Ghost Bird

by Lisa Fuller

  The adult Thomsons eye the two Millers and the look is returned in spades. You can see the conflict on Mum’s and Uncle’s faces. These are Millers, they shouldn’t be here. But May is the one exception Nan has drilled into everyone – always be polite to May Miller. And with Sam protecting us like he has, they can’t be rude to him either without seeming like petty arse hats. For his part Sam looks like he wants to crawl under the table. May is the only one who seems completely relaxed, but she keeps a close eye on everyone, and a protective hand on her grandson.

  I finally have enough.

  ‘Sit!’

  To my shock they do. But I’d drawn Mum’s attention to me. Most of her fury seemed to fade on the drive in, but I know it’s bubbling just under the surface.

  ‘Where is it, Tace?’

  Rhi and I both flinch. ‘I don’t think—’

  May interrupts me. ‘Show her, girl, she needs to see.’

  ‘But what if …’

  May’s hand slices through the air, in that final way all the old fullas had, and I automatically reach into my pocket.

  She turns to look at Mum. ‘Nobody else can touch it; no one but you.’ Her gaze is sad as she and Mum share a look. Something on Mum’s face tells me what they have planned.

  ‘Like fuckin hell I will!’ I yell, yanking my empty hand out of my pocket.

  ‘Stacey Claire!’ Uncle snaps.

  ‘Who gives a fuck about my language – no one else is goin to put themselves in danger. Touchin the stone, drawin them to you, none of it will save Laney!’ I immediately flush, horrified by what I’ve just said and how I’ve spoken to my elders. A collective gasp goes up and all eyes turn to Mum.

  She looks like I’ve punched her, her eyes snapping shut for a few long minutes. I recognise the signs of her holding back tears, watching her is how I’ve learnt not to cry. She pulls all that pain inside her, closes it in, and when her eyes open again they are focused on me like a harsh light in a pitch black room.

  ‘Maybe not, but it would save you.’

  For a second I can’t move, the pain is too intense. My heart keeps screaming it isn’t true, wants to beg her to tell me I am wrong. That everything will be okay. Even while my brain insists things will never be okay again. I’ve already lost Dad and Nan, I can’t do this too.

  Uncle Joe turns on Mum, distracting us both.

  ‘Al, you wouldn’t?’

  ‘What wouldn’t you do for them?’ Mum’s soft voice flows out and settles us all down.

  ‘That’s it!’ Rhi stands, shoves her face into mine and stares me down. ‘You look me in the eye Stacey Thomson and tell me that your sister isn’t out there?’

  ‘They don’t—’

  ‘I don’t give two fucks what they do or don’t do. Answer the fuckin question!’

  I take a breath. My brain tells me clearly what is real. It screams it, even when I don’t want to know. But my heart tells me different. My tears dry up and I look to my big cuzzie, confused.

  ‘You would know if your twin is gone, Tace. Look inside where Nan always told us to, and listen to your gut.’

  ‘She’s not gone.’ My whisper is a cue for everyone to release their breaths.

  I can feel Laney, I’ve always been able to feel her. My rational mind has fought me on this, but I’ve known every time I dreamed. She’s in trouble but she’s alive.

  Rhi sits back in her chair, satisfied. ‘Okay, so how do we bring her home, and get them off both your backs?’

  A long silence greets her words, but she stays seated, quietly confident. Mum steps into the void and I feel hope jolt to life.

  ‘Rhi is right, we need a plan that saves … as many people as possible, but in the meantime,’ she turns to me, fury rising, ‘daughter, you will give me that necklace.’

  Rhi sighs but I am too focused on my mother to notice.

  Mutinous teenage attitude in full force, I cross my arms and glare. ‘No.’

  ‘Stacey Claire Thomson, you give me that necklace!’

  ‘No.’ My voice doesn’t change, my stance doesn’t waiver. Everyone’s eyes are bouncing between me and her like it’s a tennis match.

  ‘If you don’t give me that necklace right this minute—’

  ‘You’ll what?’ I scream back. ‘Die a slow tortured death? No. Fuckin. Way!’

