by Leo Nix
It was now a few hours after dawn and Roo was on the hill overlooking the Arkaroola wilderness. He knew the Wilson's would come looking for them and he also knew he might not see them coming. The wilderness was a jumble of gullys and scrub, a hell-hole for walking or riding. It was dry, dusty and once you found yourself in the scrub you couldn't see beyond twenty metres. The only way to find your way was by map or by standing on a hill, like he was doing now.
Bongo still couldn't walk. With the mud packs and herbs he'd improved but at night he was restless and barely slept. Fortunately Katie didn't need to stay up all night any more, he was out of danger. He still had fevers and hot sweats at night and by morning he was exhausted. Katie was kept busy with the kids, and then she had to cook the emu and kangaroo meat Riley brought in.
Riley was on his knees carefully cleaning the kangaroo he'd shot that morning. His children watched in fascination, as he skinned, gutted and cut slabs of meat for Katie's cooking pot.
“Daddy?” asked Elle, “what's that called?”
He answered, “That's the kangaroo's kidney.” Then she asked the same question for every part of anatomy she could see coming out of the kangaroo's abdominal cavity. Harry held the pieces of meat as his father carved them, then carefully took them over to his mother, where she sliced them into fine strips and lay them on a stick platform to dry. She made broth from the bones, organs and brains, the smell was not at all pleasant.
Bongo moaned as he almost vomited up his breakfast when she started cooking in the confined space of the hut. He crawled into the fresh air to join the kids and Riley.
“I know it's going to taste good,” he called to Katie, who now stood outside carefully placing a handful of sliced kangaroo steak on the thin branches, “but boiled brains is not my favourite meal. I'm not real keen on eating what some animal has used to think with. I hope you brought some chilli or herbs to make it taste decent,” he chirped hopefully.
“Bongo, you saw the mess at our farmhouse, what do you reckon? No, I've only got the bush herbs and most of them aren't ready to pick. So you'll just have to do with what you're given.” She was too busy to even look at him.
She added, “Apparently one of the mines around here has radioactive water in it, what about we get some and see if that makes it taste any better,” she chuckled.
“That's seriously bad form, Katie. I hope they marked the mine properly so we don't go in there looking for kangaroos or something,” Bongo said.
Riley commented, “One of those city companies went looking for uranium. They found it, dug it up, then dumped the toxic waste all over the damn bush killing everything. The government wouldn't do a damn thing about it until us locals kicked up a stink. Bloody useless politicians.” he said, then added darkly, “Bloody useless politicians and damn religion!”
“And damn Wilsons!” added Bongo with some force.
While the family were doing their domestics, Greg and Joey left their vehicle in the bush and were tracking the horse prints deep into the wilderness. They found the bushman's hut the family stayed in and sat there to drink more whiskey and eat some of their food. Joey sipped on the soup he'd brought in a canteen. He mumbled something but shut up when Greg flew into him.
“Are you a nob-head or something, Joey? I can't understand a word you're saying so shut up! Open your mouth again and I'll break the other side of your face!” His mood grew worse as they continued into the jumbled hills and gullies of the Arkaroola wilderness.
Sitting on a hill top just on dusk, they saw Riley. He was a long way off but the direction he was walking indicated their new hideout was further up in the mountains.
Greg put down his binoculars. “You bloody beauty, we've got them! They're holed-up in that direction and it looks like he's going back for dinner. I'll bet they have their lookout on that hill. If we make our way over there now, before it becomes too dark, we'll be ready for them at dawn. We can stretch out there tonight and be ready for them when they come out tomorrow.”
They pulled on their jackets and hitched their rifles over their shoulders, carefully fixing the position of their destination by the landmarks around them. It would be dark when they got there so they needed to orient now while there was enough light.
That night Roo sent his dream body out, as he did every night, but it was restless. All night he saw images of the Wilsons. He struggled to sleep but every hour his dream body came back to wake him. By dawn he was edgy, irritable and exhausted.
“Mmm,” he said when he and Riley were making breakfast. Riley looked at him and noticed Roo had a serious frown on his face.
