Ross River Fever

by Christopher Cummings

  “I will come down and get them in a minute,” he explained. The young girls burst into tears again and were led weeping away. Andrew shivered with a mixture of pain, pleasure, and delayed reaction as Letitia gently wiped his face. In the process she managed to press her bosom hard against him, causing him more uncomfortable emotions, and earning a scowl from Jill.

  Andrew gently eased himself free. “It’s alright,” he said. “I only got hit a couple of times.” Much as he was enjoying the girl’s attention he didn’t want a conflict within the group. Still feeling dizzy he looked down at the drowned kittens and felt a wave of sadness. Then he shivered. The rain became heavier and it was cold; or at least relatively so to the steaming tropical air it replaced.

  “Come on, let’s go,” he said. He turned and walked back the way he had come. To his dismay his left leg almost refused to function. He had to limp and use the paddle as a walking stick. Both Jill and Letitia cried out and asked if he was hurt.

  Andrew shook his head. “I got hit by a rock and that Troy kicked me,” Andrew explained. “I’ll be OK.” But both girls again moved to help him. This time their rivalry was very open and Andrew thought he detected flashes of jealousy and hostility in their eyes.

  The group made its way slowly back down to the canoes over a trail of flattened grass and weeds. The rain increased to a real downpour, rapidly soaking them. At the canoes Andrew looked back and saw a miserable Mark walking slowly along, helped by Martin. That gave him a jolt. He did not really want to hurt his friend. The thought made him look at Jill. She met his eyes and smiled, causing Andrew to feel even more uncomfortable. He looked the other way, only to meet Letitia’s adoring gaze.

  “You were very brave,” she said. She rubbed his arm as she said it, causing Jill to purse her lips.

  Andrew shrugged. “So was Mark,” he replied. “He did a better job than me. Well done Mark. That was real gutsy mate.”

  Mark met his eyes and Andrew thought he glimpsed pain deep in them. He nodded, tight lipped, then said: “Thanks Andrew.”

  Andrew went to step into the canoe and let out an involuntary gasp of pain. “Ah! Ow! That hurts,” he muttered. Both Jill and Letitia showed concern and helped him to step in. He then directed them to push the canoe into deeper water so that it would not be aground when their weight was added to it. With difficulty he straightened his left leg and braced his paddle to hold the canoe steady while the two girls stepped in.

  Letitia hopped in first. She seated herself in front of Andrew and picked up her paddle. Exactly what happened next wasn’t clear to Andrew. He tried to hold the canoe steady for Jill but it suddenly slid sideways. Jill slipped and fell on her bum with a splash in the dirty water.

  Very angry she struggled to her feet, her jeans and shirt soaked. “You stupid cow! Hold the canoe steady next time,” she snapped at Letitia.

  Letitia reacted at once. “Don’t you call me a cow you sneaky bitch!”

  Andrew was stunned. He heard Jill give a sharp intake of breath. Then she let fly: “Don’t you call me a bitch you fat moll. You look like a cow.”

  “You’re just jealous,” Letitia replied hotly. “And if that’s how you feel you can walk home. You aren’t travelling in my canoe!”

  Carmen stepped forward. “That will do both of you. There’s no need for that. Please let’s be friends.”

  “She insulted me,” sniffed Letitia. “She called me a moll!”

  Jill put her hands on her hips. “Well you act like one, the way you flaunt yourself and throw yourself at Andrew!” she snapped.

  Letitia went red in the face. “So what’s it to you? You can stick to your own boyfriend. You don’t own Andrew. He can be friends with me if he likes,” she spat back.

  Andrew was appalled at this. So was Mark, who looked horrified. Carmen again tried to calm them down. Martin now intervened. He looked very unhappy.

  “No fighting please. Jill, you come in this canoe. Carmen, you go in Letitia’s.”

  “No!” Jill snapped. “I’m going home.” She turned and stumbled back towards the bank.

  Mark was appalled. He stood, torn by indecision, then he said: “See you all later,” and headed after her. Jill did not wait for him, nor look back.

