RETRIBUTION RIDGE: a dark, gripping and intense suspense thriller

by Anna Willett

  Milly scanned the area. Clusters of green saltbushes with needle-like leaves dotted the rocky landscape. She couldn’t ask everyone to spend the night in this area, not just because she was afraid of a little rock climbing.

  “What’s going on up there?” Judith sounded impatient.

  “No. I’m fine,” Milly kept her tone even, and tried for a smile. “Just a momentary bout of vertigo.”

  “Are you sure?” Harper sounded unconvinced.

  “Yes. I’m looking forward to getting down there.” She hesitated. “It looks amazing.”

  “Great. Let’s get you rigged up.” Lucas rattled the climbing gear.

  “Uh,” Milly pointed to their packs. “What about our stuff?”

  “I’ll lower them once you’re down.” The kindness she’d heard in his voice earlier had vanished and now he sounded irritated. She couldn’t blame him, she probably seemed like a real prima donna.

  “Can you lower my pack before I go down? There’s things in there I really need.” She eyed her blue nylon backpack. “Maybe I could wear it while I go down?”

  Lucas put his hands on his hips and let out a long breath. “First you’re too scared to climb and now you want to do it wearing your pack.” His broad muscular shoulders slumped. “Why don’t you…”

  “We’ll just lower it first.” Harper snatched up the pack and shoved it into Lucas’s hands. A look passed between them and then he nodded.

  Maybe there was something going on between them? Her musings quickly vanished as Lucas lowered her pack and then harnessed her up for the drop. His fingers expertly working the rigs. Milly focused on his face, bent so close she could smell his scent, musky and sharp.

  “Right,” Lucas gave her a nod.

  She crouched slightly and stepped back. A flurry of ripples filled her stomach and her breath came in bursts. Behind her, cool air slapped her shoulders. For a second, she thought she would somersault backwards and spin into thin air, but her feet found purchase on the rocks and she lowered herself away from the ledge.

  “That’s it,” she could hear Lucas’s voice from above. “Just take it slow, one step at a time.”

  She wanted to look up and find his face, use it to anchor herself to the world, but her chin wobbled on her neck so she kept her eyes straight ahead fixed on the grey stone, focusing on the cracks and swirls that decorated the ancient crag. Another step down. A shower of tiny stones and bits of rubble skittered past her head. Her shoes scraped the rock, almost sliding away from the surface of the cliff before securing themselves on an outcrop. She wondered why they weren’t wearing helmets. I’m sure people wear helmets when they do this kind of thing.

  Milly’s breathing began to even out. Stepping over the edge had to be the hardest part; at least that was behind her. Within minutes her feet would be on the ground. A tiny flicker of pleasure blossomed in her chest. She’d let herself get worked up when it really wasn’t that bad. The feel of the breeze against her back and the freedom of leaning back from the rocks felt almost exhilarating.

  “Milly don’t mo…” Harper’s voice loud and urgent.

  Milly’s head snapped up. Lucas eyes were wide. Harper above him, her hand over her mouth. Milly realised something was wrong only a fraction of a second before the world dropped out from under her.

  She heard herself shriek and her hiking boots thumping rock. Her body seemed to dip backwards and greyish blue filled her vison. A high-pitched scream cut through the air and then blackness.

  Chapter Five

  12 November, 2006

  “Come on, Judith,” Milly’s excited voice echoed in the darkness. She looked over her shoulder to where her little sister scampered over the rocks.

  “I don’t know why I let her come.” She grabbed Drew’s arm and urged him on towards the top of the Reach.

  The full moon decorated the rocks with silver light, every surface was shiny and enticing in the dark. Below, the river swirled, black as oil in the night. Milly ran her fingers up Drew’s bare arm, his skin smooth and taunt over young muscle.

  “You okay?” Drew pulled back and turned to Judith. His arm slipped out of Milly’s grasp and she watched in frustration as he reached his hand out and helped her sister to the top of the cliff.

  Why had Mum insisted she bring Judith along? It was meant to be a party for older kids yet, as usual, Milly was saddled with her seventeen-year-old sister. In the distance, the sound of traffic hummed, but on Blackwell Reach the streets and houses seemed miles away.

