Wisps of Cloud

by Ross Richdale

  After having to open and shut three gates she arrived way above the houses, school and hall below. She ignored the view and braked beside the tractor. When she turned off the quad bike's motor, silence seemed to grab her. Usually, the silent backcountry relaxed her but today, all by herself she shuddered. She stopped and listened. Apart from the distant sound of wind in the bush there was no other sound but was there?

  She heard a faint whimper and Flossie came out from under the tractor, saw her and barked.

  "Good Girl," Karla gasped and rubbed the dog's ears. "You did come!"

  Flossie wagged her tail and woofed, obviously pleased to see somebody she knew.

  "Take me to Ryan and Clive, Flossie," Karla said.

  The dog glanced at her, gave her tail a couple of wags and set off down the bush-covered slope on the far side of the ridge.

  Karla followed. She cursed her work clothes, kicked off her completely unsuitable shoes and continued on in stockings, little caring about ruining them. They reached the valley floor but Flossie ran right across it, waited only for her to catch up before running up the other side. Karla was fit but was still gasping for breath when they reached the top of a smaller ridge. They came out to a tussock-strewn gap with the summit ahead. She climbed the slope using her hands to grip tussock and scrambled on. Finally she was at the top. Down the other side was another broad valley about the size of three football fields placed end to end. It was flat and green crops with white flowers moved in waves almost like weaves in an ocean. Neither Clive or Ryan were in sight.

  She stood there puffing and covered in perspiration, her stockings were ruined and her feet bruised and punctured with prickles. She still had her shoes in her hand so took off her stockings, removed as many thistles from her feet as possible and put her shoes back on.

  "Come on, Flossie," she said but frowned when the dog just whimpered and squatted down.

  Karla kneeled down beside the dog and patted her. "What is it, Flossie?"

  She heard it! The whoop, whoop, whoop sound of a helicopter hit her ears. She glanced up, shielded her eyes from the descending sun and saw a far off dot that grew larger. Her apprehension turned to relief when she saw the familiar red helicopter. It was the district rescue craft. She stood and her thoughts changed again. The only place to land was on the crop itself but the marijuana looked huge. It would be too dangerous!

  "It's okay, Flossie. They're friends. Take me to Ryan and Clive."

  Flossie looked at her for a moment, glanced at the incoming helicopter and barked.

  "It's the red rescue helicopter. Not the bad men."

  Flossie looked at her, wagged her tail and headed down through the bush away from the farm. Karla followed. They soon plunged under trees and the helicopter disappeared from view. She could still hear it, though and sighed in relief when the sound changed. The helicopter had slowed and was quite close.

  Ten agonising minutes later Flossie and her arrived. She saw a yellow jacket through the trees first. A helicopter crewman was bending over someone. Clive, who crouched beside the man, must have heard them for he glanced up.

  "Karla," he cried. "Flossie brought you here!"

  "How's Ryan?" Karla rushed forward and noticed more. A stretcher was lying on the ground and above a yellow rope stretched up through waving branches. She could hear the helicopter above but could only see the underside of it above the foliage.

  She saw him and cried out. There was blood everywhere and her partner lay on the ground with a shiny steel object sticking up from his right leg. Above it was a tight bandage threaded through and knotted under a steel handle.

  The rescue crewman glanced up and nodded when Clive introduced him as Milton. "Hello Karla, I've read about the wonderful job you're doing at the local school."

  Karla smiled briefly but kneeled beside Ryan. "Why is he unconscious?" she gasped.

  "It's a precautionary procedure," Milton said. "He was in pain and passing in and out of consciousness. I've given him a sedative. He lost a lot of blood but luckily Clive applied a tourniquet. We normally don't recommend them but in this case it probably saved his life."

  "But the arrow is still there!" Karla sobbed.

  "He would bleed to death if we pulled it out here," Milton said. "We were just about to place the stretcher beneath him. Can you help?"

  "Yes," Karla whispered.

