Dreaming of Amelia

by Jaclyn Moriarty

  If only the message had got through.

  Just to round things up then — you’ve got a few rebels dead from the battle; a few more dead on the side of the road.

  A bunch hide in the woods, and some disappear.

  Redneck locals round them up and play this sick (in the oldfashioned sense) game where they get them to line up in a row. ‘Every third man, step forward!’ Drum roll. ‘Congratulations! Men out the front get executed!’

  And they hang them.

  I kid you not. Maybe it’s where Idol got the idea for their show.

  Governor goes, ‘Cut it out, boys. We’ll do this proper now.’ Had a trial of a few more rebels: guilty, guilty, guilty, death by hanging, death by hanging, death by hanging in chains.

  Some were flogged, some sent to chaingangs, the rest went back to Castle Hill.

  Not for long though. The crops all went to hell. History reckons it was a disease called rust, but I reckon the crops just up and died on account of all the blood and death.

  So they closed down the farm. And that stone barracks that Phillip C built?

  Guess what they did with that?

  Ah, you’ll never get it. But check it out. It’s gothic.

  They turned it into a lunatic asylum — Australia’s first. There was even an axe murder there — more gothic — they let a couple of the inmates out to chop firewood, and one hacked the other to death. Shifted the asylum somewhere else in 1826.

  Stone crumbles — they tear it down — and all around the building starts: houses, roads, shops. Ashbury High. Brookfield High. Castle Towers Shopping Centre, cinemas and mobile phone retailers. A sweeping stretch of grass and trees where the barracks once stood, and these days they call that the Castle Hill Heritage Park.

  So, that’s the story, and I’ve gotta say, it kind of gets to me.

  Maybe because it’s the first time I ever really thought about history, you know, historically speaking? Or maybe because it happened down the road.

  If I had a mirror and a telescope I could sit right here and watch.

  As it is, I can drive ten minutes to the place where the battle took place, where the major clapped the pistol to Phillip’s head. (It’s a graveyard now, which is gothic.)

  I can walk to the heritage park from where I’m sitting. I can show you the spot where Phillip’s barracks stood.

  The foundations are still there. Shadow of a building. Getting darker and thicker where the fireplace once was.

  ‘Yeah, but what about Tom?’ you go.

  I told you some guys hid in the woods and disappeared? That included Tom. They never caught him.

  Turned up dead about eight years later. He and another guy lived in the bush all that time, natives helped them survive. A year or two of drought and they tried to cross the mountains — find that hidden paradise (or China). Couldn’t make it, of course. Ended up starving, crazy, sick as dogs. They were on their way back, to give themselves up. The other guy made it (and wrote to Tom’s mum to let her know the story) — not Tom.

  Almost though — he fell down dead just moments from those old stone barracks.

  And there you have it.

  The final gothic moment, in my very gothic tale, which might not in fact be gothic at all, but give a guy a break, I wrote a lot.

  As for what the dynamics of first impressions have to do with anything, who the f— knows. Ah well.

  Might as well head home and shoot some pool. Stop by the heritage park on the way, say g’day to my ole buddy, Tom.

  Thanks for your time.

  PART FOUR

  1.

  Hills Shire News, Thursday 16 October

  AMBULANCE CALLED TO BRUTAL BEATING; POSSIBLE LIGHTNING STRIKE

  Three people are in hospital, one in a critical condition, following two apparently unrelated incidents in Castle Hill yesterday.

  In the first incident, an ambulance was called to a Castle Hill residence. Witnesses say they saw two cars arrive separately at the residence in the early afternoon. Approximately ten minutes later, both cars were seen speeding away in opposite directions. An ambulance arrived shortly afterwards and paramedics discovered an unconscious man in the doorway of the home.

  Police have arrested a youth in connection with the incident. The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was treated for fractures to both hands.

  In an unrelated incident, a second ambulance was called to Castle Hill Heritage Park. A girl had apparently collapsed in the park during yesterday’s electric storm. Earlier reports that she had been struck by lightning have not been confirmed. The girl was taken to Baulkham Hills Hospital by ambulance and is fighting for her life.

