Spaniah and Port Noon, he chose his spot. Looking down brought him sheer terror.

The stiff sea breeze roused Don’s facial muscles. He imagined the wind whistling past his ears, his falling as free as an eagle descending on its prey. With a wry smile, he thought swooping was a better word to describe the eagle’s fixation on its victim. But he wasn’t an eagle. He had slept badly at his B&B accommodation the previous evening and now nursed a splitting headache. Lying on that saggy mattress through the dark hours, his catalogue of woes had worked into a full page in his mind. Right now he couldn’t even go over them all, his memory wasn’t working properly. All he knew was that his list was long enough to justify his standing on this cliff edge. He longed to be free from pain and regret."