  She listened to Milton's instructions and watched, apprehensive as the two men lifted Ryan up by his arms and good leg. Oh God, she saw the arrowhead protruding out the back of his leg. It had gone right through!

  She felt unexpectedly calm as she slid the stretcher in sideways beneath Ryan's body from the uphill side and watched the men lower him down. Within seconds, he was zipped in with only his head and wounded leg exposed. Straps were clicked together and the stretcher was held ready to be lifted. Milton spoke into a radio he held and guided the ropes until they became taut. There were four that came together into one about two metres above the stretcher.

  With Milton guiding, the stretcher rose until it was out of reach. It swayed a little and Karla gasped as it was brushed by foliage before disappearing out of sight.

  "My mate up there will pull him in. He's a medic like myself but is also an expert at operating the hoist. Ryan is in safe hands, Karla."

  "Thank you," Karla found herself sobbing as she continued to stare up though the branches above that swirled in the helicopter's downdraft. She felt an arm around her shoulders.

  Clive looked at her. "There's room for one passenger. I was going to go but why don't you?"

  "Me? But how?"

  "A chair will be lowered and you'll be pulled up," Milton explained. "Afterwards, it will be lowered for me."

  "Go with him Karla. He'd rather see your pretty face than my ugly dial when he wakes up. I'll run your quad bike up on the tractor trailer and take them all home," Clive said.

  "Could you call Sharon and tell her I mightn't make it to school in the morning?"

  "Yes. We'll take care of everything."

  "The chair's here," Milton interrupted. "Just sit on it and strap yourself in. You may spin a little on the way up and perhaps need to push branches aside but it won't be difficult."

  "Are you sure, Clive?" Karla asked. "Won't you need help, too?"

  "No. Nothing happened to me. Just go, Karla."

  The journey into Masterton hospital was similar to her last trip after the fire but far more worrying. Ryan looked almost lifeless beneath the breathing mask attached to his face. Also, that terrible arrow was still imbedded in his leg. Even to look at it made her feel ill. She gripped his left hand and burst into shuddering tears.

  What if he didn't survive!

  *

  CHAPTER 14

  Karla jerked awake to find she felt stiff down her left side. Of course, she was in the hospital sitting in an uncomfortable chair in a small waiting area. She glanced up to see a night nurse holding out a paper mug of coffee.

  "Thought you might like this, Ms Spicer" the nurse said. "The operation is over and the surgeon will be out to speak to you shortly. Sugar?"

  "Two please." Karla took the coffee and satchels of sugar and stood up to stretch. "How is Ryan?"

  "Better than expected but I'll leave it to the surgeon to update you."

  "Thank you." Karla glanced at her watch. It was a little after two in the morning. Ryan went into the operating theatre at eleven! In spite of the nurse's report, she was worried and became even more so when a man in blood splattered fatigues approached.

  "Mrs Karla Purdon?"

  "Yes," Karla replied without bothering to correct the name he called her. "How is he, Doctor?"

  "The arrow is out and the damaged it caused mended. Fortunately, the main artery in his leg was cut but not severed. We were able to sew it together and repair the damaged muscle tissue around. He will have to look after himself and keep pressure off his leg for six weeks. The long term prognosis is good but we will need to monitor the healing process."
He smiled slightly. "Would you like to see him?"

  "Can I?"

  "Yes. He is awake but still recovering. Don't stay too long."

  "Thank you Doctor," Karla said.

  He nodded and walked away.

  "I'll take you in," said the nurse.

  Ryan was pale but alert and sitting up with several pillows behind his back and a box-like frame under the blanket and covering his right leg.

  "Oh Ryan," Karla cried and smothered him in kisses.

  "Karla. How did you get here?"

  "Same helicopter as you, you silly man."

  Ryan grinned and shrugged. "Can't remember it." He pointed across his bed. "There it is!"

  Karla turned and saw a ten centimetre steel arrowhead on a side cabinet. It was shiny and clean with a nasty barbed top.