“What is it, Roo?” he asked.
“Mmm, ahh…” Riley could see he was struggling to find words and sounds, he could tell his cousin was clearly worried.
Bongo was awake so he came over to listen to the noises Roo was making, then said, “Roo, did you have one of your dreams?”
Roo nodded forcefully, “Mmm, yaa.”
“Slow down. It was a bad dream?” Bongo asked and Roo nodded.
Riley watched as Bongo and Roo went through their twenty-question routine. It was fascinating, especially as Roo was now adding sounds to his nods.
“Riley, it sounds like Roo's dream showed him the Wilson's are out there, close.” Roo nodded again, there was no hesitation. “And if we go out it might mean we get shot at.” Roo nodded again even more forcefully.
“Blimey,” said Riley. “We've got the kids and Katie here. Are they coming for us?”
Roo nodded, but this time slowly and lifted his eyes, thought for a moment, and said, “No.”
Bongo and Riley were shocked, he spoke it as clear as a gun shot.
“Shit!” said Riley, “did you hear that, Bongo? He said, No! as clear as day.” He smiled despite the seriousness of their situation. “Right, what should we do?” He sat quietly to think things through.
The rugged cattleman piled the three plates with food and poured three mugs of tea while he considered his plan. Both men watched and waited for him to say something while they all tucked into their breakfast.
“This is what we need to do. We move Katie and the kids out of here and up into the mountains proper. There's a cave up there I know of. They might be able to track us and they might not. None of them are as good as Roo here but us cattlemen are crafty. I wouldn't be surprised if they do find us, they've done it right now, from what Roo's saying. We'll need supplies and water, that's what we'll need the most of up there.”
Riley scratched his head. “Bongo, you stay here with Roo and set up traps and cover the approaches to our hut. I'll start moving Katie and the kids, then take up our supplies using the horses. It's not a great plan but it's better than nothing. They must know we're in the scrub here somewhere.” Riley looked up as Roo nodded then continued. “Roo, you keep Black Dog with you, he seems to think you belong to him anyway. I'll get the horses, load them up and take them with me.”
Greg and Joey had spent a miserable night on the hilltop. It was freezing and they only had their jackets and the whiskey to keep warm. They'd picked a bad place to sleep, right next to a water soak where the large mosquitoes continued to breed right through winter. All night they were buzzed and bitten by myriads of mosquitoes.
The men had lit a small fire on the other side of the hill around midnight, to ward them off. They kept it going all night for warmth, and to try to make just enough smoke to keep the vicious mosquitoes away.
Greg's mood shifted for the worse after a sleepless night soaking himself in liquor. He was down to his last bottle and he swore that if they didn't find Riley today, he would leave Joey there and go back for more supplies.
“Get yer hands off me drink, ya bastard,” slurred Greg. After a night drinking he was plastered. “You come near my boddle and I'll kill ya just like I did that prick… what's 'is name.” He waved his knife in front of Joey, who easily moved back a few steps. “And don't even think 'bout mumbling shit at me, I'll smash yer head in.” He staggered and
fell across the fire barely able to roll off it.
“Bastard, ya pushed me didn't ya!” he yelled as he stood back up and lunged at Joey, who again side-stepped. Greg tripped and collapsed unconscious to the ground. Joey decided to leave him there while he heated up his soup. He took his meal and his rifle to the top of the hill and prepared for the look-outs to come up.
Roo and Bongo worked together laying rabbit traps and some of Roo's special snares. None would kill a man but they would hurt if they stepped on one. Bongo had a little more movement in his leg, it wasn't as swollen as it was the day before. It still hurt like hell when he moved, but he didn't like feeling useless. 'I'm a bit like Pedro,' he thought to himself.
Roo needed Bongo for his hands and Bongo needed Roo for his legs. They laughed when they found themselves in a tangle of arms and legs barely able to move from the pain of their injuries.
Not long after dawn Roo stopped what he was doing and stood still. He sniffed the air and reached for his assault rifle. Bongo saw him and did the same. Black Dog pricked up his ears as he noticed the two humans in a state of alertness, but didn't move.
