"Nanako's been through more than you can possibly imagine, and she's always come through shining," I snapped defensively. I'd never really thought about the fact that Madison could hear every whispered word that went down between Nanako and me, even when she wasn't in the room.
"Oooh, touched a sore spot, did I?"
“Just keep your nose and your stupid comments out of my private life, okay?” I somehow found the inner strength to resist smacking her in the mouth.
"You haven't told her yet, have you?" Madison asked, completely ignoring me.
"Told her what?"
"That she cannot have children with you."
"No," I was suddenly terrified she'd tell Nanako when we got back, causing her to fall prey to more anxiety attacks, if not worse.
"Why not?"
"It's not the right time."
"When will it be?"
"When I say so. Now drop it, will you?"
"Nanako has a right to know," she protested.
"I know, and I will tell her when I feel the time's right; and at the moment, it isn't. So don't you go mentioning it to her, you hear me?"
"What, are you afraid she is going to have another panic attack if you tell her?"
I grabbed Madison's right arm, causing her to wince and cry out from the pain. "Promise me you won't tell her."
"Okay, whatever. Just let go, will you?" She struggled to disengage my fingers with her other hand.
"Thank you." I let her go. And, having no desire to spend any more time with her today, I turned and headed back to our temporary quarters. Madison didn’t move at first; just stood there massaging her sore arm. However, she came traipsing after me a moment later.
We passed through the restaurant and into the backyard to find the lads lazing about and Nanako busying herself in the makeshift kitchen she'd put together out here. She heard me coming and turned about, and with a beaming smile, held up a large fish – a snapper.
"I was able to salvage a fishing rod and caught this beauty off the pier," she announced proudly.
"We're having fish tonight," Shorty said, parroting an advert that used to drive us crazy on the TV back in Newhome.
"Can't wait!" I did my absolute best to look delighted, but inside I was still seething with anger at Madison.
* * *
We'd gone for our evening run after dusk and had adjourned back to our lodgings. As usual, we didn't light any candles or fires, since that could've given away our position should any Skel be snooping about.
Nanako and I were snuggled up together under the window. I was lying on my back on the floor, with my head on a pillow fashioned from an old sofa-cushion. Nanako was lying with her head on my shoulder, an arm over my chest, and a leg over my hips. We'd pulled three old woollen blankets over the top of us to keep warm. We found the blankets in a cupboard. They were ravaged by silverfish and moths, but were dry and mould free, so we snaffed 'em up pretty quick.
"You wanna tell me what's bugging you?" Nanako asked softly.
"Who, me?"
"No, the bed bugs. Of course I mean you, you big doofus! You've been all sullen and withdrawn ever since you came back with Madison this afternoon."
"Oh, it’s nothing." I mentally kicked myself. I'd tried my hardest to act normally, but I was still angry, not to mention worried that Madison might tell Nanako that we couldn’t have kids.
"Doesn’t seem like it to me."
"It’s...just Madison. She’s really, really annoying. I keep hoping I can get through to her, but she's as stubborn as an ox," I said, trying water down the truth. "I'm also kinda stressing about heading into Skel territory tomorrow."
"Do we really have to bring her?"
"She'll be a great asset to the team."
"That remains to be seen, Ethan. I don't trust her as far as I can throw her."
"Seriously, she won't cause any problems because we share the same goal," I assured her.
"It's the other goals she's got mixed in there that concern me!"
"She had ample opportunities to try something underhanded with me today, but she didn't."
"And when her goals and ours no longer align – what then?"
"Okay, I get the message. We'll just have to keep our eye on her," I admitted.
"Hmmm." Nanako was unconvinced, but she let it drop, thankfully. And then promptly fell asleep.
Unfortunately, due to the turbulent state of my mind, sleep was a long time coming for me.
* * *
I woke from a troubled, nightmare-filled sleep with my mind already churning over Madison's words, as though I'd been arguing with the fears in my sleep.
