Ross River Fever

by Christopher Cummings

  Just in time Andrew remembered the pit and leapt over it. He could hear footfalls close behind him and a frantic glance over his shoulder showed Troy only a few paces back. The gap in the grass at the overgrown channel appeared ahead. Andrew burst through it at full speed, trying to remember exactly where the planks of the secret bridge were.

  Luck was with him and his foot landed on one as he splashed into the water. Then he missed with the next step and plunged into deeper water. It was waist deep and cold. As he went sprawling into the reeds and lilies he felt a stinging pain in the outside of his right calf.

  In his near panic he attempted to ignore this and tried to keep going. He floundered and splashed and got his head above water before discovering that his leg was held fast by something that had driven into it. The pain came as a real shock, almost over-riding the fear of being caught. A quick glance showed Troy on the bank only a couple of metres behind. He was clenching a knife in his hand.

  ‘Caught!’ Andrew thought. He prepared himself for a desperate fight. With an effort he wrenched his leg free and floundered into deeper water. Slime and ooze seemed to enfold his legs and he felt several sharp jabs in his thighs. Only then did he realize what was happening.

  ‘Spikes! The bullies have planted spikes in the water!’ Fear made him pause and he felt with his hand. Yes, a sharp stake about a metre long was sticking up from the bed of the waterway. Once again he glanced back to assess his chances of reaching the other bank before the bullies caught him.

  Through eyes blurring with adrenaline he saw Forman appear behind Troy. Troy stepped down and splashed out onto the plank almost beside Andrew. Forman also appeared and he had a wicked looking sheath knife in his hand but his mouth was open in shock and he was staring over Andrew’s head in alarm.

  “Cops! Split!” he shouted.

  Andrew turned to look. On top of the levee about fifty metres away were Carmen, two policemen and two urchins. Carmen was pointing at him and shouting. She started running, followed by the two policemen. The three bullies fled. They splashed across the underwater planks to the bank, turned left and ran.

  It was obvious the police had no chance of catching them. The bullies had twenty metres start and could run faster. They vanished from view as Andrew set about extracting himself from the bed of the channel. Carmen stopped on the bank, the two urchins on her heels.

  “Andrew, are you alright?”

  “I think so. I’ve stuck my leg on something, that’s all,” Andrew replied. Relief flooded through him as he waded to the bank. He climbed out, only then becoming aware that the water smelt very stale and pungent with rotting vegetation. By then one of the policemen had stopped chasing the two bullies and was using his radio. The other ran another thirty metres before also giving up.

  Carmen was angry and upset. “Where have you been? You gave me a real fright when we couldn’t find you. Have you been on that island?... Oh! Your leg! What happened to your leg?”

  Andrew looked down. He had been dimly conscious of a stinging sensation in his right calf. Now the cause was clear. Blood was streaming down his leg in a thick flow, almost a gush. He stared at it in astonishment.

  “Spikes. They have spikes in the water beside their secret bridge,” he said, gesturing towards them. He couldn’t believe how much blood was pouring down his leg. It was like a red slick, all mixing with the mud and weeds clinging to his wet legs.

  Carmen’s face registered her alarm. “Sit down! Oh look at it!” she wailed. She knelt as Andrew lowered himself to the grass. Suddenly he felt quite faint. The two policemen joined them.

  Both urchins peered with ghoulish fascination. “Gees it’s red!” Rat said.

  It was too- bright scarlet. The first policeman took one look and immediately radioed for the ambulance again. Andrew then saw that the second policeman was Constable Fort. He knelt and held Andrew’s leg to look at the wound.

  “How did you get this? Did they cut you?” he asked.

  “No. There are sharp sticks in the water there. The gang have put them there to stop people,” Andrew replied.

  Carmen’s alarm now turned to anger. “You’ve been on their island, in their hideout?” she asked. Andrew blushed and nodded. Carmen shook her head in disbelief and dismay. “That was a very silly thing to do!” she snapped.