  Milly held the six pack of beer above her head. The cans were already growing warm in the humid air. “Let’s have a drink and watch the lights.”

  The rocky cliff looked over South Fremantle and the Swan River. The overhang jutted out ten metres above the water where ancient slabs of rock lurked below the surface. The Reach, a breath-taking and dangerous place, made Milly’s blood pound in her ears. She wished she could’ve shown it to Drew without her sister tagging along.

  “Why don’t you go back down and sit on the beach with Harper?” Judith’s constant presence grated on her nerves. She wanted to enjoy something really special with Drew, but her anger towards her sister soured the moment.

  “I’ll go if you want,” Judith’s heart-shaped face glowed in the silvery moonlight. Her soft full lips turned down in disappointment.

  Milly felt a pang of guilt, though not enough to ask her to stay. She flopped down on a wedge-shaped rock, her short dress hitched up around her thighs, and waited for Drew to join her.

  “It’s okay,” Drew said, taking Judith’s hand. “Stay with us.”

  Oh great, Milly rolled her eyes and snapped a can of beer off the six pack. The sound of music and laughter drifted up from the beach below. I may as well give up, she thought, watching Drew fawn over her sister. She popped the can open and chugged its contents, almost gagging in the process.

  “Let’s leap off the Reach,” she laughed in the darkness, her voice sounded hollow as if it were coming from inside a cave. Once the words were out, Milly liked the idea. She tossed the can over her shoulder and heard it bounce against the rocks with a tiny clang. “Yeah, we can strip down to our underwear and go for it.” She tore another can off the dwindling six pack and opened it. The smell made her stomach churn, but she forced herself to take a sip.

  “I like the sound of the stripping,” Drew chuckled and pulled a can off the pack.

  He sat down beside Milly, his thigh pressing against her exposed leg. She felt a little bubble of excitement spark low in her belly. Drew’s dark eyes glittered with mischief in the moonlight. He leaned forward and popped his can, then put it to his lips. Milly watched his throat work as he swallowed. There was something about him, his movements were languid and sexy. His voice deep, almost throaty. Yet he seemed kind and unaware of his own attractiveness. Usually cool and unimpressed by guys her own age, she found herself eager to impress him.

  “You know you’re hopeless with heights. As if you’d jump from up here.” Judith said reaching for the beers.

  “No way.” Milly slapped her sister’s hand. “Not for you. Mum would kill me if I let you drink.” She glanced at Drew who seemed uninterested in the girl’s exchange. “I haven’t been afraid of heights since I was twelve.”

  Judith laughed, a teasing sound. “Oh yeah, you’re the least adventurous person I know. You get nervous in lifts.”

  Drew chuckled and Milly could feel the heat rushing to her face. She hoped the full moon didn’t expose her embarrassment. A high-pitched laugh rose up from the beach. Even though she knew the party was too far away for anyone to have heard Judith’s remarks, Milly suddenly felt as if everyone were laughing at her.

  “You’re such a baby, Judith. The only people you know are in high school. Why don’t you go down to the beach and stop hanging around?” Even in the moonlight she could see the hurt on her sister’s face, but she seemed unable to stop herself. “You’re an embarrassment.” The last words came out with a harshness she didn’t kn
ow she possessed.

  “Okay,” Drew blew out a long breath. “I think the three of us should go back down. It’s getting late.” He stood over Milly and took her arm.

  She could feel tears building in her eyes. She’d made a fool of herself in front of him and worse, she’d acted like a bitch to Judith. Her stomach lurched and a stream of vomit shot out of her mouth splashing the rocks at Drew’s feet.

  “Oh God,” she moaned and put her head on her knee.

  “It’s okay,” Drew’s voice sounded soft near her ear. “Let’s get you back to the beach.” He took hold of her upper arm and helped her to her feet.

  “I’ll meet you down there.”

  “What?” Drew released her arm and turned.