  Both incidents allegedly involved students from exclusive local private school, Ashbury High. The Ashbury High School Principal, Bill Ludovico, declined to comment.

  To:

  Roberto.Garcia@ashbury.com.au;

  Chris.Botherit@ashbury.com.au

  From:

  Bill.Ludovico@ashbury.com.au

  Date:

  Thursday 16 October

  Re:

  CONFIDENTIAL — URGENT — NOT FOR INCLUSION IN SCHOLARSHIP FILE

  Rob and Chris,

  Can you two put together a solid answer to this question for me:

  Why the hell were Riley and Amelia chosen for the scholarships in the first place?

  I need to know exactly what happened yesterday. Get the committee together and find out. Tonight, if possible. (And find out if we’re going to be liable for any of this.)

  Cheers,

  Bill

  Inquiry into Events of Wednesday 15 October

  Transcript of Interviews — Thursday 16 October, 6.00 pm

  EVIDENCE OF LYDIA JAACKSON-OBERMAN

  Mr Botherit: Lydia. Can you tell us what happened after your English exam yesterday? In your own words.

  Lydia: Whose words did you think I was going to use?

  Mr Botherit: Forgive me, Lydia. I have no doubt that you will never use anybody else’s words but your own.

  Lydia: After the exam, I spoke to Riley.

  [Long pause]

  Mr Botherit: Maybe you could be a little more — detailed.

  Lydia: Like how?

  Mr Botherit: Like — what did Riley say?

  Lydia: If I told you that, it wouldn’t be my own words.

  EVIDENCE OF EMILY THOMPSON

  Emily: Well, after the exam I was exhausted and I was thinking of going to the Blue Danish to recover, and I was calling out to Lyd but she couldn’t hear me, and I was texting Cass at the same time because her exams had finished and I was missing her and I thought she could come and meet us too.

  Mr Botherit: Okay. And — can you get to something relevant, Em?

  Emily: I am an extremely relevant girl as I think you know but I am understandably distressed at the moment. So, I’m calling Lyd, and texting Cass, and out of the corner of my eye I see Toby walking out the front gate of the school. And behind him was Riley.

  That made me stop texting because I knew that Toby had been having a thing with Amelia and I’d just found out about Riley’s violent past the night before, when you called my mum, Mrs A, and so when I saw Riley following Toby, I was frightened for Toby’s life, so —

  Several people speak at once: What is she talking about/Can someone tell her to slow down?/Did she just say that Toby was ‘having a thing’ with Amelia?

  Emily: Yes.

  Jacob Mazzerati: Toby has been dating Amelia?

  Constance Milligan: Could somebody remind me who Toby is? And tell this girl to speak slowly.

  Jacob Mazzerati: Toby is my son, Constance.

  Emily: Okay. And he and Amelia had a secret romance, but nobody knew except me. And then Riley found out because I told him in a letter. I didn’t tell him it was Toby, just that something was going on.

  However, at this point in time, after the exam yesterday, I began to think that maybe Riley did know it was Toby, because he was walking towards Toby with very intenti
onal footsteps.

  Mr Botherit: Let me get this clear. You recently wrote a letter to Riley telling him Amelia was cheating on him?

  Emily: Kind of. Anyway, Riley was walking towards Toby and I was in extreme trepidation, but then I saw Lydia stop Riley, to speak to him.

  Constance Milligan: And now we have Lydia?! It’s too much!

  Mr Botherit: We just heard from Lydia, Constance. She was right here — sitting in that seat.

  Constance Milligan (frostily): I am perfectly aware of who Lydia is, thank you. I was just having a little trouble keeping up —

  Emily: Anyhow, Toby continued out the gate and got away safely while Lydia talked to Riley, so I was relieved. Only then I realised that Lyd and Riley were walking towards the carpark. I was petrified. They got into Lyd’s car so I dropped to my hands and knees and crawled across the gravel to my own car, ready to follow.

  Constance Milligan: Did she just say she dropped to her hands and knees and crawled across the gravel? Whatever is the matter with this girl?

