Flight of the Fantail

by Steph Matuku

His voice was casual, but Jahmin saw his eyes flicker.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Well, technology’s improved, hasn’t it? If there’s money in it, they’ll find a way.’ He drew out the coms device again. ‘Look, mate, I’ve got to call you in. I’ll be in deep shit otherwise. You’ll need to be checked out, make sure you’re not … dehydrated or shocked or whatever.’

  He put unnecessary emphasis on the word ‘shocked’ and Jahmin realised Peter hadn’t been fooled by his act at all.

  ‘What’s happening out there?’ Jahmin said, stalling for time. ‘I bet they’ve been worried.’

  ‘Whole bloody country’s gone into mourning. They’re holding a memorial service for you guys in a couple of days, at the school.’

  ‘A memorial service?’ Jahmin said. ‘So everyone’s dead then? Am I the last one? Who else made it?’

  Peter’s eye flickered again, and he looked away. Jahmin watched him carefully. It was as though he and Peter were playing a weird game where neither of them knew the rules, and neither wanted the other to win. Jahmin could almost see the thoughts buzzing around in Peter’s head before he finally said, ‘I don’t know.’

  It was such an anticlimactic answer that Jahmin groaned.

  ‘I’m just on security, okay? They don’t tell me anything.’

  ‘Did they tell you why you’re here? And why they’ve got you dressed up like this?’ Jahmin reached out and twanged the fabric against Peter’s unremarkable bicep. The suit looked rubbery but felt like silk, with microscopic strands of silver shimmering in the sunshine. It reminded him of the black iron-sand beaches on the west coast. He guessed that the fabric offered protection against the ship’s influence. No one would wear it if they didn’t have to.

  Peter twitched his arm away and got to his feet. Jahmin stood too, not wanting to be disadvantaged by height.

  ‘Seddon’s in charge. They’ve had this region mapped out for years, even underground in places too. They know where to look, and they’ve got the money and resources to do it properly. They’ve got people in government too, so–’

  ‘So all the official channels just gracefully backed out?’

  ‘I s’pose.’

  Did the government know about the spaceship too? Or was all this just a major Seddon cover-up? And the biggest question of all – how was he going to get out of this?

  Peter picked up the coms device and waggled it at Jahmin, almost mockingly. ‘I would have thought you’d be gagging to get back to civilisation. You’ve been out here nearly a week! And look at you! Clean clothes. Tidy hair.’

  Jahmin snorted. That was a matter of opinion.

  ‘No appetite, and the first time you see me, you take off.’

  ‘Have you seen yourself?’ Jahmin said, indignantly. ‘You scared the shit out of me!’

  ‘You just don’t seem like you’re in any hurry to get back, that’s all.’

  There was a long silence.

  ‘Okay, tell me what you know, and I’ll tell you what I know,’ Jahmin said.

  ‘You go first.’

  ‘No, you go.’

  Either Peter gave him something useful in the next five seconds or he was out of there. So what if Peter narked? He’d be the one in the doghouse for letting Jahmin go. He might not even say anything to avoid getting into trouble. Peter didn’t strike Jahmin as being the honourable type.

  Jahmin readied himself for a sudden plunge back into the bush. He’d have to zigzag back, lay false trails in case Peter did decide to call him in. How did you lay a false trail anyway? Circle around or walk backwards downstream or something? He racked his brains, trying to remember survival tips from books or TV, but his mind was blank. He’d just have to wing it.

  ‘Last chance,’ Jahmin said.

  Peter cocked an eyebrow at him.

  Jahmin shoved him hard, backwards towards the ditch.

  Peter gave a startled sort of ‘Humph’ noise, windmilling his arms to keep from falling into the gap, and by the time he’d caught his balance, Jahmin was already three, five, seven steps away from him. Peter scrambled out after him.

  Jahmin ran, channelling Zombie Man, legs pumping hard.

  ‘Don’t do it! I’ll call you in!’ Peter cried. ‘They’ll get you.’

  ‘Go on, do it then,’ Jahmin shouted back. ‘You’ll look like a complete loser for not being able to catch me.’

  Peter launched himself at Jahmin with a growl. He stretched out his hand and grabbed Jahmin’s hair. They fell in a heap, punching and kicking. Peter finally managed to get on top. He clenched a fist and smashed it in the side of Jahmin’s face. There was no pain except to Jahmin’s pride. He glared at Peter who looked almost comically surprised.