  Milly staggered to her left, but caught herself before she lost her footing. Confused, she looked over Drew’s shoulder. Her mouth dropped open and a puff of vomit-laced breath burst out. Judith stood in her bra and pants at the edge of the Reach, her white skin almost glowing in the moonlight. On the rocks at her feet, her discarded party dress looked like a puddle.

  Drew stepped towards Judith, his arms outstretched. “Don’t.” His plea mingled with Milly’s “No” to form an indiscernible roar.

  Milly grabbed Drew’s shoulder and tried to push past him. Her sandals skittered over the rocks; she was vaguely aware of his shirt ripping. Before either of the two could reach her, Judith let out a yelp and plunged into the darkness.

  Milly’s throat closed like a fist. She tried to call her sister’s name, but her words were swallowed by panic. From below, the sound of flesh slapping water and a cheer of mingled voices from the party. Milly shook her head trying to block the image of her sister leaping over the cliff from her mind.

  * * *

  “Milly? Milly, answer me.”

  Her eyelids pulsed as if a blinding light were trying to push its way through them into her brain. The smell of wet leaves and something coppery filled her nose and mouth. A cold shock against her cheek sent a jolt through her body.

  “Please, open your eyes,” Judith’s voice, hoarse and frightened brought her to the surface of consciousness.

  Milly blinked and a bolt of pain like a shaft of iron pierced her head. Her eyes opened and Judith’s face hovered over her. “Thank God. I thought I’d lost you.” Judith’s warm breath assaulted her skin. “You stopped breathing. I thought … I didn’t think you’d come back.”

  Over Judith’s shoulder, orange light melted the grey sky. The outline of the cliff cut a jagged finger across the firmament.

  Chapter Six

  Milly moved her head, trying to sit up, but Judith pushed her back down. “Don’t move, something might be broken.”

  “Broken?” Milly repeated the word, her lips felt sloppy and wet. “Did I? What …” her voice trailed off. Her thoughts were muddy. She wanted to ask her what happened. “Where’s Drew?” The moment the words were out, she remembered. The images came in snatches and then winked on and off.

  “You know where Drew is,” Judith’s tone changed from relieved to hesitant, wary. “He’s been dead for ten years.”

  She knew that. Why did I ask about him? The back of her head screamed with pain and her whole scalp prickled. She let out a moan and winced. The movement of her mouth aggravated the pain.

  “You had a bad fall,” Judith began. “I don’t know what happened, something with the ropes.”

  “Harper?” Milly asked and tried to raise her hands to her face. A shock of agony seared through her lower back. The pain was so unexpected she tipped her head back and cried out. The movement set off another wave of scalp-raising torture at the back of her head.

  “For God’s sake, Milly stop moving,” Judith’s voice trembled, the last word a wail. “You’re hurt. I don’t know how badly, but you have to keep still.” She took a deep breath. “Harper couldn’t get a signal on her phone so she and Lucas are hiking back to the beach to get help.”

  The image of Lucas’s face leaning over the cliff flashed in Milly’s mind. The last few seconds before she fell became clearer. She tried to push through the pain in her head and remember exactly what happened. Everything seemed out of kilter, off somehow. One minute she’d been harnessed up, descending the rock face, the next flat on her back, her scalp on fire with agony.

  “How did I fall?” she managed through clenched jaw.

  Judith’s face moved out of view. Milly almost turned her head to see what she was doing, but remembered the pain from a few moments ago, and stared up at the vermillion sky instead.

  “I’m not sure what happened,” Judith sounded uncertain. “You were managing the descent really well and then,” she let out a shuddering breath. “You just fell – hard.”

  Milly moved her right hand, unsure what to expect. Mercifully, the movement was pain free. She touched her fingers to her face, they came away wet. Afraid to move her head, she held them above her eyes. Her hand, stained red, trembled. She licked her lips and the rusty taste of blood filled her mouth.

  “It’s okay.” Judith’s voice from her left. “I think you bit your bottom lip when you landed. It’s not too bad.”

  “Can I have a sip of water?” Her throat felt coated in blood, the taste sickening.

  “Good thing Lucas lowered your pack down or we wouldn’t even have water.” Milly heard nylon rustling and Judith’s face reappeared above her.