  Mr Botherit: Emily, why were you petrified?

  Emily: Because of the thing between Riley and Lyd. Did I mention that Riley and Lydia had a thing?

  EVIDENCE OF TOBIAS MAZZERATI

  Toby: After the exam I went to the heritage park.

  Mr Botherit: Why?

  Toby: Well, I’ve gotta start by saying what my exam was about. It was about this convict named Tom, who was living in this stone barracks that his friend Phillip C built, and Tom’s girl Maggie was back in Ireland, and —

  Constance Milligan: Slow down, fellow! Now, Maggie. Who’s that? She’s the one we just spoke to? The girl who also talked too fast?

  Mr Botherit: No, Constance. That was Emily. I think Toby might be referring to imaginary people.

  Toby: Not imaginary, historical. Anyhow, the story ends with Tom’s best friend dead, and same with most of his buddies, and Tom himself half-dead and starving, and then he ends up fully dead right by the old stone barracks where he used to live. Never got to see his Maggie again. It’s just your basic happy story of everything going to hell.

  Mr Botherit: You’ve cheered me up, anyway.

  Toby: Sorry, Mr B, but that’s my point — I wrote the story out for my exam, and while I was writing, it was like someone else gradually took over. Like Tom was there writing it for me, and I just let him, or maybe I became him some of the time, and I realise that doesn’t make sense so you can get that expression off your face, Dad, but I’ve gotta say, something was going on, cos I never wrote so much in an exam in all my life.

  Jacob Mazzerati: Expression? This is just admiration, Tobes. Never heard so much sense in all my life.

  Toby: Anyhow, so, after the exam I decided to go to the heritage park — that’s where Tom used to live. I don’t know why, but maybe there was still a bit of Tom inside me and he wanted to head back? Or maybe I just wanted to say thanks for his help.

  Mr Botherit: Wasn’t there a thunderstorm threatening? You went to the park in a storm, to say thanks to — to the ghost of Tom?

  Toby: Tom would have done the same for me.

  EVIDENCE OF LYDIA JAACKSON-OBERMAN

  Mr Botherit: Okay, Lydia, you should know that Riley has told us the nature of your conversation with him after the exam so we just want to make sure you have the same version.

  Lydia (a faint, distant smile): Nice try.

  Mr Botherit: All right, after the conversation, what happened?

  Lydia: Riley asked me to drive him somewhere.

  Mr Botherit: Where?

  Lydia: I have no idea.

  [Long pause]

  Mr Botherit: Maybe someone else should ask the questions.

  Mr Garcia: Let’s get Emily back.

  EVIDENCE OF EMILY THOMPSON

  Emily: Anyhow, I was terrified because I had just found out about Riley’s violent past, and it seemed to me to be a very dangerous combination, a violent person in a car with his secret lover. What if Lyd ended the romance while they were driving? Violent people always strike again.

  Riley got in the car with Lydia, and he was looking ferocious.

  And so I followed.

  I stayed a couple of cars behind so they wouldn’t notice me. It was early afternoon but stormily dark. There were distant, ominous sounds of thunder which seemed to me to echo my own terror.

  We drove for about ten minutes. The rain had just started — it was really pouring — when I saw Lyd’s car stop outside a house. I pulled over a short distance away. My heart was beating like horses’ hooves.

  The passenger door opened and Riley got out.

  It was raining so hard that water splashed into his hair and down his face. He walked towards the house.

  Lydia’s car stayed where it was.

  Nothing happened.

  I sat in my car while the rain clattered on my car roof and crashed against my windows.

  I wondered whose house that was — and then a terrible thought occurred to me.

  What if it was Toby’s house?

  What if Riley had decided that, instead of following Toby out of the school gates, he should drive to Toby’s house and wait for him there? Like a trap.

  I knew Lydia would not sit in her car and let this happen, but maybe he had tricked her?

  I got out and started to run. My shoes were instantly soaked through. The rain was like an angry, moving shower with excellent water pressure.

  I reached Lyd’s car and saw her sitting at the wheel with her eyes closed.

