White Gum Creek

by Nicole Hurley-Moore

  And then he saw her—his Sophie. She was standing at the far end of the stables, opening a corral door. She stood back as the horse galloped towards the door, its eyes wild with fear and panic. It was so close that Nick felt the air move as it rushed past him. He stared at his wife. Her long blonde hair fell around her shoulders and there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

  ‘Sophie,’ Nick mouthed as the flames flicked closer, swirling around them. He felt the heat on his skin and the back of his hands began to sear. ‘Sophie!’

  ‘Run Nick, run!’

  Nick stood motionless. Had he heard right or was it all just in his mind? The words seemed to reverberate in his head as the fire from the past merged with the one in the present. All of a sudden, Nick realised the stables were gone and he was standing at the side door once more. The fire had intensified and now the only way out was through the front door—and through Peter. Nick turned and made a run for it. He wasn’t going to die. Not like this.

  He busted through the front door and came face to face with Peter.

  ‘You should have stayed inside,’ he snarled.

  ‘Is that what you want, Peter—my death?’

  ‘It’s the only way to set things right,’ Peter said as he began to circle Nick. ‘Don’t you see that? You have to pay for Sophie’s death.’ He tapped the shovel against the ground with each step.

  ‘You need help. You’re not thinking straight. You’ve got a family that love and depend on you. Are you willing to risk it just to get revenge?’

  ‘There’s no risk.’

  ‘Of course there is. Even if you kill me, do you really think that someone won’t figure out what happened? Come on, Peter, your kids need you. You want to be part of their lives, don’t you?’

  ‘Of course I do. But you have to pay! I can’t think of anything else. Sophie is always in my head and I dream each night what it must have been like for her, trapped in those bloody stables.’

  This time Nick was prepared and blocked the shovel as Peter tried to bring it down on his head. Nick grabbed the shaft and wrestled it away. Then he threw the shovel with all his might, sending it flying off into the trees. Peter charged at him, swinging his fists, but Nick blocked each one. As Peter began to falter, Nick attacked, and blow by blow he managed to beat him back. Nick threw a punch to Peter’s mid-section, and as he doubled over he delivered another under the chin. Peter was propelled backwards and crashed into the front door, before sinking to the ground.

  This time when Nick walked over he was prepared in case Peter was feigning unconsciousness. But he wasn’t. For a second he considered leaving him there, but as the fire had consumed most of the house it wouldn’t be long before it reached the front door.

  ‘Damn,’ Nick mumbled, and began dragging Peter away from the house. As he straightened up he saw lights at the bottom of the drive. Someone was coming.

  Chapter 22

  Tash turned off the road and headed up the driveway. She knew before she’d even pulled up that the old house was ablaze. She just hoped that it hadn’t spread to the caravan—and that Nick was out of harm’s way.

  She blew out a breath in relief when she finally stepped out of the car. The caravan was still there and untouched. As Tash glanced back down the hill, she noticed a white van parked further along the fence line. A chill went through her. Could it be the same one which had run her off the road? She hurried up the hill, through the garden and past the old apple tree, and saw that the fire was burning brightly, roaring up into the night sky. Crackling embers floated on the gentle breeze, but standing in front of the blaze was Nick.

  Tash ran to him and didn’t stop until she felt his arms wrap tight around her.

  ‘Are you alright?’ Tash asked.

  ‘I’m fine.’

  She looked up at him.

  ‘What the hell happened?’

  Nick nodded towards the unconscious Peter.

  ‘I guess I found my ghost.’

  Tash gasped in surprise. ‘You mean he lit the fire? But I thought you two were close.’

  ‘I always thought there was a bond between us because of Sophie, but I was wrong. Losing Sophie affected us all in different ways—I withdrew into myself and her mum threw all her love into her grandkids. But it twisted Peter’s mind.’ Nick reached for his phone. ‘I better ring the police and ambos.’

  ‘I already did—they’re on the way. Should we be worried about him?’ Tash looked down at Peter.

  ‘Nah, I think he’s okay.’

  ‘Did you know that he was behind everything?’

  Nick shook his head.

  ‘Not at first. Everything was really subtle—you know, small things being moved around, and stuff like that. I have to admit, it did have me going there for a while. And there was the graffiti of the local kids that threw me off the scent…’

  ‘So what gave it away?’

  ‘It was when Sophie’s things started turning up in the caravan. I knew then that someone was messing with me. The problem was I couldn’t work out who would hate me enough to try to make me think that I was going mad. I knew it wasn’t the local kids—they may throw a bit of paint about, but this was different. It was personal. God, I even asked Peter’s advice about it, and we spent an afternoon trying to work out who might have been responsible. I’m so annoyed at myself for not seeing what was right in front of me.’

  ‘Hey, don’t beat yourself up!’

  ‘But I should have seen it. I kept a box of Sophie’s things in the big shed out the back. It wasn’t common knowledge, but then again it wasn’t exactly hidden away…’

  Tash shook her head.

  ‘I’m sorry, I still don’t see how you figured it out.’