  Carmen called after her: “Jill, please! Wait for us.” She also started after her. So did Andrew. Martin and Letitia reluctantly followed. Jill climbed the bank and headed up the road. Mark caught her up but she ignored him. Carmen called again and she at least looked at her. Then she stopped and allowed Carmen to catch up. By the time Andrew joined them Carmen had somehow calmed her down. “She didn’t mean it, I’m sure,” she said.

  “She did,” Jill said. “She wanted me to look silly.”

  “Please don’t go Jill,” Carmen asked. Jill made a face but Andrew could she was wavering. She met his eye and he added his plea to his sister’s.

  “I would like you to stay with us please Jill.”

  Jill sniffed, then said: “Only if she apologizes.”

  By this time Letitia and Martin had caught up. Letitia nodded and said: “I’m sorry Jill. I didn’t mean to do it. I’m just very clumsy. Please stay with us.”

  “Yes,” agreed Martin. “Besides, if you go that way you might meet those bullies.”

  “I only have to go a couple of blocks. I live just along there,” Jill replied, but clearly she was having second thoughts. Andrew met her eyes again and smiled. She sniffed and nodded. “OK,” she agreed.

  There was a sigh of relief from the group. They turned and walked slowly back down to the canoes. Carmen met Andrew’s eye and shrugged unhappily. She climbed into the canoe she had been in all morning with Martin and Mark, leaving Letitia, Jill and Andrew once again in the second canoe. Andrew moved himself to settle the balance better. With some difficulty he straightened his rapidly stiffening left leg. The canoes were pushed off and they nosed slowly through the thick masses of floating lilies.

  The rain continued. Andrew was quickly chilled. He paddled hard both to warm himself and to keep up with the front canoe. Letitia was little help as her paddling was erratic and not very skilful. They pushed clear of the weeds along a narrow channel which led them across to the south bank. At this point of the river both banks were quite different. The north bank was crowned with houses but was separated from the river by a fifty metre wide belt of guinea grass and weeds. The south bank was about five metres high and sloped steeply down into the water. All along its length paperbarks overhung the water. These were backed by dry savannah bushland.

  As he paddled along Andrew noted the odd effect of thousands of rain drops on the calm river surface. The water birds all seemed to stop their normal activities and hunch themselves unhappily on snags and dead trees. On the right the canoes passed a murky backwater; a creek about three metres wide which curved out of sight into a deep cleft in the south bank. Something slid into the water there with a plop. Tortoise? Snake? Andrew couldn’t tell.

  The friends paddled slowly back down the river. After a time the rain eased to showers with gusts of cold wind. Andrew found that muscles he had not suspected he had were starting to hurt. He also discovered that his hands were starting to develop blisters and that he had to do most of the paddling. His back began to ache and muscles in both legs started to cramp. ‘I’m out of condition,’ he mused. But his thoughts were mostly concentrated on the scene between the two girls. He had no doubt now that it had been over him. That left him with very mixed emotions and not a little anxious.

  The rain had stopped by the time they were approaching the bridges again. Now the wind became their enemy, blowing strongly straight along the river. Andrew paddled hard but his canoe fell steadily behind the other canoe. Carmen saw this and they waited under the bridge until they caught up. Then both canoes paddled slowly along together back to the Schipholl’s.

  There the canoes were lifted out and carried up the bank and across the lawn. In the driveway they were emptied and hosed clean before being stored in the she
d. Once everything was neatly stored the teenagers made their way to the house. Mrs Schipholl met them at the door.

  “Heavens! What happened to you children?”

  She was given a rapid and garbled explanation by all of them at once. She clucked and tut-tutted, then said: “Well you must all come in quickly and get those wet clothes off. A good hot bath is what you all need or you will catch a chill. Letitia you take the girls through to the bathroom at once. I will find something for them to wear. One of you can use this shower here. You boys go and wait on the patio.”

  The boys did as they were told, being joined by the cat and the dog as they settled in the cane chairs. Martin excused himself and took himself to the toilet. That left Andrew and Mark alone. An embarrassing silence settled for a minute before Mark spoke. His voice was low and strained.

  “Andrew, please don’t flirt with Jill.”

  “Why not? She’s flirting with me.”

  “Because... because I love her, and I don’t want to lose her,” Mark replied.