When Nanako and the others woke, we ate breakfast and quickly gathered as much food as we could find from the Catani Gardens. We'd already refilled our water bottles from Elster Creek when we went on our run last night.
"Do I have to come?" Leigh asked as we were plucking handfuls of blackberries that grew beside the broken bandstand.
"What would you do if you didn't?" I asked, concerned. I didn't want him to go wandering off by himself and get caught by the Skel or Rangers.
"I dunno; maybe try to get to Ballarat?"
"By yourself?"
A great number of emotions fled across Leigh's face as he weighed up his options. “I...ah...”
"What are you, a coward?" Madison asked him bluntly.
"No, I'm not!" Leigh practically shouted.
"Could have fooled me." She gave him a cold smile that could've stripped paint off a wall.
"Knock it off, Madison," I said. "Leigh's killed his share of Skel when we were out foraging. Which is more than you can say, isn't it?"
"Him?" She looked at him sceptically.
"I said to knock it off!"
"Perhaps you should let him go, Jones? I do not want someone as spineless as him watching my back."
"Nick off, cow," Leigh spat.
"I'd have Leigh watching my back over you any day! Now back off, or you'll find yourself bound, gagged, and left behind," I threatened, and I meant it.
"Oooh, scary," Madison mocked, but she dropped it all the same.
And with that unpleasant scene ringing in our ears, we finished collecting bush tucker and finally set off towards Skel lands. We headed northeast initially, going up Fitzroy Street, but when we reached the St. Kilda Road junction, we followed St. Kilda Road southeast, heading deeper and deeper into the suburbs affected by the nuke.
The signs of damage grew steadily worse the further we travelled. Once we got to the outskirts of Gardenvale, though, the destruction was much more pronounced, with many commercial and industrial buildings in just as sorry state as the houses. Roofs were collapsed; walls blown in; fences toppled over. But the area was not the arid nuclear wasteland I had expected to see. To my surprise grass, shrubs and trees were flourishing everywhere.
When we reached North Road, a four-lane affair, we left St. Kilda Road and followed it due east. The signs of devastation continued to worsen. Houses, factories, and high-rise office towers and residential blocks had been blasted apart, many reduced to little more than massive piles of rubble that spilled across the streets. Hundreds of burnt-out vehicles littered the roads, their rusting, skeletal shells a grim reminder of the hell that had been unleashed upon Melbourne that fateful date a hundred years ago. The blackened husks of trees savaged by the blast stood in great lines down the side of the road, mixed in with the newer foliage that had taken root since that horrible day.
It was nearing midday when we finally reached the outskirts of Skel territory. We had headed east along North Road, and then followed the Monash Freeway southeast until we reached Huxley Avenue. This we followed south down to Police Road, and then we stopped.
On the other side of Police Road was a sight Nanako, David, Shorty and I had seen before. Fields and fields of market gardens, tended by scores of slaves watched over by brutal Skel overseers.
"That's as far as we're gonna get in daylight," I said, as we looked at the scene f
rom behind an unkempt bush.
Nanako indicated the ruins of a two-storey, brick house on the street corner behind us. "Maybe we can shack up in there? The second floor will give us a commanding view of the community centre where the Rangers drop off the refugees they bring."
The house's tile roof and part of the second floor's western face had collapsed and all of its windows were blown in, but it'd make as good a hideout as any, providing the Skel never came there. And, as Nanako pointed out, it would give us a view of the community centre. Not that the view really mattered, Madison and I would hear the Ranger’s 4WDs long before we saw them.
"Okay, let's check it out," I agreed.
We climbed into the house through the lounge room window frame and carefully made our way upstairs, fearing the staircase would collapse under our weight. However, it held, and we piled into a small corner bedroom that overlooked the market gardens.
"You've got to be kidding," Leigh expired in shock when we looked out the window. "I thought Skel were nomads. This is virtually civilized!"
"Except for the slaves," David replied.
