Year of the Orphan

by Daniel Findlay

  She took the climb real slow, knowin this time that the Ghosts might come from either direction but she dint see nuthin of em. The heat ebbed away as she climbed back up towards the surface an the sweat dried on her face an back, turnin to a chill in her coat by the time she saw the faint starlight in the distance at the tunnel mouth. It were another while spent watchin an edgin closer before she came out, huggin the edge of the wall an slippin into evry shadow she could find. Workin her way back up the spiral she heard howls on the wind an once she smelled Ghost close by, saw the red hunger of it as she looked towards the scent but she dint see nuthin with her eyes. She hit the top of the helix as the sun broke the range on the horizon an by the time she crawled under the deck of the Open Road and put her head down her eyes was closin of their own accord. She fell asleep with one hand on the shells an teeth in her pocket an the other on her blade.

  60

  They made camp again in the mean shade of sheoak an dead, dry mallee bones an the sun dropped fast on em. Cold order an she could see their tack was runnin low, that they aint had nuthin fresh for days an they wasnt likely to. She nursed her bruised knuckles an sharpened the long knife an watched Block do the same with both his shivs but he still wasnt much for talkin. Could see him scoutin the horizon evry few minutes, waitin for sum sign of them thatd come out of darkness but she was certain they werent comin. Theyd been movin a full day an they was shattered tired. Just enough left in her to quarter the plain but she knew she werent gunna see nuthin. They was gone. Whatever they wanted lost an forgotten. The Block aint wanted to talk an she couldnt blame him neither. All that scrappin, then sailin, then watchin. No proper camp. Twixt the two of em an all the days theyd spent on sand together there werent much for the sayin. They tied off the ships against the dead tree an wrapped themselves in the sails against the chill.

  Storm comin up.

  She could see the stain of it against the last dregs of light.

  Yep. Stay close.

  They sat next to each other aside the trunk an she were glad of the warmth comin off him. Ran hot did the Block. Not the first time theyd made this camp. They pulled their hoods down an wrapped themselves together an when the sand hit it were just the two of em in the whole world. Too noisy to talk an no light, just swappin breath an heat an tryna kip as best they could. She knew it werent gunna come though an then she felt him sleep an she was out too.

  She woke still leanin on the Block, him still asleep an the wind died down a bit, quiet enough but she felt sumthin out there on the sand. She shifted an he dint stir an she rolled back her hood an felt the dust hit her face. She tied off her wrap an shielded her eyes, starin into the haze, tryna figger what she was seein when sumthin hit her out the dark, a shape trippin on her an she heard the Block yell out an the sound of another voice. The sand cleared a little an for a second she though the Ghosts was on em again, close quarters an it were gunna be vicious wet work an then she saw it were just wun fella. Just wun shape an it held a long blade to the Block whod been caught by bad luck an happenstance.

  The sand whipped around in a whirly an more starlight crept through the cloud an she could see the shape of him better an it were just a yung fella, not moren a yungen maybe but she reckoned she knew the face from down the hooks an corners an that sumhow, wun of Karras ladsd been trackin em all this way. Musta been followin them for days an they aint seen nuthin. Fucken sleepers needed wakin, they was gettin woke now. Block had murder on his face but he were caught cold an the Orphan could see the yungen were twitchy an with good reason. Nowt but Ghosts and killers an bad blud out here, she could vouch.

  Easy yungen. What is it ya want? Who are ya?

  The kid dint answer, just kept blade to the Block an sized her up.

  Ya dint mean to stumble on us didja? Just come on us out the storm, right? Maybe you can just go on yer way?

  There were a moment she thought she saw him waver but sumthin, fear mebbe, straightened his back.

  Empty yer food out. And yer water.

  Alright.

  She opened her satch an dropped the jerky an tack, watchin his eyes follow the scraps of food.

  Wun of Karras lads are ya?

  Block shifted as he spoke an the kid raised the knife, quick as anything, to his throat.

  Dont fucken move. I know who ya are. I know youse.

  The Orphan raised her palms up slow an steady. Nowun needs to bleed tonight. Ya can take the tack an leave us, we aint gunna follow.

  Do what I like cant I.

  The kid were tryna brass it but she could see the fear.

  An there aint no way yer takin us both back. Yer ship must be around here sumwhere, right? Why dontcha just walk on back an take off. No harm.

  Whatever yer doin out here yer too late. We already been this way. Aint nuthin. And yer fellas are already dead.

  The blud drained outta Block’s face. He shifted again an he got the knife point hard against his neck for the trouble. Orphan, whats he look like to you?

  Looks scared. But he believes what hes sayin. Dontcha yungen?

  Dont fucken yungen me, dog. All yer mates is bled out by now. We knew when ya left. Been trackin ya for days.

  He were tauntin now an she figgered the more he talked the better her chances got. Her hands was out an free an she knew she could have the blade out fast enough if it come to it. Block were always cool for the game but he was lookin shook at what the yungen was saying. Were it true? Were Block’s peeps in trouble? She were sizin him up the yungen when she caught a whiff of sumthin rank on the wind. Sumthin dead an halfforgotten. Raised up old memories. She hadnt smelled nuthin proper for days an the shock of it, the stink were so strong she could see the greasy yellow colour of it in the night sky.