  ‘I say we give it back to the pricks who gave it to Laney.’ Rhi’s voice breaks our little standoff.

  ‘Then what? Storm the caves and hope for the best?’ Sam asks with a heavy dose of sarcasm, earning him a glare from Rhi.

  ‘One thing at a time,’ she says. ‘If those things are too busy chasin after Troy, it gets them off our backs, and gives us time to figure out how to save Laney.’

  ‘That’s … a bloody brilliant idea, niece.’ An evil grin spreads across Mum’s face.

  Just the other day I might’ve grinned too, but I actually pity Troy. Especially now I know what he’d been dealing with. My ankles throb in pain as a reminder. Still, what wouldn’t I do to get Laney back? And now I have hope again I’m not about to let it go. Rational mind be damned, and all of Nan’s rules too. I want my twin back!

  ‘Easy to say,’ Uncle pipes in. ‘How do we get im to take it?’

  ‘We hide it in somethin, make im think it’s somethin he wants?’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘Money,’ Sam adds. ‘Put it in somethin he can stick his hand in but not see what it is. Till it’s too late.’

  Uncle Joe stares at Sam for a long second. The tension climbs a bit.

  ‘Like this?’ Rhi runs to the rescue, reaching into her back pocket and pulling out a pretty little coin purse.

  ‘No way, Rhi,’ I tell her. ‘Nan gave us them.’

  She’d gotten them in a range of colours one Christmas and given one to all her granddaughters. They are the last thing she ever gave us.

  ‘I wasn’t gonna let im keep it.’

  She tosses it to me, and I stand, turning my back on the rest of them. Bringing the necklace out of my pocket, I keep my hand clenched tight around it and the bag. I don’t want to know if the howling will start again. Slipping both into the purse I snap it shut and tuck it inside my bra.

  ‘Eyah! I want that back!’ Rhi protests, knowing exactly what I am doing from my movements.

  ‘Yep, and I don’t want anyone else touchin it in the meantime. I’ll wash it for ya, don’t worry.’

  I spin back and gave Mum and Uncle Joe the evil eye. They exchange looks that confirm she was thinking about holding me down and getting it. I dare her with my eyes to try it.

  ‘Aunty, don’t,’ Rhi begs. ‘It’ll go down her jocks next.’

  I bust out laughing, and pretty soon everyone else is too. The tension peels back a bit. Not all the way, but enough so we can breathe.

  We sit, sipping our tea, lost in our own thoughts. A musty smell reaches past my head and I jerk upright. The four of us who’d been by the fire go still.

  ‘What’s—’

  I put my finger to my lips and Mum stops. We’re listening.

  Uncle Joe hops up and goes to look out the kitchen window.

  ‘I don’t see nuthin,’ he whispers. ‘Wait, is that a fuckin ghost bird?’

  He jerks back from the window.

  A soft thrumming call fills the air. Goosebumps race over my skin.

  A tap comes from directly underneath my feet and I leap away from the table, knocking my cup and spilling tea everywhere. The cup bounces and rolls on the lino as I step backwards. The tapping follows my steps so I stop. Waiting.

  One giant thump comes from directly under me. I gasp and jump onto my chair. Soft scraping noises sound, like sharp nails on wood, swirling outwards to where the others sit, like they’re searching for me. I burst into tears. Cupping my face I drop to the ground and run to my room, prete
nding I don’t hear the tapping chase after me through the house. I lock both doors and throw myself on the bed. I thrust my head into the pillow, trying to muffle my wails. When the storm is over, I lie face first in my own tears and listen. There are no more sounds.

  A soft knock comes from the door and I nearly jump out of my skin. ‘Tace, it’s me,’ Rhi murmurs.

  I get up to grab some tissues and let her in. Locking the door behind her I sit and clean up all the snot and salt water I’ve gotten everywhere.

  ‘You okay?’

  ‘What’s happenin?’ I ask between blowing my nose.

  ‘Everyone’s stayin ere. Sposed to be for protection but I think we’re all just too scared to leave.’ She tries to smile but it looks horrible so she stops. ‘Nuthin else happened after you left. May said they were tryin to scare you out of the house.’

  I flinch.

