Burning Eddy
Page 17
The leaves above our heads began to tick with rain. Soon the ash would be washed into the earth, I thought, and Eddy’s ashes would become part of the tree. I sighed.
It was over.
The lyrebird sang again. Our uniforms were spotted dark with rain, and crystals of it hung in Chantelle’s hair as we walked slowly back to the car.
‘One day, when I’m feeling a bit stronger, you’ll have to show me where she is,’ Luke said.
I handed him the empty container. He looked at it for a moment then slipped it into the glove box. He nodded and bit his bottom lip.
On the way to Chantelle’s place I kept filling my lungs and sighing. It was over. On the outside, it had been the hardest time in my life. My dad had gone to jail, my beautiful friend had died, my life had been turned upside down, but on the inside I felt free.
I squeezed Chantelle’s hand. She smiled and kissed my cheek.
We stoked the wood heater at Chantelle’s place. There was no one else home. We sat beside the fire and said nothing. I stroked her hair and she rested her head on my chest. The flames flickered behind the glass front of the heater and it would have looked like we were watching TV. It was the best movie I’d ever seen.
Mrs Morrison arrived with Lauren and I knew it was time to go. If I was going to catch a ride home with Graham, then I’d have to get to the bus stop. I grabbed my bag. I’d make it if I jogged.
Mrs Morrison said she’d drive me down. I said I’d be right but she insisted. We bundled into the car and rode in silence to the bus stop. Mrs Morrison smiled at me when I kissed her daughter goodbye through the window.
Lauren went psycho. ‘She kissed him! Mum, did you see that? He kissed her!’
Chantelle smiled and waved. I felt like I could fly.
Kat stood watching from the bus stop. I didn’t see her until she waved to the Morrisons. She had a smile on her face. She was smiling and looking at me. I wanted to hug her. My sister. I wanted to hug her first but I didn’t get a chance.
She hugged me. Kissed my cheek.
I hugged her back and we didn’t let go.
‘Hey, Dan. Haven’t seen you for ages.’
‘Donkeys, Kat. How’d you go last night?’
She let me go and ran her fingers through her hair. Her face lit up. ‘Orright.’
We laughed and sat next to each other in the bus shelter. She had a packet of chips left over from lunch and we shared them.
Apparently, Mum really liked Jake. So did Toby. Jake had slept on my mattress on the floor of Kat’s room. Well, he’d laid on my mattress. They hadn’t slept. Kat giggled and I could see the tired lines under her eyes.
I wanted to hear more. I wanted the whole story. What was being in love like for her? Graham arrived in Tina’s ute and the spell was broken.
‘Did you hear about Dad?’ she asked as she grabbed her bag.
‘What?’
‘He got seventeen years . . .’
‘Yeah, Mum told me.’
‘Don’t you reckon that’s a lot for trying to steal a truck?’
I shrugged. Mum would tell her.
I decided to take my life into my own hands. I needed to feel the cool air on my face. I got Kat to ask Graham if it would be okay to ride in the back of the ute.
He grunted, held his hand out and looked at the sky.
I nodded. I didn’t mind getting wet. If it rained, that would be a bonus.
He shrugged and I jumped in.
The wheels spun as he took off up the track and the skin on my face tingled. The wind roared in my ears. My teeth got dry and my lips stuck to them in a smile that came from deep, deep within me. As we pulled into the burnt gully of the Lanes’ farm, Graham braked hard. I almost flew over the bonnet.
On the edge of the track sat two wedge-tailed eagles. They’d been tearing at the carcass of a road-kill wallaby. At the sight of us they skipped along the road and unfurled their gigantic wings. Wingtip feathers outstretched like fingers. Graham took his foot off the brake and we coasted underneath them. I felt the air from their wings on my face. I saw the look in their eyes. An all-knowing powerful stare. I stretched my arms. I thanked them. I whooped and the ute took me home.
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