Icefall

by Hallowes, Guy

  Derain noticed. He put an affectionate arm around her when nobody else was looking, 'White Goddess did right thing, this Demetriou very bad for you, ancestor not like him.'

  Tanya briefly leant against him and then gently pulled away. 'We still have to get all the stock back to their owners,' she said.

  They spent the day at the camp tidying up and making certain the bonfire they'd lit was fully burnt out and extinguished. The cattle had calmed down and were ready to be herded quietly back to The Bandstand.

  It took a week to return. The cattle were used to being herded for long distances, but many of the sheep died along the way.

  On arrival, Kim greeted the remaining rescuers. 'I've sent half the women to hospital. I did what I could for them, but they are generally in a bad way. They lost husbands and sons and some have lost homes, as well as the trauma they suffered at the hands of the gang.'

  The stock was herded into holding yards, separating the cattle and sheep.

  'Many of these cattle didn't come from here,' Natalie told them. 'We brand all our cattle and about a quarter of the herd in the yard aren't. Also we mainly had merino sheep and there are other breeds in there. They must have raided at least one other place.'

  'First things first, let's get this place back on its feet,' said Tanya.

  'We're getting on with it, but we need Caroline for some of the bigger issues. We can't look after all this stock for one. There are far more than we had in the first place and we no longer have the manpower.'

  'We'll take most of the stock to The Settlement,' said Tanya, after some thought, 'but we'll leave the milking cows here. You'll need to deal with any infected udders. We'll leave the sheep as well as they won't survive another long trek.'

  'Our vet died in the raid, and could Kim stay here for a while. Some of our people are badly in need of ongoing treatment.'

  'I'm okay with Kim staying,' answered Tanya. 'I'll get a vet over as soon as I can. Anything else?'

  Kim nodded. 'Let The Settlement men stay too. We need muscle to start the rebuild.'

  Tanya, Derain, and ten women from the rescue party took four days to drive the three hundred and fifty cattle to The Settlement.

  Settlement people were slowly coming to terms with the developments over the past few weeks. Most had assumed they were perfectly safe in their isolated environment, but now realised this wasn't necessarily the case. The question was, how should they proceed from now on? The Settlement was strong and secure, but beyond their boundaries people worried what sort of bedlam reigned.

  Tanya briefed the board and then the whole community on the developments at The Bandstand and how they had handled the situation. There was some disquiet among Settlement members when she described the stampede and its results.

  'Couldn't you have dealt with the raiders more humanely? A simple execution would have been better. You seem to have reduced us to the level of those animals.'

  Tanya was about to respond when a furious woman from The Bandstand yelled, 'My husband and son were brutally murdered by the raiders. Our house was burnt to the ground and I was repeatedly raped until Tanya came and rescued us. A different plan might have injured some of the women or even the rescuers. For Christ's sake, wake up. Those people deserved nothing but what they got and I for one applaud Tanya and the rescue party.' She started clapping and was gradually joined by the rest of the community.

  'We now need to decide how we proceed,' said David. 'It's clear we can't just sit it out and hope the situation resolves itself. The board will discuss options and get back to you.'

  Tanya had told the board how many of the stock weren't from The Bandstand. 'We believe the raiders attacked other places first. I think we need to find out what happened as it will influence how we act.'

  'What do you suggest?'

  'I'll take another party out. If we have Derain with us we'll be able to follow any trails left by the raiders, even if it is a bit old.'

  'What about using the helicopter?'

  'We won't be able to follow trails that way. Anyway, our fuel supplies shouldn't be overused and the helicopter is getting old. We either need spares or a new helicopter.'

  David grunted, 'Okay. Plan to take another party out.'

  'There is one other thing everyone should be aware of,' said Tanya. 'It's noticeable there's been extensive growth in the bush outside. Perhaps because of the heavier rainfall we've had since the flood. It may make getting about more difficult as time goes by.'

  'Derain said something similar,' said David. 'We've noticed the better seasons here inside the property since the flood.'

  Before the party left, David said to Tanya, 'I'm thinking of moving to The Bandstand. It may make sense for the two to be merged anyway. The people there are now in a very bad position and, anyway, we can't have more than four hundred people here.'

  'Where does Chloe stand?'

  'She's committed to helping Susan raise her child. I don't see much of her since I moved into Jonathan's place. She told me it would be a relief if I left. I think my relationship with Caroline is awkward for her even after all this time.'

  'Who would run this place?'

  'You would, with Mark as your deputy.'

  Tanya's heart beat a little quicker at the last remark. While she had always known she would eventually take over from David, she was in no hurry for it to happen. In her heart of hearts, all she really wanted was for the current situation to continue. I wonder how Mark will react. She shivered involuntarily, knowing it would be difficult for him. 'I will think about it,' she responded evenly. 'What's Caroline's position?'

  'She's keen, and sees no other option.'

  Over the past three and a half years since her rescue, Susan had matured and, with Chloe's unwavering support, had nurtured her son.

  'What are you going to call him?' asked Chloe, just after he was born. 'Mick after his father?'