For what was probably the first time in her life, Madison was at a loss for words.
The market gardens across the road stretched south for some distance. There were many fields – all irrigated – and they sported a variety of vegetables.
We could see the slaves better from up here, too. They were malnourished, and emaciated men and women with their ankles chained together. Their clothes were threadbare, their skin sickly, and hair fell lankly about the sides of their gaunt faces.
The Skel overseers wore their suits of bone armour, and stood in loose groups throughout the market gardens, either chatting idly amongst themselves or lashing out with knotted whips at tardy slaves.
"Coming here was insanity, Jones. That's what'll happen to us if we get caught," Leigh complained.
"Then let's make sure we don't get caught," I replied.
"Where do the Skel live? I don't see any dwellings amongst the market gardens?" Madison asked.
"In the ruined houses further up the road, I presume," I replied.
"How many live here?" she asked.
"No idea."
"How come? Haven't you been here before?"
"Twice. But only to that community centre up the road," I explained.
"Why there?"
"That's where they bring the slaves they catch to be processed."
"Processed?"
"Branded and chained," I replied grimly.
"Can't we do anything for them?" Nanako asked.
"The slaves?"
"Yeah, can't we rescue them or something? They've gotta be going through absolute hell," she replied.
I looked at the slaves closest to us, at their slow gait, their sickly pallor, and the open sores on their skin. "I'd love to, but how?"
"Even if we could sneak some away from the Skel," David said, "they wouldn't get far. Not only are their legs chained, but look at 'em, they're so weak. Not to mention that if we rescued them, what'd we feed them? Where would we take them? And which ones would we choose? We couldn't take 'em all."
"We've got to do something," Nanako said softly, a lone tear slipping down her cheek.
I put a hand on her slim shoulder. "I know where you're coming from, but there’s really nothing..."
"But you rescued the refugees the Rangers tried to off load here two years ago," she pointed out, her voice thick with emotion.
"They were still relatively fit and healthy, and I sent them off in the Ranger's truck."
"But to be so close and not be able to do anything..." Nanako sighed sadly.
"The best we can do is stop the Rangers bringing any more here," I said. "It's not gonna help those poor people out there, I admit, but it'll stop any other unfortunates ending up like them."
"I don't like it," Nanako said. "Maybe one day, when this stupid war between our towns is over, someone can lead an expedition here to rescue them?"
"I am sure that sounds nice in theory," Madison butted in, "but there remains the problem of the Skel. They will not take a back seat and let someone waltz in here and take their slaves, will they? Besides, no one in their right mind would risk life and limb to come here to rescue a bunch of half-dead slaves."
"You have a real way with words, Madison, you know that?" Nanako snarled and then tore herself away from the terrible view across the road.
Chapter Thirteen
"Hey, what's that smoke from?" Shorty pointed to a plume of black smoke twisting lazily into the sky from the other side of the market gardens.
"Something's on fire?" I said.
"Nah, too controlled – more likely from a factory or something," David answered.
"Could it be the factory Reina told us about? You know, the one where they treat the bones with resin to make them bullet proof?"
"Don't see why they'd need fire for doing that."
"Then let's check that place out first," I suggested.
"When?" Shorty asked, moving back from the window to lean against the bedroom wall.
"We can't go traipsing about during the daytime. We'd be sure to be spotted. So let’s wait 'till nightfall and then go exploring," I replied.
"Oh, goodie," Shorty said as he rubbed his hands together with mock glee.
"That's the spirit." I bopped him gently on the head. "And everyone, we need to set up a roster so that there’s always one of us watching up the road in case the Rangers come."
"I’ll take the initial watch, since it is my first time here. I want to familiarise myself with the place," Madison volunteered.
"Thanks."
"And while she’s on watch, let's eat and get some sleep," Nanako suggested.
I doubted I could sleep, but I'd welcome the rest. The walk here was pretty tiring, and I was still emotionally beat up, thanks to the fearful thoughts that'd been tormenting me all day.