  ‘Aunty’s got mattresses and fans set up for the Millers.’ She shakes her head. ‘Never thought I’d see the day. Sam called his mob and told em they’re campin out the river.’ She leans forwards and whispers, ‘Aunty won’t leave me alone with him.’

  This time the grin is real and I give a lame giggle. ‘You’re cracked.’

  She winks at me and jumps on the other side of the bed. ‘I’m crashin with you tonight, cuz, to “take care of you”.’ She does the air quotes and I laugh more naturally this time, lying down beside her.

  ‘And if it means ya can’t sneak off for some alone time with Sam?’

  ‘I know, so obvious right?’ She moves to her side and props herself up on her elbow, looming over me. ‘Adults are so stupid. It’s not me he was watchin on the drive home.’

  I roll my eyes. ‘What. Ever.’

  ‘Come on, Tace, the guy saved you. Again! You’ve got the perfect excuse to call him your hero.’ She bats her eyelashes and giggles.

  Instead of distracting me she’s reminded me of the danger. I sober up. ‘What are we gonna do, Rhi?’

  My flighty, bubbly cousin looks at me straight. ‘We go to sleep. And wait for daylight. Then we get your twin back.’

  Despite the heat, she cuddles in close and we stay like that for the night.

  Day 6, Daylight

  I didn’t sleep a wink. Listening to every noise, jerking at every creak of the old house, plus my fear of the dreams, all of it left me wide awake. Rhi managed to get some sleep in, which I’m grateful for. Soft snores from around the house tell me others have as well. As pre-dawn light finally starts seeping in through the numerous cracks around the house, I shimmy carefully out of bed and go around opening up all the windows and doors I can without waking anyone. If I thought this place was an oven before, that was nothing compared to the torture of having everything shut up. I move around quietly in the shifting old house, every sound makes me scared I’ll wake someone who desperately needs sleep.

  My reward is the cool breeze that slips over my sweat-crusted skin. I start getting coffee ready. Tea just isn’t going to cut it today.

  I’m not surprised to find May already at the kitchen table. She’s sitting there staring at her hands, not moving.

  ‘Coffee, Aunty?’ No matter what else happened that old girl has my respect.

  ‘Tea please, bub.’

  I’m getting it all ready when a soft choking sound has me around the table and crouching by her side. Only then do I see the rivers of tears flowing down her face.

  I reach out and take her hands in mine. ‘What’s wrong, Aunty?’

  She chuckles softly. ‘Not a damn thing. I slept without a single problem.’

  I smile up at her. ‘But that’s good, ay?’

  She shakes her head hard, gripping my hands with hers. ‘Not at someone else’s expense. Not at yours and your sister’s expense.’

  I lean up and kiss her cheek. ‘That’s Laney’s fault not yours. She went an mixed it with that idiot, went where she shouldn’t, took what wasn’t hers and this is what happens. When I get er back I’m plannin to rip out every strand of er air for all the trouble and heartache she’s caused.’

  I’m not angry at my twin … not too much anyway. She’s been into everything our whole lives, couldn’t seem to stop herself. How do you blame someone for doing what’s in their nature? I’ll still be ripping her hair out though.

  ‘How can we even think about puttin someone else through this?’

  I hesitate.

  ‘If we’re goin to find where they took Laney we need to be safe to do it. He can take back what he gave.’ I squeeze her hands. ‘We’re different from im though, cos we won’t leave im in danger. Once we get Laney back, we’ll figure it out. Like Rhi said, one step at a time.’

  I’m trying to convince her as much as myself and she gives me a sad smile.

  ‘You don’t wanna do it either.’

  ‘What else can we do?’

  May looks straight into my eyes. ‘There is one thing you could do.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Don’t wait for the others. You go now.’

  My smile drops. I’m supposed to be with the adults on this one. Mum is already on the warpath. The little girl in me wants them to fix it so bad; my throat tightens with panic. ‘Why?’

  ‘They think they can do this and protect you, but they’ll only stuff it up. You can’t get in a paddock with a bull and have your focus on anythin but the big bastard.’ Her thin hands grip mine harder. ‘You need to go do this.’