  ‘My wedding ring,’ Nick said. ‘You see, it wasn’t in the box with the other stuff. I took it off after the fire because I couldn’t bear to look at it, but the weird thing was I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it, either. So I hid it away in the caravan and no one knew where it was—except Peter. We’d had a conversation once and he asked me about my ring.’

  ‘So when it turned up the other day…?’

  ‘I knew there was only one person that knew where I’d put it.’

  Nick and Tash turned their heads at the sound of a fire engine. It was already turning into the drive with its siren ringing. Further down the main road were several other sets of headlights heading in the same direction.

  ‘Here comes the cavalry,’ Nick said with a slight smile.

  Tash took his hands in hers and gave them a squeeze.

  ‘It’s over, Nick—you can finally put the past to rest and look forward to the future.’

  ‘Yeah, I like the sound of that. That is, if you want to look in the same direction.’

  A slow smile spread over Tash’s face.

  ‘I reckon I could do that.’

  ‘Good,’ he said before he bent over and kissed her.

  ***

  Nick and Tash hung around as the fire crew mopped up the mess. They gave them their thanks and handed out steaming cups of tea. Finally, in the wee hours, the last fire engine slowly made its way back down the drive.

  Nick pulled Tash into his arms.

  ‘Come on. I don’t know about you, but I’m shattered.’

  ‘No wonder,’ Tash said as she reached up and touched the side of his face. It looked swollen and bruised from where Peter had struck him. ‘Does it hurt?’

  ‘I reckon I’ve had worse,’ he said as they walked back into the caravan. ‘We should get some rest.’

  ‘It sounds like a good idea—though maybe rest isn’t exactly what we need?’

  One of Nick’s eyebrows quirked up.

  ‘Hmm. Go on, I’m listening.’

  ‘I don’t think listening has much to do with it, either,’ Tash said as she linked her hand in his and urged him to follow her over to the bed.

  Nick wound his arms around her and held on for a moment, and then another one. He buried his head in the crook of Tash’s neck
and breathed in her scent—flowers and spice filled his nostrils and warmed him inside and out.

  ‘Are you sure you’re alright?’ she asked as her hands ran over his back. ‘We can just sleep if that’s what you need.’

  ‘That’s not what I need,’ he said as he raised his head and looked into her eyes.

  She smiled back at him, a soft, knowing smile that made his stomach tighten.

  ‘Maybe we should get you out of these clothes,’ she said. ‘They smell of smoke.’

  Nick shrugged out of his shirt and let it fall to the ground. The rest quickly followed, leaving Nick standing before Tash. He could see that the same passion that burned within him was mirrored in her eyes. He brushed a lock of her hair from her eyes.

  ‘I love you, Tash, and I’m sorry that it took another fire for me to realise it. When I was up there with Peter, all I could think about was that I would never see you again—and that terrified me.’

  Tash stepped back into his arms.

  ‘I’m not going anywhere.’

  ‘I should have told you before all of this, but I only just worked it out myself,’ he said as his nimble fingers slowly began to unbutton her shirt. ‘I can’t picture a life without you; it’s as if you’re a part of me.’

  ‘I love you, Nick. I have for a long time.’

  ‘I’m sorry for not seeing it earlier.’

  ‘There’s nothing to be sorry for. We’re together now and that’s all that counts,’ Tash said.

  ‘The past is gone and I’m not going to let it cast any more shadows. That’s a promise, Tash.’

  He bent down and brushed his mouth against hers, as if sealing his promise. The kiss started out soft and gentle, as if he’d just discovered a treasure he’d never thought could be his. But as Tash began to kiss him back, the tone changed and morphed into something deeper—and darker. Passion began to ignite as his hands ran down her smooth body, stripping her of her remaining clothing. They stood wrapped in each other’s arms, skin against skin, hard against softness.

  Nick lay down on the bed and pulled her with him. His fingers sliding over her taut stomach before continuing their journey and delving farther down into the silky curls below. Tash sucked in a breath.

  ‘I want you, Nick—now, inside of me.’

  ‘You say the most amazing things,’ he said with a smile as he continued to explore.

  Tash arched against his hand.

  ‘Now, Nick—stop teasing,’ she whispered against his ear.

  Nick stretched over and opened the top drawer of the bedside table. He felt around until his hands found the packet of condoms inside. He rolled the condom over his erect penis, but out of nowhere Tash reached for him and took over the job. He guessed she thought she was helping, but the truth was it pushed him further towards the edge.

  He covered her with his body and slipped inside her. Slowly they began to move in unison. The wanting and the passion were tempered with something more as he gazed into her eyes.

  ‘I love you.’

  Tash rose to meet him.

  ‘I know.’

  And for the first time in a very long while, Nick was whole.

  ***

  Tash carefully moved Nick’s arm, trying not to wake him. There was something about waking up slowly to find that you’re being held by the one that loves you. A smile touched Tash’s mouth as she inched over to the side of the bed and snatched up her phone. It was just after five. She figured that her brother would be at the bakery by now.

  ‘Hey, it’s me,’ Tash said when Alex answered the phone.

  ‘What’s up? Are you okay?’

  ‘I’m fine…It’s just that I’m going to be late in. Can you cover it?’