  “Well, she can make her own choice I reckon,” Andrew replied. He was a bit nettled, but also sorry for Mark.

  Mark looked sad and said: “I know that. But it is only a game to you; and it’s not fair. In a week or so you will go back to Cairns, so it can’t come to anything. It would be only a holiday romance. Letitia likes you too. Have a fling with her.”

  Andrew nodded. He knew Mark was right. Absent mindedly he tickled Snoopy behind the ears while he thought about it. Then Martin returned and ended the conversation. Martin turned it back to the bullies and the fight.

  Twenty minutes later the three girls re-appeared wrapped in dressing gowns; which made Andrew speculate on what they were wearing under them. It was nice to think about. Mrs Schipholl beckoned the three boys.

  “There are two bathrooms,” she explained. “Strip off those wet clothes and throw them out. I will put them in the washing machine. The tumble dryer will soon have them ready. You can wear these old clothes of Martins until then.” She indicated a basket of clothing.

  Andrew did as he was told. He went to the bathroom next to Letitia’s bedroom, stripped off and tossed his wet clothes out the door, then stepped into the hot shower. That was wonderful. He had not realized just how cold he had been. While luxuriating in the warm water he examined himself and found two huge purple bruises on his left thigh. The warm water helped ease them but they certainly were sore.

  Ten minutes later he went back to the patio dressed in a pair of old shorts and a T-shirt. Lunch was being served and the discussion had turned to what the afternoon’s program should be.

  CHAPTER 8

  WHICH ONE?

  Rain began to thunder on the roof, a real tropical downpour. The friends looked at each other and Martin made a face.

  “That sounds as though going outside might not be a good idea.”

  Andrew smiled. “We could go swimming,” he suggested with a laugh.

  Mark snorted. “Even the ducks will be under cover at the moment,” he said. He made a wry face but Andrew noted there was no humour in his eyes.

  Letitia looked at them. “What will we do then?” she asked.

  “Play games,” Martin suggested.

  “What sort of games?” Letitia asked. She smirked at Andrew and he blushed at the implication. He noted Jill purse her lips and Carmen frown. To divert them he asked: “What about Monopoly, or ‘UNO’, or something like that?”

  Carmen nodded. “Good idea,” she agreed.

  So a game of Monopoly was extracted from the cupboard and set up on the table. To take his place at the table Andrew had to get up from the lounge chair he was in and walk across the room. To his surprise he could hardly straighten his leg. As he stood up he let out a stifled groan and gripped his left thigh.

  At once both Letitia and Jill showed concern and moved to him.

  Letitia bent down to look at his leg. “Oh you poor dear!” she gushed. She started to examine the huge purple bruises now clearly visible on his leg. The touch of her warm fingers on his leg increased his heart rate dramatically.

  Letitia gently stroked his leg and said: “Oh they are bad bruises. You need a massage to help ease them.”

  Jill made a face. “A warm compress would do more good,” she said frostily, meeting Letitia’s eyes with a hard stare.

  Letitia smirked. “Well you get one while I give him a massage,” she replied. For a moment Andrew feared that the two girls would begin an open argument but Jill straightened up and headed for the bathroom. Andrew glanced at the others and knew he was flaming with embarrassment. Mark, he noted, had that haunted, unhappy look again. Carmen had a half-smile, half-frown on her face and Martin looked exasperated.

  Letitia stood so that her back was to the others and she bent forward to gently but firmly squeeze his leg. Andrew felt himself becoming aroused and tried frantically to will his body not to while hoping no-one else would notice.

  The warm hands moving on his leg were too strong a stimulant for his mind to over-ride. He quickly became firmly erect and blushed even more fiercely. To his relief Martin and Mark turned to setting up the game. After watching for a minute so did Carmen. Letitia glanced at them, then increased her provocative movements. Andrew knew he must be crimson in the face from embarrassment.

  Luckily the pain of the bruises was sufficient to cause him to cry out and that made Letitia ease up. Then Jill returned carrying a warm, damp hand towel. This was placed tenderly on his thigh and held there by warm, strong fingers. Letitia moved reluctantly to one side and gave a slight pout to show her disapproval. Mark kept glancing over from the table, jealousy and annoyance clear in his face and body.