  Orphan?

  Block called her back.

  Stop yer fucken talkin. Enough!

  The wind had near died down completely an it were like the storm never happened. Evrythin comin clear an sharp to her in the starlight like itd been washed with dust. The smell though. It hit her memory like a slap. Far out in the dark she caught sumthin movin. She squinted an then turned her head to the side. Always saw brightest out the corners of her eyes. There were sumthin movin for sure, werent Ghost, sumthin else. Sumthin big, an the dead smell came to her on a little gust an she knew what she were seein spite herself.

  I know you been told to keep yer eyes on me no matter what yungen but ya need to look over yer shoulder now.

  Yer fucken mates is bled out an the baldmans got it now. Unnerstand.

  Block’s face was horror. She dint know if what the kid were sayin was true or not but she could see him geein up to shed blud an time went real slow for her.

  Last time Im tellin ya, hunker down yungen, sumthins comin behind ya.

  The hulkin shape were comin close now an the smell of death on it were crawlin up inside her head an gut an makin her even dizzier than she were already. Her eyes was playin up, beatin light an dark with her heart an the air around her seemed to pulse. The yungen was still lookin at her an she saw the beast come past the trunk of the tree an heard its breath for the first time. Block threw himself aside as the yungen half turned an she saw the kid’s eyes go wide an he spun all the way around to face it. Werent no stoppin it now though an she were rooted to the ground like she’d come up from the unders. The tusks an teeth punched into his chest an carried him off his feet an she wanted to close her eyes but couldnt. Owed the debt of witness to the thing. It shook its head careless an fierce an she felt blud lash across her cheek on her an the yungen aint even had time to cry out. She seen where the bone gone into his heart an she knew it were gunna be over quick an that were the only mercy he could ask for. The great boar stamped an huffed out a gust of putrid air an the smell of iron an shit an rot were all around her. Block rolled away from the blud an the boar started, tossed its head again, openin the yungen right up an pushin its blunt nose inside as they stood starin. It raised its head, lookin at em both square as the kid slumped to the ground,
innards spillin in the dust an nuthin but surprise on his face as his breath rattled outta him.

  She took the Blocks hand an looked at the beast, speakin as firm as she could.

  Blud. Blud. Unnerstand?

  Block were frozen, fingers like dead sticks in hers, but she knew the thingd heard her.

  She closed her eyes this time an felt her knees buckle under her until she was sittin in the sand, the Block with her, both their heads bowed down while the beast done its grisly work. After a while she felt it come towards her an she opened her eyes to see it set down on the dust in front of em, sated. It raised its giant head up when it felt her gaze an looked at her with flat black eyes that had no end nor beginning. She felt sick to her gut but she knew her obligations.

  Yer got me thanks.

  The beast huffed at her an she hung her head down.

  Wheres yer mate?

  It dint seem to unnerstand. Just laid its muzzle back down on the cold dark sand. She put her arm around the Blocks shoulders an held onto him tight as they sat side by side.

  61

  She woke curled against the Block, stiff an cold just before dawn. It were a breeze that woke her an she sat up, seein a fine line of light in the east. She cast around in a panic but there were nuthin but two ships, the tree an the rest featureless sand. No beast an no body but the dust was stained with blud. It musta took its prize away in the dark, she could see sum draggin marks an tracks but they was already goin. Itd headed even further West an spite the journey they was on she dint wanna know what was that way she reckoned. She an the Block unfolded from each other an she saw sumthin real unfamiliar on his face an it took her a while to place that it were worry.

  Reckon we might as well get a brew on.

  He nodded, near to himself, lookin far away.

  She tried again. Figger things is as bad as they gunna get.

  What were that thing last night, Orphan?

  She busied herself makin the fire, takin her time. That were a beast I met a long time ago. I dunno why it come now. Aint seen it in years.

  She could see Block workin that thought over but it dint make no sense to her so who knew what root it were gunna take in him. After a while he came an sat by the smoke an he still werent lookin at her proper. Like he’d seen her real shape last night or sumthin an dint wanna look again too close. He were seein now, that she were sure of. Seein that there was bigger things at work, stranger things. The sun picked up an the first heat washed over em an she felt herself calmin spite the night an spite the blud they was sittin a stones throw from. Sumwhere close was that boys ship but she dint have no time to be lookin for it, nor for what were left of him, if there were anything.

  Orphan, that yungen knew we was out here.

  She nodded.

  We dint get out clean like we hoped.

  Seems not.

  I gotta go back. Look after the yungens. If yer old boss’s made his move I gotta be there. Im sorry Orphan. I gotta go.

  She let her breath out slow an hurtful. Werent no changin it. But werent no maskin it neither.

  I know.