  ‘Alone?’ I nearly choke. ‘What about Troy?’

  Her smile is so terribly sad. ‘You don’t need us, bub, and you don’t need to trick Troy to do nuthin. You know where your twin is. You’ve always known.’

  I picture the cave entrance in my dream, the deep darkness within, the tiny figure curled in the heart of the mountain that I’d walked around days before. A soft thrumming sound comes from outside and I flinch.

  The old girl’s eyes go to the kitchen window. I don’t have to look, I know it’s there.

  ‘Ghost birds ain’t bad,’ she says. ‘Not good neither. They warn and if it’s still ere at this time then it as a message for someone in this house. I think it’s ere for you.’

  Nan said as much, but it didn’t stop her from closing doors and windows if she saw one going about its business. But it’s when they start doing weird things, like swooping people or hanging around outside a house till dawn, that a warning is clear.

  A firm grip on my chin pulls me back to the present.

  ‘End it. Now. This is the only way to get your twin back.’

  She says the magic words; I feel my spine stiffen. I stand. Giving her another kiss to the cheek, I turn on my heel and go to Laney’s room. I don’t stop to change out of the clothes I’d worn yesterday, the ones I’d slept in and been dragged around in. I pull Laney’s old softball bat out of the cupboard and stay there for a second, drinking in my twin’s room. I lift the coin purse out, remove the necklace and lay the purse on Laney’s pillow. I don’t want Rhi to lose it. Necklace secured back in my bra, I go in search of Uncle’s keys. Mum’s keys would’ve been easier, but I needed a proper four-wheeler for that last bit of road, and Mum’s old Corolla wouldn’t manage it. They’re easy to find, lying beside the couch where he’d bedded down last night. His mouth is wide open and he’s snoring softly. I feel bad but I take them keys. The old girl is waiting for me by the back door, Sam’s torch is clutched in her hand. She passes it to me, squeezing my fingers.

  ‘You can do this,’ she whispers.

  Making it out to the car, I go over the basics in my head before even putting the key in the ignition. I know starting it will wake them, but they have no other cars at the house that can follow me and there’s no way the cops will be out this early. I’d been bush-bashing with Dad as a kid so I know how to drive on backroads. Still, I won’t have much time before they figure something out.

 
I’m already out of town heading for the Potters’ place when I realise May never said Laney or I will get out of this.

  I keep my brain focused on directions the whole way out, even as I bounce my way over that shocker of a track. I’m so scared of getting lost or stuck, or doing something wrong, my whole focus is on driving. I need to go slow for this bit but my heart keeps demanding I hit the accelerator. Mum and Uncle won’t be far behind, just a run up to Aunty Mel’s place to grab her car and they sure as hell won’t have to be as careful. As I drive, the light and heat increase, but I’m so cold inside I want a jumper. The hour-long trip feels like it takes half the morning.

  I tumble out of the car, trying to find a way to tuck the torch in so I can have my hands free to use the bat. My hairband turns into a handy tie that wraps the torch up in my shirt. Picking the bat up, I swing it a few times to get a feel for it, then stop stalling.

  Walking through bush is an everyday thing for me, it should feel natural, like home. But the coolness of those trees enfolds me and I am reminded that this place isn’t home. It’s taboo. And I am going to break that today.

  Shivering, I move up the mountain. I ignore the insanity of following directions from a dream. I climb for a good fifteen minutes, looking for easier paths the entire time but finding none, when I realise I’m being followed. Soft little scrapes, the odd rustle. At first I think it’s rock wallabies, maybe snakes, heading in the other direction when they realise I’m close. But the sounds always come from behind me. My steps pick up the same pace as my heartbeat.

  I feel it up ahead. A heaviness pressing on me, a warning to turn back. The trees are leaning in, grabbing at my clothes, trying to tell me what I already know. This is no place I want to go. Want to and need to are very different things.

  No thoughts are allowed to come except those that point me towards Laney. I won’t turn back, I won’t let her down and I will get us both out. The noises following me are keeping pace. If it was Mum or Uncle they’d have yelled at me to stop. It’s daylight, it can’t be them. I don’t want to know what’s back there.