  ‘Wha–?’ Peter began.

  Jahmin grabbed his throat and squeezed. Peter fell sideways, fighting for breath.

  Jahmin pushed him off and scrambled to a safe distance. He felt his nose, his cheeks, his jaw. Without pain, how would he know if anything was broken? And what would he do if it was? He had a sudden vision of Devin gluing his broken face back together with tree sap. She was pretty resourceful, old Devin.

  Peter hoisted himself up on his elbows. ‘Tell me what the hell is going on,’ he croaked.

  ‘You first,’ Jahmin said, dropping to his knees next to Peter and clenching a threatening fist.

  Peter wasn’t much of a hero. He blabbed immediately. ‘Millions of dollars, billions even,’ he said, his eyes alight with greed. ‘And the only reason I’m telling you is because of your dad. He’ll know all about it anyway.’

  ‘Mining?’ said Jahmin scornfully. ‘You think that’s what they’re doing?’

  Jahmin’s friends had died, and here was Peter gloating over imaginary handfuls of money. Jahmin wanted to wipe the smug smile off his face. A fist might do it. Or the truth.

  ‘You know that fancy helmet you got on? You know why you have to wear it?’

  ‘Electromagnetic radiation. Gotta wear them at all times, even when you’re sleeping. You take it off, you get brain cancer. That’s why the mining’s important. It’ll flush out the radiation or some shit.’

  ‘Some shit, all right. You want to know why you’re really wearing that helmet?’

  ‘Surprise me.’

  So Jahmin surprised him. Watching Peter’s face as he told him the truth was the most amusing thing that had happened all day. First blank incomprehension, followed by disbelief, suspicion and, finally, outright laughter.

  ‘Are you kidding me? Shit, mate, I think that punch knocked your brain loose. A bloody spaceship? What do you think I am – stupid?’

  Jahmin hooked a finger inside the soft band of Peter’s helmet and tore it off his head.

  Peter lost it.

  ‘What are you doing?’ he shrieked. ‘You want me to die?’

  Peter grabbed at the helmet, but Jahmin scrunched it into a ball and stuffed it down his pants. Peter’s hand hovered close to Jahmin’s pelvis for an instant before he snatched it away.

  ‘Give it here!’

  ‘You dick.’ Jahmin’s tone was flat. ‘You won’t get a tumour. You’ll just go crazy, like everyone else.’

  ‘Who? Who else?’

  Jahmin bit his lip. ‘Doesn’t matter.’

  Peter vigorously scratched his sweaty head, running his fingers through the bristly stubble. ‘That actually feels pretty good,’ he admitted. ‘Been wanting to do that for days.’

  He fumbled in his backpack and brought out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Exhaling blue smoke, he glared at Jahmin who was shaking his head. ‘What?’

  ‘Nothing. Just ironic, that’s all.’

  ‘Get my helmet out of your pants! I don’t want your ball sweat all over it.’

  ‘In a minute. Do you feel any different?’

  ‘No.’ Peter dragged on the cigarette and blew out a thin stream of smoke. He rubbed his temples, eyes glazing. ‘That thing must’ve been on tight. I’m getting a headache.’

  ‘No shit.’
/>
  Peter took another drag. Smoke drifted lazily in the air. Peter ducked and swiped at it. ‘Jee-zus! Did you see that?’

  ‘See what?’

  Peter got to his feet and stared at the ground. ‘It was a snake! A grey snake. Fell out of the tree and went … somewhere.’

  ‘No snakes in New Zealand,’ Jahmin reminded him.

  ‘No, I know, but …’ Peter dropped the butt. Smoke coiled around his ankle. He let out a shriek. ‘There! It’s got me! It’s got me!’ He hopped from one foot to another, kicking out.

  ‘I’ll save you,’ Jahmin said, unable to hide a smirk. He trod on the cigarette, crushing it into the dirt. The smoke vanished.

  Peter let out a shuddering breath of relief. ‘Mate.’

  Jahmin threw Peter his helmet. Peter wiped it on his leg and put it on. His eyes focused and a bemused expression crossed his face. He stared suspiciously at the squashed cigarette butt.

  ‘Did you see …?’

  ‘No,’ Jahmin said. ‘And neither did you.’

  ‘It was a snake!’