  Susan had shaken her head. 'I'll call him Barry, after my father. I'm sorry about what happened to Mick, but we would never have married and I don't want a daily reminder.'

  With Chloe spending as much time as was needed looking after Barry, Susan was able to finish her schooling. Chloe also taught her to ride properly and she joined The Academy. By the age of nineteen, it was as if she'd spent most of her life within the community.

  Susan's good looks attracted many male admirers. 'I'm not interested in any sort of boyfriend, not until I've finished my degree and contributed something to this community. I'm helping Jason and Joe with their technical stuff and I'll finish my electrical engineering degree in two or three years.' Then she added, 'Chloe, you've been like a mother to me. First the rescue and then the support you've given me. I sometimes wonder what life would have been like if I'd been rescued and then just left here as an outsider. It doesn't bear thinking about. It seems inadequate, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart and hope, someday, to reciprocate.'

  Chloe looked embarrassed. 'It's pretty easy to do what I've done, just because of who you are and how you behave; it reflects well on you and your parents. Anyway, I'm doing some of it for myself. It has been my solace since the collapse and I look forward to it continuing.'

  They embraced for a few minutes, with Barry holding onto them both clamouring to be included.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  The Expansion

  2029 to 2031

  Within days, Tanya led a new group of twenty out on the exploratory expedition. This time there were ten men, as well as the ever supportive Derain, and ten women. They were completely re-equipped and had fresh horses. Tanya was excited; she'd found it restrictive, always cooped up in The Settlement.

  One night was spent at The Bandstand while Derain scouted around searching for possible trails. 'Hard,' he told Tanya, 'trail much old.' He smiled. 'But Derain will find, Derain always find.'

  Derain stayed a few hundred metres ahead of everyone, so if he had to backtrack the trail wouldn't be ridden over by the remainder of the group. A day and a
half later, Derain galloped his horse back to them. 'Body, there is body here on side of track. Tanya, you come.'

  'Maybe Fred,' he pointed dramatically. Fred had left The Settlement before Derain had become part of their lives.

  There was a decomposing and partly-eaten body lying beside the track, with what appeared to be a bullet wound in the back of the head. Tanya carefully turned it over and it was indeed Fred. She called the rest of the group.

  'Obviously an execution,' said Roger. 'We'd better bury him properly.'

  The group dismounted and, within half an hour, a grave had been dug and Fred's body was eased into it. Roger muttered a few words of prayer as the body was covered in earth and branches.

  By mid-morning the next day, they arrived in a small village with less than a dozen houses. As they arrived, half a dozen dogs rushed out barking and several people dropped everything and ran into the bush in a blind panic.

  Rachel chased after one woman and caught her, 'It's okay, we are here to help. There is no need to run,' she said to the frantically struggling woman.

  After a few minutes, the woman started to cry and her struggles ceased. 'Do what you will, but please leave the others alone.'

  Rachel brought her to rest of the group, already dismounted and unsaddling. The horses were released into a small paddock nearby. The woman looked around uncertainly.

  'We are not here to harm you in any way,' Tanya said to her quietly, 'but to help if we can.' The woman looked distrustful. 'What happened to all your stock?' asked Tanya. 'There are plenty of hoof marks here, but no animals?'

  'Men came and took all the animals, mainly cattle.'

  'They did you no harm?' asked Tanya.

  'A man came about an hour before the others and told us all to run into the bush or else we'd be killed. He was very convincing, so most of us did as we were told. We now think it was a trick. Other men came with a herd of cattle and just opened the gates and took everything. They seemed to be in a dreadful hurry.'

  'Did the first man say who he was? Can you describe him?'

  'He didn't give us a name,' she said, but described Fred in some detail.

  'It wasn't a trick,' said Tanya. 'We know the man you describe. He was found dead, executed, about a day's ride from here. His name was Fred Costas.'

  Gradually, when they realised the visiting party posed no threat, more people emerged from the bush. 'I overheard one man, maybe the leader, yelling at the men to get a move on and forget the people.'

  'He said something about "getting Fred",' interjected another unkempt man.

  'What did he look like?' asked Tanya.

  'He was a big, well-built man with a Mediterranean complexion. He was quite harsh and the others seemed scared of him.'

  'With good reason,' answered Tanya. 'The man was Demetriou Smith and he is dead now.'

  'Dead? What do you mean?'

  'I killed him.' She waved her automatic rifle about.

  'We have a non-violent approach to the world here,' said the man quietly.

  'Maybe I should tell you what Demetriou's group did to the people at The Bandstand, a settlement a few days' ride to the west of here.'

  'We've heard of them and had contact in the past, but they cut us off when they felled all those trees.'

  Tanya told them in graphic detail of what had happened at The Bandstand.

  'God obviously protected us by sending Fred,' said the man.

  'Fred died trying to warn you. He wasn't able to warn the people at The Bandstand.'

  'God's will, he works in mysterious ways.'

  Tanya looked exasperated and glanced around her group, all of whom imperceptibly shook their heads. 'We must get away soon,' said Tanya. 'If it's not against your non-violent principles, we potentially recovered your cattle. They are at our settlement.'

  'We no longer have any horses.'