  "The head went right through," Ryan explained. "They had to cut it off and pull the head out the back of my leg rather than risk more damage by yanking it back the way it went in. Nicked my artery. That's why I bled so much. If it had sliced right through I wouldn't be here now."

  "Oh Ryan," Karla repeated and hugged him close as tears filled her eyes.

  "Got to stay in a wheelchair for a week and use crutches for another five. Can't see much farm work being done."

  "Who cares! Clive can employ a temporary worker."

  "Yeah, and I can mark your kids books for you." Ryan smiled and closed his eyes. He was asleep.

  "Why don't you go home?" the nurse suggested. "He will sleep for several hours now so come back about ten."

  Karla took a taxi to the motel she had booked into earlier and found the shower made her feel much better. She had no extra clothes but slept in her underwear and lay there just thinking about everything. However, she awoke to find the sun streaming in. It was after eight. She dressed in yesterday's clothes had a tasty breakfast in the motel restaurant and walked downtown to buy herself more clothes. Luckily she had her driver's licence pouch that included credit cards with her so she could pay for her purchases. She returned to the motel, changed into crisp clothes and walked the couple of kilometres back to the hospital.

  Ryan looked much better.

  "Hear the surgeon called you Mrs Purdon?"

  Karla shrugged. "It didn't matter."

  "So let's make it legal?"

  She stared at him, sucked on her lip and realised how terrified she had been at the thought of loosing him. "Okay," she whispered.

  "What?" he gasped. "No more waiting until next year?"

  She felt tears well in her eyes. "After the fire and now this, how can I say no?"

  Ryan grinned. "So Miss Independent will become Mrs Dependent?"

  She pouted. "Don't get carried away now, Ryan. After all, it's really just a legal contract and I am not going to change my surname."

  "Of course not." Ryan's grin turned into a broad smile. He held out his arms and they kissed with a passion that Karla didn't even attempt to restrain.

  *

  Three days later Ryan was home and moving around quite well on his crutches, having refused to hire a wheelchair. Karla was pleased that he did concede that it would be foolish to try to do much on the farm. He spent his next couple of days on the internet doing research about the company wanting to buy Top Plateau Station and all the legalities of property sales, local bylaws and also research into marijuana planting and the whole situation about the domestic drug problem.

  It was now a little after six in the morning on what would be another hot Saturday. Karla, Clive and Flossie were at the summit of their property with three other men dressed as typical trampers with bush shirts, scruffy shorts and solid boots, unshaven faces and bronzed skin. One had quite liberal tattoos on his arms,They were, however, policemen from the anti-drug squad. Detective Sergeant Troy Garland led the party and the two constables were only introduced as Jayden and Connor.

  Clive had been asked to show the party where the plantation was and he asked Karla to come as her knowledge of the route was probably better than his own. They unloaded fencing equipment from the tractor, the only vehicle there and spread it out. If any aircraft or helicopter flew over it would appear to be just the equipment a farmer would use to repair the fence line.

  The equipment the three men carried included gigantic backpacks, hunting rifles and tools including a chainsaw and weed cutter as well as traditional slashers, a machete, shovels and spades. The policemen also carried sophisticated satellite radios and other electronic gear in their backpacks. As well, Clive had brought his own hunting rifle.

  "Your job is to show us where to go and no more. If anything unexpected happens you drop down in a safe spot and leave it to us.We don't want a repeat of your partner's accident, do we Karla?" Troy frowned. "Are you sure you won't wait here at the tractor?"

  "I'm coming," Karla retorted.

  The sergeant shrugged but didn't appear very happy about her decision. "Okay, remember everything we told you. Shall we go?"

  The journey there actually seemed quicker than that first time. It could have been that under Clive's direction, Flossie took a more direct route and of course the worry associated with the first trip was missing. They reached the second summit and there before them and still in the shade from the morning sun, was the plantation. It looked like a typical crop on any farm except, of course, the actual plants themselves were illegal.

  Jayden whistled as he surveyed the area with binoculars. "It's a beauty," he said. "How could we have missed in our aerial surveillance?"