  ‘If you say so.’

  ‘I used to live in Aussie. Found one in our letterbox. Massive. Got the shock of my life. I was only five.’

  ‘The ship picks up on stuff in your brain and uses it against you.’

  ‘Yeah, yeah. Whatevs.’

  Jahmin sighed.

  ‘How come you’re not seeing things, then?’ Peter said.

  ‘Maybe I’m a hallucination too,’ Jahmin snapped. ‘Look, the ship is there and Seddon’s covering it up, and they’ve told you some bullshit about mining because they think you’re a moron as well. So why don’t you piss off back to HQ, find out the truth, and then I can say I told you so.’

  He turned his back on Peter and walked off.

  ‘I’m going to call you in!’ Peter shouted.

  ‘No, you won’t,’ Jahmin replied, and he vanished into the trees.

  64

  Devin nearly screamed at the sight of Rocky’s headless corpse lying in the clearing – until she realised he was leaning into the sinkhole. She grabbed at him, sure that Awhina had somehow managed to pull him in, and he reared back in surprise.

  ‘Hey! You’re back. She’s all right. She’s fine. Look.’

  Devin peeped down into the hole. Awhina’s upturned face was lit up in a smile.

  ‘Devin? You’re okay too?’

  ‘Yes. I, er …’ Devin didn’t know what to say. The last time she’d seen Awhina, she was behaving like a wild animal and now, just like that, she was back to normal.

  ‘I’m okay,’ she finished lamely.

  ‘What happened to you?’ Rocky asked. ‘Do you remember?’

  ‘Can you get me out?’ Awhina said plaintively. ‘It smells really bad in here.’

  Rocky glanced at Devin, his eyebrows lifted. Devin pushed away a nasty whisper tickling the edge of her mind and nodded vigorously. ‘All right.’

  ‘There’s a rock at the back,’ Rocky said. ‘You can use it to get up.’

  Awhina looked over her shoulder. ‘It’s dark. Can’t you just pull me up?’

  Rocky made to reach in but stopped as he remembered the bites and scratches on his arm. They didn’t hurt now, though. In fact … he peered at his arm in wonder. The dried blood was already flaking off, revealing new pink skin underneath.

  ‘Make sure I don’t fall in, all right? Hold tight.’

  Devin’s cheeks flushed as she gripped his calves and braced herself. Awhina jumped. Her fingers caught Rocky’s for a moment and then she slipped back. She tried again, this time catching his wrists. He gripped hers and pulled, every muscle straining. As he shifted back, Devin went to his side to help. She grasped Awhina’s upper arm and helped to drag her into the light.

  And then Awhina bit her.

  Devin yelped in pain and snatched her arm away. Awhina growled deep in her throat and dug her fingernails into Rocky’s wrists. One hand snaked up and grabbed at his face.

  Rocky cried out and dropped her back into the hole. She fell heavily and howled.

  Ignoring her, he turned his attention to Devin. Awhina’s teeth marks were red against her skin.

  ‘It’s okay. Just got a fright,’ said Devin. She blinked back a sudden welling of tears. ‘I guess she doesn’t like me much.’

  ‘That’s not it.’ said Rocky. He glared down at Awhina, who sat with her arms wrapped around her legs. ‘What did you do that for?’

  She started, blinking up at the light. ‘Rocky?’ she called. ‘Is that you?’

  ‘Best we keep her down there for now,’ Devin murmured.

  ‘I think you’re right.’

  ‘What’s going on?’ Eva said, draping a lavalava across a bush to dry. She looked in the hole. Awhina was rocking and crying. ‘How long has she been like that?’

  Awhina’s head shot up. ‘Eva? Eva, help me! They won’t let me out.’

  ‘She’s talking now?’

  Devin showed her the bite on her arm. ‘We tried to get her out and she flipped.’

  ‘Leave her there, then.’ She raised her voice above Awhina’s calls. ‘Has she talked about the crash?’

  ‘Not yet.’

  Eva looked down at Awhina, who had tears oozing down her face. ‘Please get me out. Please.’

  ‘In a minute,’ said Eva. ‘Do you remember what happened? After the crash?’

  Awhina nodded, eager to please. ‘I got thrown out of the bus, and then I was in the river. I got out and then …’ She frowned. ‘And then Liam came.’

  Devin, Rocky and Eva looked at each other and then all spoke at once.