  I ran down the driveway and stopped. There was a horseshoe knocker and I was reaching up to bang it, when the door suddenly opened.

  Riley came out.

  He hardly glanced at me.

  His shirt was rumpled, and he was still dripping from the rain. His face looked calm.

  He walked up the driveway, and stopped at the side of Lydia’s car.

  I turned back to the open door before me.

  A man was lying in the hallway. He was covered in blood.

  EVIDENCE OF TOBIAS MAZZERATI

  Toby: So I walked to the heritage park. It’s only ten minutes from the school. I went up the path to the spot where the barracks used to be. Sat down on the grass and said, ‘’Tsup, Tom?’ It started raining right that moment. I’ll be honest with you, people. I felt like a right fool.

  EVIDENCE OF EMILY THOMPSON

  Emily: Maybe not covered in blood. But there was blood, and a lot of it. Mostly in the area below the man’s nose, across his mouth, down his chin, and dripping onto his shirt. His eyes were closed. He was lying in a very peculiar way, with his legs kind of tangled around sideways.

  He was a man I’d never seen before, and yet I knew I had to save his life.

  I did not know how to save a life, and had no access to the internet to find out. Therefore, I’m sorry to say, my primary emotion was annoyance.

  I crouched down to see if he was breathing. I knew this was important, to life.

  I put my ear very close to his nose. At first, all I could hear was the rain outside — but then? I can’t tell you how happy I was to hear that tiny airy sound. This strange, grown-up man with whiskers and blood all over his chin was breathing. And therefore, I didn’t have to give him mouth to mouth resuscitation.

  My phone was in the car, but I could see a wall phone just inside the door. I stepped over the breathing man and called an ambulance. I have never dialled triple 0 before so I was nervous, but then I found I couldn’t concentrate on the conversation because I suddenly realised the amazement around me. That place was trashed. Bookshelves tipped over. A table upside down, with one leg snapped in half. An open magazine with a muddy footprint tearing a page in half. Two holes in the wall right beside me.

  The scary thing was, it was like the fight was still happening. I was in the room with it. Things were still moving.A bottle of tomato sauce was slowly rolling across a coffee table. The shadow of a light shade swayed back and forth across the floor. A desk chair was lying on its side, and t
he wheels were spinning. There was a THUNK and I saw that a block of cheese had fallen to the floor — from where? I don’t know. I screamed. And then a piece of plaster slowly crumbled from the hole beside me — I screamed louder, hung up the phone, and got out of there.

  I had to jump over the man to get to the front porch, and I looked up just in time to see Lydia’s car speed away.

  I almost screamed a third time, but then I saw her — Lydia — standing at the top of the driveway in the rain. She waited until I reached her, then walked towards my car. I guess she’d noticed it.

  She got into my car and told me she had a message to get to Amelia right away.

  ‘Okay,’ I said. ‘Amelia’s place.’ And I stepped on the gas.

  Lydia put her seatbelt on, and closed her eyes.

  EVIDENCE OF LYDIA JAACKSON-OBERMAN

  Mr Botherit: Lydia, let me get this straight. You waited outside a stranger’s house for Riley, then he came out and asked for your car?

  Lydia: Yes.

  Mr Botherit: So you just got out of your car and gave him the keys?

  Lydia: Right.

  [Long pause]

  Mr Botherit (sighing): And he asked you to pass on a message for Amelia?

  Lydia: Yes.

  Mr Botherit: I suppose it would be pointless for me to ask what the message was.

  Lydia: Right.

  EVIDENCE OF EMILY THOMPSON

  Emily: It was difficult driving. My socks were extremely soggy. And the rain turned the windscreen into one big blur. The wipers were going so fast they were like annoying puppies.

  Also, I realised we didn’t know where Amelia lived. And no phone number for her. She never had a mobile.

  So I was driving along at high speed, leaning forward, trying to see through the blur, all without having a clue where I was going.

  Then I got a flash of inspiration.

  I remembered Toby had given a secret note to Amelia earlier that day. Maybe the note was telling Amelia to meet him after the exam? Maybe they were meeting now?

  The place I’d seen them meeting once before was the heritage park.