“What is it, Roo? Did you hear something?” asked Bongo quietly.
Roo didn't say anything or sign, he just stood there sensing. He sent his dream body to meld into the trees and hills. A few moments later Riley could be heard walking the horses back to their camp site and they both relaxed. Roo helped Bongo finish the last trap then they went back to help Riley load the horses. At least they wanted to help, but neither could actually do much more than watch Riley do all the work.
“Riley, Roo and I are going to stay here, if we bump into the Wilsons we'll stay and fight, you'll hear us. We don't want you leaving your family to help. If we can we'll drive them off. We've done it before and we can do it again, even if we do lack arms and legs.” He made a wry smile.
“If they get through us, they'll come after you. They'll track you up into the mountains. You'll need to snipe them before they get to Katie and the kids.” He paused for a moment. “We need you to stay and protect your family, mate. Don't come and help us, we'll not be able to focus if we have to worry about you leaving your family alone.”
Bongo's face was drawn and his eyes were sunk deep into his head. He'd lost weight these past few days and was looking gaunt. Roo didn't look much better. It struck Riley that he might look a bit like them too.
“Yeah, I've got that Bongo. You guys just be careful. You've got plenty of captured ammunition and a choice of weapons here. Pick your ambush and pick your targets. Most importantly pick your battle, make them come to you.” He shook their hands firmly.
“This is my last trip up the mountain. I'll drop the horses and gear off up at the cave then head half way down. There's a saddle-back, a narrowing on the track up where I can ambush them. There's no other way up except across the saddle. It's got a drop on either side and they can't get across without me shooting into them. The best they can do is snipe back, but I've got plenty of cover. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.” He paused, “Good luck cousin, good luck Bongo. I'll wait till dusk to come back for you and lead you up into the cave. I'll meet you here, got it?”
Bongo and Roo nodded, then Riley turned around and began the long, slow walk back up the mountain to be with his wife and children. He told Black Dog to stay and with a wag of it's tail it ran back and leaned protectively against Roo's leg.
The sun was at it's mid morning mark and from the edge of the scrub they continued to search the tracks and gullies with their binoculars. They saw nothing out of the ordinary. But Roo was uneasy and so was Black Dog. Black Dog kept looking beyond the bush screen they were hiding behind, staring at the lookout hill.
“There's something up there all right. Any chance we could get around the back of the hill and come up behind? What do you think, Roo?” asked Bongo.
Roo looked at Bongo's leg and smiled, he shook his head and tapped his rifle. It was one of the Wilson's, a nice bolt-action kangaroo rifle. Roo said he had enough rounds to kill a hundred kangaroos with this one. It had a high magnification scope and was in immaculate condition, obviously someone's prized possession.
Roo had already begun sketching a scene of kangaroos on its wooden stock. His AK assault rifle was now always slung across his back and an ammunition bandoleer over his shoulder containing both types of cartridge.
“Roo! Look, movement!” whispered Bongo and Black Dog straightened and stood up. Bongo put his hand on it's back and shushed it back down. “Not now Black Dog, slow down. If they see you they'll shoot you.”
Roo had his binoculars up and was watching. Bongo joined him and together they watched as two men began arguing then fighting on the hill top lookout. One was unsteady then he hit the other man in the face with his fist. The taller man they recognised as Joey, collapsed holding his mouth. The other one turned towards them and they noticed it was Joey's cousin, Greg. They watched in amazement as Joey stood up and fought back. It was like watching a comedy act, or like one drunk fighting another.
Joey hadn't seen Greg stagger to a standing position and move towards him. His attention was fixed on the bushes where he thought he saw movement. He was completely taken by surprise as he was king-hit in the face and fell to the ground, blood streaming from his mouth. A searing pain lanced through his entire body and he clutched at his broken jaw.
Joey could see Greg out of the corner of his eye, he had his knife in his hand again. 'Damn idiot, I should have hidden it and his rifle when I had the chance,' he thought.
Neither of them were in a state to fight, they were both handicapped by injuries - self inflicted in Greg's case, and the other inflicted by Bongo at the Wilpena Pound camp-fire a week earlier. They staggered towards each other like drunken lovers. As Joey dodged Greg's knife blade he reached for his own knife.