  ‘Of course. Want to tell me about it?’

  ‘Nick’s brother-in-law set a fire up at Winters Hill last night and tried to kill him.’

  There was silence on the other end of the line.

  ‘What?’ Alex finally said. ‘What do you mean tried to kill him…? Hang on, oh my God, you weren’t there, were you?’

  ‘No, no. I got here after everything had happened.’

  ‘Is Nick alright?’

  ‘Yes. Well, a bit battered and bruised, but he’ll be okay.’

  ‘Well, that’s a relief. So why did the guy try and kill him?’

  ‘He blames Nick for his wife’s death.’

  ‘But that fire was deliberately lit by someone else. They got him, remember, and threw his arse in jail.’

  ‘Yes, but Peter still blames Nick. He said that it was his fault that she died in the stable and that he should have made her leave Winters Hill before the fire got that close.’

  ‘Jeez, poor Nick,’ Alex sighed. ‘That sort of accusation and the guilt that comes with it would be enough to do your head in. But, listen, don’t worry about the bakery. I’ve got it covered.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Yes, I’m sure. Take the day off and stop being such a control freak.’

  ‘I’m not.’

  Alex laughed.

  ‘Yeah, you are, sis, but that’s okay. Now stop arguing and take the day off. Oh, and tell Nick I’m glad he’s not dead.’

  ‘Okay. Thanks, Alex.’

  Tash put the phone back on the nightstand before easing herself back into bed. Nick’s arm clasped around her and pulled her close. As the warmth of his body wrapped around her, Tash closed her eyes. Yeah, she could get use to this.

  ***

  The events of the previous night were already circulating around White Gum Creek by the next morning. At first, the locals only thought that there had been a fire up at Winters Hill, but as more details came to light, the town was abuzz. Many people were heard saying that it was bloody bad luck that a fire could sweep through the same property twice. Some wondered if it would finally tip Nick Langtree over the edge, which would be a shame as he’d just started living again. And then came the musing about what exactly happened and how Peter Telford had tried to kill him. The word revenge was whispered about, along with bat shit crazy and delusional. What kind of sick bastard waits all that time to act? Old stories began to resurface, like they always do. People recalled what Nick and his wife were like back then and the mysterious graffiti incidents over the past couple of years. Were they connected? The police had said that the vandalism had been sorted, but was there more to that story?

  Things like that just didn’t happen here.

  Cal Jones, one of the firefighters attending the blaze on Winters Hill, had shared with a couple of his friends his first impressions of the fire. He told of how when they arrived all he could see was Nick and Tash silhouetted against the flames. They had been kissing, and Cal swore that of all the fires he had ever responded to he’d never seen anything like it. It was as if they didn’t give a damn about the fire and were only wrapped up in each other.

  It later emerged from the police that Nick had actually saved the life of the man who had tried to kill him. Cal had never had much to do with Nick Langtree over the years, but by his reckoning you could tell the worth of a guy by his actions, and he was pretty impressed with Nick. Cal’s friends shared his story, and by mid-afternoon named Nick an official legend of White Gum Creek.

  ***

  Later that morning, Nick pulled Tash into his arms as they stood looking out at the charred remains of the house. There wasn’t that much left other than ash, a couple of half-burned beams and scorched earth.

  ‘I’m sorry, Nick.’

  Nick looked down at her and hugged her a bit tighter.

  ‘Don’t be, I’m glad it’s gone.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Ah-huh. I should have got rid of it years ago.’

  ‘But why? It was your dream?’

  ‘It was, but now it’s gone and another one has taken its place. I was wrong to leave a shell of a house sitting here. I always thought it was some sort of monument to Sophie, but it wasn’t. It kept me imprisoned here on the farm just as much as my guilt did.’

&
nbsp; ‘So no regrets about the house?’ Tash asked.

  ‘None at all. I think I could have done without the whole Peter-trying-to-kill-me thing, but in a way he did me a favour.’

  Tash gave him a dubious look.

  ‘You’re kidding, right?’

  ‘No. He didn’t mean to, but Peter has managed to wipe the slate clean. Fire took away my life once before, but now it’s given it back. He showed me what it was like to allow pain and loss to twist inside you and send you mad. Sophie would never have wanted this. She was all about life and laughter, never revenge. Jeez, I don’t know if I’m even making sense.’

  ‘I get it, I do.’

  ‘For years I made the mistake of letting the guilt get to me and cutting me off from everything. So now, the only thing I can do—should do—is stop looking over my shoulder and instead stare straight ahead to the future. As I was lying in that burning building I realised I had two options: I could give in and let the past consume me, or I could survive. That’s when I finally worked out that I want a life with you.’

  ‘I want that, too. You deserve to be happy, Nick.’

  ‘We both do, and I’m sorry it took me so long to realise it. Can you take a chance on me, Tash? I can’t promise you the world, but I can promise that I love you and will do my best to make you happy.’

  Tash stuck out her hand and waited for Nick to take it.

  ‘Sounds like a deal to me,’ she said.

  ‘In that case, we’d better seal it,’ Nick said before dipping his head and kissing her.