* * *
A couple of hours after dark, we gathered in the lounge room downstairs and prepared to go on our recon mission. Madison and I dressed in our Custodian fatigues, while the others donned whatever dark clothes they brought with them. And barring Madison, who was unarmed, the rest of us had our bows and arrows. I also had my combat knife and a pistol with four bullets that I couldn’t use except in the direst of dire emergencies.
"Okay everyone, listen up," I said when we were ready to set out. "I'll take point so I can spot any Skel and circumvent them..."
"Circum what?" Shorty asked.
"Circumvent," I replied.
"It means to go around," David explained.
"Right, got it." Shorty smiled broadly, an expression only I could see since I was echolocating whenever I wasn't talking.
"As I was saying, I'll cir...lead us around any Skel and we'll go and have a look at what's causing that smoke. Keep your weapons ready and don’t make a sound. Madison, you bring up the rear and use your hearing and flash sonar to check our surroundings like I taught you."
"Do I get a weapon?" she asked with forced politeness.
"When she’s at the back? I don't think so," David complained softly in the background.
"Yeah, I know right? She'll just stab us in the back," Leigh agreed just as quietly.
"You gotta prove yourself before I'll even consider that." I frowned at David and Leigh for their rudeness.
"So what do I do if I get jumped by Skel?" she demanded gruffly. "Use harsh language?"
"Echolocate properly and that isn't gonna happen."
"Thanks, that’s very reassuring.”
"Besides, how you figure you can use a weapon when your arm hasn't healed?"
"My left arm is functioning fine. Can I have your knife?"
"Not happening," I said, and then moved out.
As we went, Nanako moved forward and touched my arm. "I've got your back, okay?"
"Wouldn't have it any other way," I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Do I really have to come? Can’t I stay here
and man the fort?" Leigh’s voice wavered with fear. Well, going by the expression on his face, more like abject terror.
I laid a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to bolster his confidence. "We need you with us out there, okay? You’ve proven yourself time and again when we got into scraps with the Skel, so don’t worry, you’ll be fine."
"But…" he protested.
"Perhaps we should leave him behind?" Madison interrupted. "He has got a yellow streak down his back so wide we could land a jet on it."
"You ever seen a jet?" Shorty asked Madison.
"Nick off, cow," Leigh huffed.
"'Cause I heard they're pretty big," Shorty continued.
"Prove me wrong, Yellow-Boy," Madison snarled, taking a step towards Leigh.
"Too big to land on Leigh's back, anyways," Shorty finished.
"Will you shut up?" Madison snapped at Shorty.
"I was just asking," he pouted.
"Cut it out, all of you!" I hissed. "And Madison, stop trying to rile up Leigh, or you’ll be the one we leave behind."
"Whatever."
"I mean it. We’re a team, and team members look out for each other, got it?"
"Yeah, David, got that?" Leigh muttered just loud enough for David to hear.
"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" David asked, his words heavy with heartfelt emotion.
"Saying sorry ain’t gonna bring her back…"
"I said to cut it out!" I snapped, louder this time. "Good grief, if I didn’t know better, I’d have thought you lot were nothing but a bunch of pre-schoolers. Now shut it and let’s go."
With that ugliness hopefully out of the way, we slipped single file out of the derelict house and into the cool, night air. The sky was partially overcast, but not impossibly dark thanks to the crescent moon high overhead. For me and Madison, though, it may as well have been daylight. The echoes returning from our ultrasonic shouts (musical notes in her case) illuminated the immediate area before us in an almost ghostly manner.
We crept furtively through the shrubs and tall grass that crowded the nature strip, and prepared to cross the road, but I held up my hand when I heard the faint sound of many raucous voices. Looking around, I saw a flickering, golden glow much further up the road to our right.
Forager - the Complete Trilogy (A Post Apocalyptic/Dystopian Trilogy) Page 56