  Andrew could only agree. He now felt very foolish. In an attempt to redeem himself he said: “Sorry Sis, but it was worth it. I found the bullies’ camp.” He described the tracks and the camp. The policemen both listened intently. Both urchins were all ears. They went to look into the water at the secret underwater bridge and to try to spot some of the sharp stakes.

  Rat pointed at it. “What a great idea, a secret bridge!” Rat enthused. He went to wade in.

  Constable Fort shook his head. “You two kids stay on this bank. This is police business. There might be evidence there.”

  Andrew nodded and spoke up; “I think there is. They were carrying sacks full of something when they arrived. They dropped them when they started chasing me.”

  Constable Fort took out his notebook and started to ask Andrew for details of what he had found. Andrew had time to describe the track pattern and the location of the camp before a wave of nausea swept over him. He paused and found that he felt dizzy and his eyes were going unfocused.

  Carmen became quite distressed but Constable Fort said: “It’s alright. He isn’t going to die from loss of blood. It is just delayed reaction and shock. He will be alright.”

  Andrew felt himself being lowered onto the grass and a handkerchief was wrapped tightly over his leg. Within a few minutes the ambulancemen arrived. It was the same pair as previously. The older one made a face when he recognized Andrew.

  “You kids again! You certainly know how to get yourselves into strife.”

  Andrew blushed and felt foolish. Carmen pursed her lips. Constable Fort wanted to ask him more questions but Carmen insisted he wait till after Andrew had been treated.

  The paramedic shook his head. “This will need a few stitches. We will have to take him to hospital.”

  As soon as the wound was bandaged Andrew was helped to his feet. He hopped up the bank helped by the paramedics and Constable Fort. Every step made his lower leg throb but he managed the journey alright. Carmen and the urchins followed.

  Carmen and Constable Fort both travelled in the back of the ambulance to the hospital. On the way Andrew answered more questions and Constable Fort made more notes. By the time they arrived at the hospital Andrew felt more embarrassed at his own foolishness than hurt.

  He was wheeled in on a stretcher which made him feel even more self-conscious as people stared at him. A nurse with a brisk ‘no-nonsense’ manner took details and then Andrew was seen by a young doctor who grunted and was not impressed. He merely cleaned the wound, then, to Andrew’s alarm, threaded what looked like a huge curved fishhook. A needle pricked his leg to administer a local anaesthetic and the doctor went to work. Andrew tried to be brave and to watch but found he felt nauseous and his vision swam. He had to lie back and stare at the ceiling.

  A few minutes later he was discharged. Andrew had expected more of a fuss but found that the doctor had just stitched the wound and placed some sort of hard, black mixture over the stitches. Andrew had expected at least a bandage and a bit more drama. Instead the doctor just said: “Keep that dry tonight and watch for infection. Your own doctor can take the stitches out in a week.”

  “Aren’t you keeping me in hospital?” Andrew asked in surprise.

  “It’s hardly major surgery,” the doctor replied dryly, making Andrew feel even more foolish. He limped out to where Carmen sat waiting. She was also a bit surprised.

  “I’ve rung Uncle Mel,” she said.

  “What will we do now?” Andrew asked.

  “Go home I suppose.”

  “Did you phone the Schipholls to let them know we wouldn’t be coming over,” Andrew asked.

  Carmen shook her head. “Not yet. We
can do that when we get home,” she replied.

  They then had to sit for an hour before their uncle arrived. He was not amused. “You kids had better stay away from that river,” he said as he drove them home.

  “Oh it’s not that bad Uncle Mel. It just those bullies,” Carmen replied.

  Uncle Mel grunted. “I didn’t know you had come to Townsville to get involved in a gang war,” he replied. Brother and sister had no real answer to this. Their uncle then made another thrust: “Is this going to affect your navy cadet parade tomorrow?”

  Carmen and Andrew had made arrangements to visit the local navy cadet unit, TS ‘Coral Sea’, during a Saturday afternoon training parade. Andrew shook his head and replied: “No, it shouldn’t. We are only visiting and I can just sit and watch.”

  Uncle Mel grunted and was not impressed. When they arrived home Uncle Mel spoke briefly to Aunty Bev, then drove off back to work. Aunty Bev was much more concerned but that just made Andrew feel worse. He limped upstairs and slumped into a chair.