  62

  She looked East where she could see the Taipan throwin up dust an she felt terrible alone. She were right out on the West edge of where the last familiar things was endin. Up this way, whether they knew the reason for it or not, fellas dint come. She knowed why now. She finished makin the Wide Open Road ready an stowed her gear tight. A wind was comin up and she were gunna need to take it while she could. At least another days sail, maybe day an a half until she would start to reach the place on the map an she dint even know exactly what she was lookin for. She dint think there was gunna be a nice sign sayin welcome to the darkest secret ya can think of. She boarded up an unfurled the sail, catchin a gust an draggin the wheels round, the light ship heelin over in the wind, little outriggers skimmin the top of the spinifex an cuttin through an around the stunted saltbush. The Open Road picked up speed an she stopped thinkin of anythin at all, just watchin the sand like she was huntin.

  The high point of the sun came an went an as it crossed the top of the sky she got becalmed an had to step out an start draggin the ship. She tied on the harness an made sure she kept her water close. The cloth wrap that covered her face got tied into a shawl an she covered her mouth as little gusts in the wrong direction started throwin dust into her mouth. Her glasses kept mosta the grit out of her eyes but it were hard goin an in the heat of the high sun she was gettin terrible parched. The ground were just broken enough that she had to watch it evry step. Nuthin moved on the rocks, not a lizard bakin or a spider or nuthin. No birds, no water nearby, she couldnt taste nuthin in the air, not even the poison she thought she’d be feelin as she got close. Still, she reckoned she had plenny of distance still left to cover. Were strange to think that sumthin this far out could be powerful enough to mayhap reach the System but she suspected nuthin was out the reach of them dark magics of the old days. The wind come up even more against her an she hadta stop. Furlin the sail werent enough, she hadta take down the mast an stow evrythin in the containers strapped to the sideboards. She chopped the Open Road down to a metal frame sittin on wheels an then tilted her nose inta the wind again, headin West, ever West.

  The sund seemed to come up real slow that mornin but she dint notice it goin down proper until it sped up, slippin down the horizon like it were bein pushed, an afore she knew it she had ten minutes light left an the best she could say was the wind had stopped again an it werent shovin her backwards at least. She stopped her walkin for a second an she could feel that her legs was buzzin, hummin like they was about to quit an warm like theyd been sittin fireside for a long time. She dint know how long itd been since her last sippa water but she were rationin it out an a dry throat werent nuthin new. She reckoned she’d be a fool to get caught parched an dehydrated though. Never live it down with Block if she made it back. She trekked on an the shadows got real long, fadin until they was nuthin and she were just puttin wun foot in front of the other in the dark. Too dangerous for most but she had them bright eyes what come in so handy down the Glows an she figgered evry step she took while she still had the energy were wun more she dint have to take tomorrow. The temperature dropped as quick as the light an where the harnessd been chafin away with sweat an heat was sharp turnin to a chill. She stopped an had a dig in the cargo net of the Open Road, draggin out a woven poncho that were lined with fur an droppin it over herself. She could feel her energy sappin away but now she’d been travellin all day it dint seem to make no difference if she were goin a bit further. She was just gunna go a bit more, just a little bit she reckoned, then she’d stop an give herself a rest, a sip of water an dig out sum of the good meat she’d salted an saved for her dinner. Might even get a brew on. She were just goin on a little more.

  The Orphan woke up face down in the sand an she thrashed as she come to, but the harness checked her writhin an once she felt that the panic started droppin. What happened? She pushed herself up onto her knees, the desert stark an cold around her an all lit up on account of her eyes an the dirty moon what had shown up. She musta passed out she reckoned? Bludy idiot. Was fair game for any beast what come lookin jus lucky there werent nuthin besides her stupid enough to be out here she reckoned. She crawled back to the ship that were tethered to her on the slack line an with her had she shoved the brake down. Looked like she found her campsite for the night. She took off the harness real slow, all her muscles cryin out at her an the leather stuck in the grooves where itd cut into her. She hung it on the ship an then she sat on the ground next to it, near enough too tired for a fire an a brew but knowin how much her body was cryin out for food. She dug around in her kit, commin out with a lighter an sum tinder an after a minutes work she hadda little thing goin, burnin wun of them coal squares the admen sold back at the System an dug a shallow pit for it so the flame were invisible. Werent as clean as a proper fire but it were better than nuthin an at least she could get a brew on. She were too tired be diggin out muc
h else but she took out her billy an sum hardtack an made herself a biscuit soup with sum water an chucked a handful of string biltong in there as well, makin sumthin warm at least. She werent gunna get a full fire tonight anyway, she were gunna sleep wrapped up under the Road like she done a plenny of times when she were scavvin. She took her time drinkin the beef tea an felt it drainin through her, the warmth makin her sleepy but she crawled careful round the ship, peggin out the anchors an makin sure there were nuthin to catch the wind if it come up durin the night. She checked the ropes an then checked em again, feelin Block an the Old Woman with her as she did it, both of em tellin her to do it right once instead a poor twice. Good fellas both of em. She were havin a bit of the delirium she knew it. Things was swimmin in her vision an as she crawled inta the poncho again an pulled the warm fur around her she hadda feelin like it were both all wrong an all right with the world. Like it dint matter really what she dun or was gunna do next, that it were gunna be alright an she knew that it were the poison talkin to her. She’d made less ground than she’d hoped but she still musta come a fair way an that meant she was prolly gettin pretty close to where she did an dint wanna be.