  "We didn't miss it entirely," Troy replied. He produced an iPad and brought up a satellite view of the district. It was artificially coloured and Troy ran his finger over a dark red line that almost blended with the brown background. "This is it. The size of the crop when it grew helped to distinguish it from ordinary tussock and fern. This only came in yesterday."

  "So what happens now?" Karla asked.

  "You two and your dog stay here. We will check out the boundaries for any more of those crossbows or other booby traps." Troy looked at Clive. "Can you remember seeing any trip wires where Ryan was hit?"

  "No. I remember looking too."

  "Probably never had any and in some ways it makes our job easier," Connor said. "They probably use electronics that can be traced easily or even deactivated over the whole area."

  "Connor is our electronics expert," Troy explained. "If anything electronic is here, he'll find it. Also we have the capability of neutralising any electronic signals."

  Connor held out a small instrument not much larger than his hand. "These are used in prisons to stop cellphones being used by inmates. They not only neutralise the signals but can trace where they come from, whereas old fashioned trip wires could be anywhere." He handed Karla a mobile phone. "If you see anyone when we're down in the valley just press that yellow button. It's a special phone and will work even when our other equipment is in operation. You can talk on it too but wait for us to reply after your initial contact."

  "Whatever, happens don't leave this summit. Don't show yourselves above the top either. It's amazing how far something moving on a skyline can be seen in the conditions that we have today. See you both in an hour or so…" Troy gave more brief instructions before the three policemen disappeared into the bush below.

  *

  Ten minutes later Flossie stood up, glanced south and growled.

  "What is it, Girl?" Clive asked.

  She didn't reply of course but Karla heard the distant sound of a helicopter and searched the sky. There it was, flying in low between the two ridges. It wasn't a police helicopter either but the blue one that she knew belonged to the druggies.

  "Clive," she whispered.

  "Yeah. Got it. Press that yellow button, Karla. My hearings not too hot over those cellphones."

  She did and immediately it chirped.

  "Troy here. Do you recognise that incoming 'copter?"

  "It's the one the druggies use," Karla replied. "It seems to be heading towards their shed further up t
he valley from yourselves."

  "I hear it," Troy replied. "Arrived earlier than expected…"

  Karla caught Clive's eyes. Obviously, there was something going on that the police hadn't told them about.

  "Has Clive got his rifle handy?" Troy asked.

  "Yes," Clive almost shouted.

  "I heard him," Troy muttered. "Just do as I originally said. Stay beneath the skyline and report on what you see. If any of us return up there we'll give a bird whistle like this.." The shrill noise made Karla move the mobile from her ears. It sounded exactly like a magpie's squawk. "If someone approaches without giving that whistle, treat them as hostile. Tell Clive to careful with that damn rifle and no heroics. It's better to hide and let anyone go by than confront them. Got that?"

  Karla repeated the message to Clive who grimaced but nodded. "Yes! The helicopter is definitely coming in to where their shed is. It's hovering now."

  "Good. We can't see it. Can you see the landing spot?"

  "No but we can see the stream and valley floor that they'll probably follow to get to the plantation."

  "Okay. We'll need to know how many there are and any other info. If they've come to harvest the crop they'll be carrying tools and sacks or boxes." Troy's tone softened. "It's good to have you guys up there. 'Bye for the moment."

  *

  A quad bike pulling a box-sided trailer appeared below with two figures on the bike and three others standing in the trailer box appeared. They were too far away to recognise or even tell their gender for all were wearing sun hats and shorts. She reported their numbers and progress to Troy as they both continued to watch until the quad bike became hidden by trees.

  "The harvesting crew," Clive grinned. "I almost feel sorry for the poor buggers. They won't know what hit them."

  Karla glanced back up the valley and saw movement. Two more individuals walked into sight. She clicked the mobile and spoke. "There're two more walking on foot," she reported to Troy. "They appear to be just waiting around and not following the quad-bike."

  "Okay. Thanks. Report anything else. Remember to stay below the skyline."

  "Treats us like kids," Clive muttered after Karla had rung off.