  “I don’t know how we’re going to do this without choking you.” Judith held the bottle near her chin.

  “I’ll try and sit up.” Milly didn’t relish the thought of moving her head, but the need to clear the foul taste from her mouth seemed more urgent than staving off the pain.

  “No.” Judith put her hand on Milly’s chest. “What if you’ve injured your spine?”

  Milly thought for a moment and considered her body in its entirety. She could feel the cold air on her legs and move her feet, the pain in her back was brutally evident, but mostly on the left. There came a pulsing from the back of her head and her lip stung. She felt no pain in her neck.

  “I don’t think so. It’s just my head and my lower back, more towards my left side.” Why aren’t I in the recovery position? The thought only fleeting and easily dismissed. Judith was probably too scared to move me.

  With her thoughts clearing and an assessment of her injuries complete, Milly raised her head. Splotches of red swam in her eyes and jolts of pain threaded her skull.

  “Slowly,” Judith cautioned, sliding her hand under Milly’s shoulders.

  With a groan, she raised herself up and to the right, resting on her arm. Her vision wavered, the splotches danced. Her stomach clenched but she managed to push back a surge of nausea. She wondered if this was how Drew had felt. Did he have time to feel anything? Her mind kept skipping back in time, throwing up images and questions.

  Judith pressed the bottle to Milly’s lips and tipped it for her to drink. Water mingled with blood washed her throat.

  “Better?”

  “Mm.” Sitting up felt more comfortable and took the pressure off the back of her head. Her vision cleared and she began to take note of their surroundings.

  The orange-tinted sky turned grey as the light died. They were in a clearing of sorts, about three metres out from the rock face. Sandy soil with patches of bush grass sprouting wherever they could take root. Tall marri trees and shaggy natives edged the small area. The thought of being amongst the trees at night sent a shiver of panic up Milly’s spine.

  “Cold?” Judith asked.

  Milly realised she was shivering. “Yeah, a bit. What time is it?”

  Judith stowed the bottle in Milly’s pack and took off her hat. “I don’t know. I’m not wearing a watch.”

  “When will they be back?” She hesitated, “I know you don’t know exactly, but how long have they been gone?”

  “I told you I’m not wearing a watch.” Judith stood over the pack with her back to Milly. “I don’t know how long they’ll be … As long as it takes them I supp
ose.” Judith rolled her sleeves down and fastened them at her wrists. “I’m going to build a fire. I know we’re not supposed to start fires out here, but I’m not letting us freeze. Besides,” she turned and regarded her sister. “You might be in shock.”

  Still propped up on her elbow, Milly watched Judith gather sticks and leaves. In the gloom she looked ghostly, a shadowy figure moving amongst the trees. Milly swallowed back another wave of nausea and pulled herself upwards by digging her fingers into the soft ground and shuffling her butt.

  A spark of pain turned like a screw driven into the back of her skull. She gasped and clutched the side of her head. Slowly, she worked her fingers backwards until they were buried in her short dark hair. She found an area that felt like a baseball sized watery blister and torn skin sticky with blood. She applied slight pressure to the swelling and winced. Around her, the wind stirred the trees, rattling their branches.

  “Okay, that’s a start.” Judith’s arms were piled high with sticks and dry branches. “I think we should move nearer the rock face. It’ll offer some protection from the weather.”

  Judith dumped her load close to the rocks and turned to her sister. “How’s your head?”

  “A bit better.”

  Judith nodded and squatted on the ground to build a fire. “When I’ve finished here, I’ll get your sleeping bag. The cliff will block the wind so we should be warm enough.”

  Milly reached around with her left hand. Her fingers found a damp spot on her shirt. The muscle beneath her hand felt bruised and swollen. Even the slightest pressure caused a flash of pain. Another wave of nausea rose up, it took all her willpower to force it down.

  “Can you help me?” She’d forgotten about her watch. The black leather strap looked embedded in her wrist. “I need to get my watch off; I think it’s cutting off the circulation.”

  “Just a sec,” Judith continued arranging the sticks in a small tepee shape.