  'Perhaps God will provide you with them then,' said Tanya acidly.

  Tanya's group had a quick meal, watered the horses, and went on their way. One of the women from the village spoke to Tanya as they left. 'This group was founded on non-violent principles, but the new world seems to make that difficult to maintain.'

  'Fred put himself at risk by coming here to warn you and your fatuous response was to say his death was God's will. If he hadn't come, all the men would be dead and you women would've been raped and enslaved. Now you are relying on others like us to return all your cattle, having risked our lives to do that. God or no God, you need to wake up.' She turned away furiously and the woman scuttled off.

  Two days' ride away, Derain still managing to follow the faint trail, they found another little settlement, no more than a scattering of unprepossessing-looking huts. As they had now come to expect, a few dogs of uncertain ancestry rushed out barking, just keeping out of reach. A shot was fired over their heads as the group entered the small clearing.

  Tanya and her group didn't react. Instead, she stood up in her saddle, with both hands held high. 'We come as friends, nothing else,' she shouted.

  The response was another shot, hitting a branch not ten feet above the horsemen.

  'If you want your cattle back, you'd better stop that. We come as friends,' Tanya repeated.

  A man holding a battered, old Second World War mark IV .303 rifle, emerged from the scrub. 'There are ten guns all aimed at you,' he said aggressively. 'What do you want?'

  'Some information,' said Tanya evenly. 'There was a raid here, we think, a few weeks back. They stole all your cattle and maybe some horses, but somehow you had a warning of the raid and ran off into the bush. Right so far?'

  The man lowered his weapon. 'How d'ya know all that?'

  Tanya ignored him and continued, 'The man's name was Fred.' She gave a clear description. 'He made off west to warn the next settlement along the way.'

  'You mean the God Botherers,' said the man, now listening carefully. A few people came out from various hiding places and stood around.

  'Yes, said Tanya, 'they lost all their cattle as well.'

  'So you haven't come here to raid us again?'

  'No, as I keep saying, we come as friends.'

  Weapons were lowered by the bedraggled-looking settlers. By now, twenty adults and several children had emerged.

  'If we may dismount,' said Tanya 'then we can explain ourselves.'

  Nothing was said so the group dismounted and loosened horses' girths.

  Tanya continued her dialogue, 'Fred warned the other settlement, but they lost all their cattle as well. Unfortunately, they found Fred out and executed him. He was by then on his way to The Bandstand. You may know them?'

  'Yes, snooty bastards, we had some dealing with a man called Bill there a few years ago now.'

  'He was one of the raiders, but that's not the point.' She described what had happened to the people there. 'That would've been your fate if Fred hadn't warned you.'

  There was silence from the settlers; then one of the women said, 'We're sorry about Fred. He seemed a nice man.'

  'We were warned by a survivor at our settlement and were able to surprise the raiders and recover all the cattle. All the raiders are dead now,' said Tanya.

  The group shared their rations with the settlers, who seemed on the verge of starvation.

  'Those cattle were our lifeblood,' said one of the women. 'Since they were taken we've been in a bad way.'

  'Well, I see you have some horses,' said Rachel. 'Fetch your cattle any time.'

  'The horses were taken by the raiders, but they reappeared one night.'

  'When the cattle stampeded the horses just took off,' Tanya told them.

  Later, Tanya asked, 'Are there any other settlements, to the east of here?'

  'There were several,' said the woman, 'but they were overrun by people leaving Newcastle after the floods.'

  'What are you going to do now, assuming you fetch your cattle and remain here?'

  'Don't know. We've all been a bit shell shocked since the raid. Having our cattle back shoul
d put us back on our feet. But we'll need better security.'

  'We may have something to suggest,' Tanya said, watching for a reaction.

  'We don't really know who you are, but you look well set up.'

  'We are from The Settlement, two days' ride west of The Bandstand. There are now more than four hundred people settled there.'

  Eyebrows were raised, but the tall bearded man Tanya now identified as leader calmly responded, 'There were some rumours around about a very big settlement somewhere in the Blue Mountains, but since the flood we've heard nothing more.'

  'How many head do you think you lost?' asked Tanya.

  'About fifty.'

  'Unbranded?'

  'We don't brand our cattle.'

  'There are something like one hundred unbranded animals among the group we rescued. I suppose the rest belong to the people you refer to as the God Botherers. If you wish, two of you can return home with us to collect your animals. You still have several horses, but the God Botherers weren't so lucky. So if you're happy to help them, I suggest you bring two spare horses and they can fetch their cattle at the same time.'

  The bearded man pulled a face but said, 'Okay, I can see we all need to pull together.' He hesitated a fraction and continued, 'My name is Joseph by the way.'

  A flurry of introductions followed.

  'What do you call this place?' asked Rachel.

  '"Banksia"; many of them grow in this area,' answered Joseph.

  'It's unusual for a woman to be a leader of such a group,' observed Joseph in general conversation.

  'There is no discrimination in our community; women and girls are encouraged to participate in all activities,' Tanya replied. 'We even have a military academy, where volunteers are trained as soldiers—women and men.'

  There was an immediate spark of interest among the women in Joseph's group.