  ‘Liam?’

  ‘What was he doing?’

  ‘Was Jahmin there? Or was that after?’

  Awhina was still talking, ‘He followed me, and I hid.’

  ‘He followed you?’ Eva said, confused.

  ‘Why would you hide? It was only Liam,’ said Rocky.

  ‘I’d bloody hide if Liam was following me,’ Eva muttered.

  Awhina looked confused. ‘Because I had to.’ She bit her lip and said, louder, ‘I just kept moving and hiding, and he kept following me. And then he went to the bus and went inside. And when he came out he lay down on it and died. And so I came here.’

  There was silence. Devin had a strained expression on her face that Eva recognised from the classroom. Clearly Devin had as much trouble understanding Awhina as she did.

  ‘What?’ Eva said. ‘Start again. You were in the river? The boys said they nearly went down a waterfall. When did you get out?’

  ‘Let me out, please,’ said Awhina, beginning to sob. ‘I told you what happened. I told you.’

  ‘You didn’t tell us anything!’ said Eva, frustrated.

  ‘Except that Liam’s dead,’ muttered Rocky. He got to his feet and moved away to the other side of the clearing, shoulders slumped and head bowed.

  ‘If you can believe her,’ said Eva. ‘She’s a complete nut bar.’

  ‘But why did you have to hide?’ asked Devin. ‘You didn’t have to do anything.’

  Neither girl missed the fear and exhilaration that flashed across Awhina’s face before she said, ‘I don’t know. Please let me out.’

  ‘Just a minute,’ Devin said. ‘We’ll be back in a minute.’

  She drew Eva to one side and said in a low voice, ‘She’s hiding something. Do you think there are others out there?’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘I wish Jahmin was back,’ Devin said, just as Rocky came within earshot. He veered off and began sorting through their belongings, packing things into the remaining sleeping bag.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Eva said.

  ‘I don’t think we should wait,’ Rocky said, not meeting Eva’s furious gaze. ‘This is all wrong. It feels wrong. We should just get going.’

  ‘And what about Jahmin?’ Eva said. ‘And Awhina? You’re just gonna leave them here?’

  ‘I don’t know!’ shouted Rocky. ‘I don’t bloody know, all right? Just shut
up and leave me alone.’

  ‘Fine by me,’ Eva said, grabbing her fishing spear.

  Devin almost lunged for it, thinking Eva was going to hurl it at Rocky, but Eva stomped off towards the river.

  ‘Don’t wait up,’ her voice drifted back.

  Rocky was trying to pull up the zipper on the sleeping bag, but it was stuck. He swore at it and yanked on it again.

  ‘Don’t,’ said Devin. ‘You’ll break it.’

  ‘Fine, then you do it,’ Rocky said, and threw the bag on the ground. Then to Devin’s alarm, he dragged his arm across his eyes with a noise that sounded like a sob.

  She approached him slowly, paused for a moment, and then knelt and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. ‘Don’t worry. It’s going to be okay.’

  ‘No,’ said Rocky, his voice breaking. ‘It’s never going to be okay, even if we get out of here. We’ve lost them … all of them gone.’

  ‘Shhh,’ said Devin, slipping her arms around him, hugging him close. His head rested on her shoulder and his tears wet her neck. She wanted to reassure him, but she was just as freaked out as he was.

  But then something shifted within her. She became intensely aware of the weight of his head, the warmth of his breath, the quickening pulse in her neck against his warm skin. He pulled back and looked at her, and she felt her body melt like butter on hot potatoes. And then he leaned towards her and kissed her.

  Neither of them saw Awhina’s knuckles grip the lip of the hole. Neither of them noticed her crawl out, reach for the knife by the fire and stumble down to the river. In fact, the only thing that yanked them back to reality was the sound of Eva screaming.

  65

  Eva stomped into the stream, stubbing her bare toe against a rock and yelping in pain. She stabbed her fishing spear down into the soft mud between the rocks, wrinkling her nose as she dragged up smelly strands of luminous green weed. The clumps floated away downstream, turning gently in the current before sinking beneath the surface.

  Bloody Rocky. She hadn’t disliked him before, when life was normal and she had other things to distract her, but now, trapped in close proximity to him, she decided that she really couldn’t stand him. So super perfect on the outside and rotten underneath, like an apple left too long on the tree.