They collapsed together and wrestled on the ground. Joey's jaw was an agony of pain and he could feel the calcium, which had begun to seal the break, crack open again when Greg's shoulder slammed into him.
“Mmnneerrr!” he screamed in pain, tears sprang into his eyes momentarily blinding him.
“You prick! I know yer trying to do me out of having Katie. I'm having her first you bastard!” cried Greg as he slashed his knife across Joey's back slicing deeply into the muscle. Joey screamed and tried to turn to face his enemy. Greg had his knee in his back so he couldn't swing around or gain leverage to get back up. Joey was in a panic, he knew he would die if he didn't get up.
“I'm gonna do you, Riley, ya bastard! I'm gonna do you with me knife!” He lunged at Joey's back again. But Joey had caught his foot against one of the myriad of rocks strewn on the hilltop and pushed himself out from under his psycho cousin's knee. The knife cut deeply into his flesh as it glanced off his shoulder blade.
“Mmmnnrrr!” sobbed Joey in pain, still unable to stand up fully. Greg grabbed Joey's shirt with one hand and stabbed upwards with his knife into his cousin's side.
“Ya bastard! She's my wife! Get off her ya bastard!” Greg was screaming at Joey and he knew that he was a dead man if Greg used his knife on him one more time. There was so much blood pouring out of his wounds that he was almost out of the fight. Greg had a reputation for fighting like a madman when he got drunk, but Joey had never been on the receiving end before. He was afraid, very afraid.
Greg still had hold of Joey's shirt, he wouldn't let go. Joey swung his fist as hard as he could and hit Greg in the nose. A lucky shot that allowed him to stagger away. His cousin collapsed to his knees holding his bloody nose making grunting noises, he was clearly psychotic and beyond reason. Joey saw the knife on the ground and kicked it away then he went for his own rifle leaning against the rock.
“Mnyayer! Yer fn gog!” he cried as he cocked, aimed, and fired his rifle in one flowing movement.
The two men hidden in the bushes across the gully, saw the spray of blood and brains followed by the sound of the rifle shot echoing around the hills and mountain gullies. Black Dog'
s ears pricked up and he growled.
“Steady boy. It's OK, Cain has finally killed his brother Abel. I don't think Cain is going to make it home for lunch either,” Bongo said, sickened by what he'd just witnessed.
Roo looked at Bongo for a moment then reached one-handed for his rifle. Bongo instinctively knew what Roo was doing. He cocked Roo's rifle, handed it back, then leaned forward allowing Roo to place the rifle barrel on his shoulder.
With only one arm in working condition Roo quickly sighted and pulled the trigger. He immediately dropped the Ruger and reached for his pistol in it's holster at his belt. He leaped up and raced towards the hill top at full speed.
Black Dog barked excitedly, racing alongside him. Bongo picked up Roo's new rifle, pulled the bolt back and slammed in a new cartridge. He then carefully watched through the scope to cover his mate.
“You dope, Bongo,” he sighed to himself. “One has his brains spread all over the ground, the other Roo took out, and you know what that means.”
Roo and Black Dog dodged the traps and made it to the top of the hill breathing hard. Roo summed up the situation in one glance, then waved to Bongo giving the 'all clear'.
Chapter 8 - Arkaroola Wilderness
Simon and Lucy fired at the exact moment Greg pulled his trigger. From that distance they didn't truly expect to hit the enemy but were more than happy when they saw him drop and duck behind the rock he was standing beside. Luke had thrown himself to the ground, his weapon at the ready aimed at where the man had been standing. He looked around then called over his shoulder.
“Hey, where is he, is he dead?”
Simon answered, “No, stay still. He's run behind the rock. We're covering you. You know the drill so just don't move.”
Luke knew that Simon and Lucy had both fired from the sound of the two different sounds: an AK47 and a Steyr. They were all waiting to see what the stranger did and he knew Simon would probably try to get around behind the rock. Simon was strategic at all times, 'a natural warrior' Nulla often said.