  Andrew tried to move away. “That’s fine thank you,” he said, hoping to end the situation. He was even more concerned now that Jill was bending over beside him, worried that she might see the bulge in his shorts. He did not want to offend her. ‘She is much too nice for any of that sort of thing,’ he thought.

  But Jill seemed reluctant to stop. She looked into Andrew’s eyes and smiled and he had the sensation of swimming in pools of liquid admiration. It was very unsettling, while also being very ego boosting.

  Terry the Tortoise saved the situation. He came crawling out from behind a pot plant and Jill stepped back onto him. There was a scuffling noise on the tiles. Jill let out a cry and looked down. “Oh! Oh poor Terry! I’ve trod on his flipper,” she cried.

  “Leg,” Martin corrected. He and Letitia both rushed to the tortoise. Martin scooped him up and examined the foot. “I don’t think it is broken,” he said. Terry looked up at him earnestly and wriggled all his feet vigorously.

  Jill bent to stroke Terry’s shell and cried: “Oh, I’m sorry!” Terry ducked his head in against it. “I didn’t see him,” she said anxiously.

  “It’s alright,” Martin replied. “He’s always getting under someone’s feet. Go away Snoopy!” This last because the dog had padded over to sniff up at them. “The dog is just jealous, aren’t you pooch?” Martin added, handing the tortoise to Jill and bending to ruffle Snoopy’s ears.

  Andrew took the opportunity to hoist himself to his feet. Letitia took his arm and helped him hobble over to the table. She at once sat down beside him so that her knee touched his under the table. Andrew had deliberately seated himself next to Martin so Jill went and sat opposite between Carmen and Mark. The tortoise was released onto the floor again.

  Play began. Andrew tried to concentrate but received another shock when he felt a leg touch his under the table. He looked up and met Jill’s eyes and she gave him what he assumed was an inviting look. At the same time Letitia kept on pressing her knee against his. Then she placed her hand down on his right thigh.

  ‘I don’t believe this!’ Andrew thought. ‘Two girls both giving me the come-on!’ He looked from one to the other; and found them both very attractive. ‘But who to choose?’ he pondered. ‘Which one do I like the most?’

  It was a quandary he was unable to resolv
e by the time they finished the game. The rain had eased off by then but no-one suggested outdoor activities as more rain threatened and the lawn was sodden. Water dripped from the trees and guttering. Instead they moved back to easy chairs and lay talking and listening to music. All the while both Letitia and Jill kept giving Andrew what he termed ‘the eye’.

  At length Carmen said it was time they went home. This led to another discussion on what they might do next. The most they could decide on was to meet again that night at the shops, and to go canoeing again the next day. They all changed back into their own clothes. These had been dried in the tumble drier. Andrew was relieved to say goodbye to Letitia as he was feeling a bit pressured by her blatant forwardness. By then he had calmed down but his leg still hurt. He hobbled to the door with Mark and Jill. Letitia was obviously not pleased to see him going off with Jill.

  Martin gestured to Andrew’s leg. “Do you need a walking stick?” he asked half-seriously as they said goodbye.

  Andrew laughed. “No thanks. It will be alright when the muscles warm up.”

  The four set off along the river bank homewards. A shower of rain speeded them along, wetting them as it passed. More heavy showers could be seen heading their way so they did not linger but walked as fast as they could. The pace soon had them all sweating. As predicted the worst of the soreness went from Andrew’s thigh as they walked. He took little part in the conversation, his mind busy with comparing Jill and Letitia and wondering which he preferred and what he should do to establish a relationship with the preferred one.

  The four crossed the bridge and separated on the north side; Mark and Jill to go left and Carmen and Andrew to go right. This time they did not walk along the river bank but walked along Leopold Street instead.

  Back at his Aunt’s Andrew was able to relax. He had a hot bath which helped sooth his sore thigh. Then he went and lay on his bed to read. The day had been a bit more tiring and eventful than he had expected and his emotions were a bit battered as well. Neither described the events with the bullies to their uncle or aunt for fear that led to restrictions on their movement.