  Carmen phoned the Schipholl’s and also Mark and Jill. As she put the phone down she said: “They are all coming over here. They want to hear the story for themselves.”

  Andrew glanced around to see if Aunty Bev was within earshot, then said: “We don’t want to build this up into too much of a drama. If we do the adults will ‘ground’ us. It could spoil our holidays.”

  Carmen made a face but agreed. Thus, when all the others were there, Andrew asked them not to tell their parents, or at least to make light of it all.

  Letitia bent over to study his wound. “So what do we do now?” she asked.

  “Find the gang’s other hideouts,” Andrew answered at once.

  Carmen was horrified. “Oh no we don’t!” she cried. “We are staying right away from them in future.”

  “Fair go Sis. We can’t just let them force us to keep away from the river. That means they have won,” Andrew retorted.

  Mark nodded vigorously. “I agree. We can’t let a few thugs make it unsafe for anyone.”

  There was a heated discussion but Carmen was adamant. “You are not going searching for the bullies’ hideouts. I accept the point about not being frightened away from the public places along the river bank here but we are not going looking for trouble.”

  Letitia supported her in this and again asked: “So that brings us back to my question; what do we do now?”

  Carmen answered: “For today we stay home. Andrew is going to lie down and keep still. We can play computer games or watch TV or something. Tomorrow morning I am going shopping and tomorrow afternoon we are going to navy cadets. Are you and Mark coming Jill?”

  Jill nodded. “Yes we are. It is our first parade for the year and the CO wants us to clean out the storeroom and boat shed.”

  “What about tomorrow night?” Letitia asked.

  “What do you suggest?” Carmen replied.

  “A party?”

  Andrew’s interest quickened. A party! That could be fun. “I like that idea,” he said.

  Letitia gave him a smouldering smile which set his imagination boiling and said: “I’ll ask mum. Who can we invite Martin?”

  “The Queen? The Governor? How would I know?” Martin replied. “Ask who you like.”

  “Don’t be a sourpuss,” Letitia replied tartly.

  Jill leaned forward. “Never mind the cat-fight you two; what will we do now?” she asked.

  “Games,” Carmen suggested.

  “Computer,” Andrew added. “Uncle Mel has some beaut games on his computer.”

  “Which ones?” Martin asked, his face lighting up with interest.

  “’Red Baron’, ‘Battle of Britain’, ‘Carriers at War One and Two’,” Andrew replied.

  Carmen scowled and protested but Mark and Martin brushed her objections aside. The upshot was that the three boys went to the lounge room and began playing computer games while the three girls sat and talked. Aunty Bev fed the hungry horde for lunch but was a bit annoyed as she had not planned on such numbers.

  By mid-afternoon the girls had planned the party and decided who else to ask to make up the numbers. Letitia phoned her mother and obtained her consent to hold the party at their house. Soon after that Jill and Mark left to go home. As she said goodbye Jill gave Andrew an intent look and wished him to get better quickly. In truth he had almost forgotten the injured leg until he was reminded of it and Jill’s comments transformed it into an honourable wound to be carried with pride.

  Letitia also gave him a lingering look when she and Martin departed half an hour later.

  Carmen looked anxiously at them. “How are you two getting home? You aren’t walking are you?”

  Martin nodded. “Yes, of course we are. We are going across Aplins Weir,” he replied.

  “But.. but what about the bullies?” Carmen asked.

  “What about them? They’ll be gone. Now they know the cops are after them they’ll lie low for a while. Besides, we cross the weir all the time. It’s the shortest way to the shops,” Martin replied.

  Carmen was not happy but both Martin and Letitia laughed at her concern and assured her they had crossed the weir hundreds of times. They said goodbye and set off on their way home. Andrew watched them out of sight, noting the way Letitia’s buttocks moved and deciding that was very sexy. He then limped to an arm chair and sat in front of the television, aware that his injury was now starting to hurt.

  The wound became worse during the evening. By bedtime it had developed a throbbing ache and Andrew felt flushed and slightly feverish but he made light of it lest the adults decide to curtail their movements during the remainder of the holiday. That night in bed he lay awake for a long time, reliving every second of the day's events. It had been exciting, but was not as exciting as the prospect of a party at Letitia’s. He drifted off to sleep fantasizing about what might develop at the party.

  The following morning Andrew lay quietly at home and read a book. His leg was still sore and felt quite stiff. From time to time he had the urge to scratch at the wound but resisted this. At the back of his mind was the thought that he would like to know if the police had caught up with the bullies; and curiosity about what had been in the sacks they had been carrying.

  “I’m sure they are up to something illegal,” he muttered. “I’ll bet they are shoplifting or breaking into houses or something like that.”

  After lunch Andrew and Carmen changed into their Navy Cadet uniforms and Uncle Mel drove them down to TS ‘Coral Sea’. Andrew was able to limp without much difficulty and only an occasional twinge of pain but even so he just sat and watched. The Townsville cadets were very friendly and made them feel welcome, Jill and Mark providing the lead in this, although Mark was a bit distant. Jill paused frequently in her work of clearing out the boat store to talk to Andrew and this caused Mark to become more frosty and to make a few sour faces.

  The sight of Mark’s face gave Andrew a few twinges of conscience but he was flattered and pleased by Jill’s attention and was able to push his concerns aside. ‘She is certainly very pretty,’ he thought. ‘Even when she is wearing work clothes she still looks classy.’

  For a while he watched Jill work. She had a friend with her, a blonde with freckles and a cheerful, open face. Next time Jill came over the friend came with her and she introduced her.

  “This is Anne Maudsley. She is in the same class as me at school. She is coming to the party tonight.”

  “That will be nice,” Andrew replied. He met Anne’s eyes and saw they were a pretty blue. ‘Heavens!’ he thought; ‘Why are so many girls so attractive? It makes it very hard to choose.’ He asked: “Do you know the Schipholls?”

  Anne shook her head. “No. But Jill has promised to look after me,” she replied.

  “I was hoping she would look after me,” Andrew quipped, meeting Jill’s eyes as he said it.

  Jill laughed. “I thought it was Letitia who was going to take care of you.”

  At that Andrew blushed. ‘
Is it that obvious?’ he wondered. He laughed and tried to make light of the comment but it worried him. ‘If that is what Jill thinks then maybe she doesn’t like me all that much and I don’t have a chance with her anyway?’ It was all very confusing and worrying about it put him in bad mood for the rest of the time they were there.

  Carmen noted this as soon as she rejoined him after the dismissal parade. “What’s wrong with you grizzle-puss?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Oh nothing eh? What happened, did Jill give you the brush off?”

  “No.”

  Carmen laughed and teased some more. “Never mind little brother. In a couple of hours we will be at the Schipholl’s. Dear Letitia can take your mind off things then.”

  This was said with such a tinge of venom that Andrew was surprised. It wasn’t like Carmen to show her dislike so openly. He was also embarrassed because he had been thinking about Letitia; in particular her bosom, and his guilty conscience got the better of him. Luckily Carmen appeared not to notice. She said thank you and goodbye and they made their way out to where Uncle Mel waited in his car. All the way home Andrew let his mind speculate on what the evening might be like; secretly hoping he might be able to get Letitia alone for a bit of a pash.

  CHAPTER 11

  HEATED

  Andrew climbed out of the car and limped up the path to the front door of the Schipholl’s. Carmen walked beside him and insisted he go slow so that he did not re-open the wound. That he needed to be careful was very apparent to Andrew as the wound was throbbing painfully and he felt sick and feverish. But he was also excited by the hopes of what the night might bring and not for anything would he have remained quietly at home.

  Carmen rang the doorbell and the pair waited, hearing the sounds of music and laughter inside. The door opened to reveal Letitia. ‘And reveal is the word!’ thought Andrew as his eyes took in the top Letitia was wearing. It was diaphanous black gauze and appeared, to all intents and purposes, to be ‘see through’. Only down her front was it double thickness which just managed to conceal most of her breasts. For a moment he could only goggle.