Ross River Fever

by Christopher Cummings

Jill stepped forward. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see him. I didn’t mean to step on him.”

  Mrs Schipholl now took centre stage. “I’m sure you didn’t. Now, what was all the yelling about?”

  Both girls now looked abashed and, although angry at each other, were unwilling to continue the physical contest. Jill answered first. “Letitia threw a glass of cordial over me.”

  Mrs Schipholl turned to her daughter in amazement. “Letitia! Why?”

  Letitia looked defiant. “Because she was smooching up to Andrew.”

  “I was not! I just brought him a drink,” Jill replied hotly. Andrew noted a look of anguish cross Mark’s face and thought Jill sounded very defensive.

  “Well that is two fights. That is two too many. We won’t have any more,” Mrs Schipholl snapped. “I think you had all better cool down. In fact that is a good idea. All of you go and have a dip in the pool and we will restart this party.”

  CHAPTER 12

  DOWN THE RIVER

  The party had been planned as a ‘Pool Party’ so everyone had worn or brought bathers. It was a hot, tropical evening, so the idea of a swim appealed to most. There was a general movement to go and get changed. Andrew seated himself beside the pool instead.

  “Aren’t you going swimming Andrew?” Jill asked.

  “No. I’d like to but I’m not supposed to get this dressing wet,” he replied, indicating the black covering on his wound.

  Jill looked concerned. “Oh yes! How is it?”

  “OK. It will be fine in a few days.”

  Jill went into the house with Anne. The fight seemed to have been forgotten. Bert was the first back. He wore only shorts and at once dived into the pool. Jim followed him, then Mark. They splashed and swam up and down. The girls took longer. Carmen appeared with Jacob and they sat on the side talking. Andrew noted that Jacob looked very fit, with muscles rippling in his arms and stomach. Then Majella and Cindy appeared and he transferred his attention to them. Majella wore a white ‘one-piece’ which set off her figure very nicely. Cindy wore a two piece which really did not flatter her. They were thoroughly splashed by the boys as they stepped in.

  Jill and Anne appeared next; Jill wearing a dark green one-piece swimsuit. Andrew’s eyes lingered on her lovely shape. To his eyes it was perfect:- just right, not fat, not thin; and curved nicely in all the right places. Anne wore a pink bikini which looked very nice. Martin followed, wearing shorts and carrying another model submarine. This was only a small toy one with a battery motor. He sat beside Andrew to show it to him, then launched it into the pool where it purred around and around, diving up and down and being ‘depth charged’ by the boys. Martin jumped in to rescue it and a general water fight broke out.

  This drove Andrew back to the edge of the fenced area. Here he discovered Terry the Tortoise beside a pot plant. He scooped him gently up. The tortoise wriggled his legs and looked inquisitively up at him.

  “Come on Terry old son. Have a dip,” Andrew said. He carried him to the edge of the pool. “Is he allowed in Martin?”

  Martin nodded. “Yes he is. The pool is salt not chlorine so he won’t like it much but he does come in sometimes. That is why this little ramp is here, and why the filters all have those larger wire covers over them. Just make sure he doesn’t get sucked against one and stick there. He could drown then.”

  Terry was lowered into the water. As he reached it his legs began paddling enthusiastically and he at once dived and swam happily to the bottom. Martin retrieved his now waterlogged toy sub and placed it on the side.

  Letitia now appeared, following her mother. Andrew looked, and gasped. Letitia was wearing a purple bikini. The bottom was very brief and the top so skimpy it barely covered half her breasts. Not only that it appeared she had tied it so loose that her boobs wobbled and quivered as she walked. Letitia carried a tray of drinks and cakes and as she put them down she bent forward so that Andrew found himself staring right down her cleavage and he blushed with embarrassment even as his body reacted.

  Mrs Schipholl was similarly dressed and was so well endowed that Andrew could only gape in wonder. With an effort he looked away and pretended not to be interested. That allowed him to see that Jill was looking at Letitia with barely concealed dislike. Mother and daughter joined the others in the pool. Carmen and Jacob also went in, leaving only Andrew on the side. He ruffled Snoopy’s ears and then took Terry the Tortoise when Martin handed him out.

  “Too rough,” he explained. “Too many people. He could get hurt.”

  Andrew took Terry and held him, settling the tortoise on his lap and gently stroking his neck and carapace. Terry looked inquisitively around for a while, then withdrew into his shell and appeared to go to sleep. Andrew placed him carefully back beside his pot plant then rolled Snoopy over to tickle his tummy.

  The swimmers came out a few at a time to have cake and soft drink. Andrew chatted with them and took the opportunity to admire the girls, and to marvel over Letitia’s wonderful body. The sight of it sparked the fires of lust and he began to fantasize.

  All too soon the evening ended. By midnight they were all dressed and seated in the lounge room again. Andrew was careful to be friendly to Mark and he noted that Jill and Letitia seemed to have reached a sort of truce. That was a relief as he had no desire to cause further friction. He also noted with some interest that Carmen was again seated beside Jacob and that they were still deep in conversation. As well it was apparent that Martin was showing interest in Anne as he tried to impress her with his models and jokes.

  Cindy, Bert, Majella and Jim were first to leave. Then Uncle Mel arrived to take Andrew and Carmen home. As they stood to say thanks Letitia raised the question of when they would meet next.

  “What are you doing tomorrow?” she asked.

  “Nothing special,” Andrew replied. “What have you got in mind?”

  “Oh, nothing much. What about a day at the beach?” Letitia suggested.

  “What beach?” Jill asked.

  “The Strand?” Mark suggested.

  Anne shook her head. “Too many people,” she replied.

  “Pallarenda then,” Mark countered.

  “Anything there? What’s it like?” Andrew asked.

  Letitia laughed. “You might not like it. There are places where nudists go.”

  Martin snorted. “That should suit you,” he commented sourly.

  “Don’t say things like that to your sister that please Martin,” Mrs Schipholl called.

  “Yes Mum.”

  Jacob now chimed in. “There are the old gun positions from World War Two. They might find them interesting.”

  “Yes, you are right,” Anne agreed.

  Jill looked around and asked: “OK then, who’s for a day at the beach?”

  They all agreed to this, if only for lack of a better idea. Details of transport and times were then settled and they made their way to the door, where Jill’s father had now also arrived. Once again there was an awkward moment when they said ‘goodnight’ but this time Letitia made no attempt to kiss Andrew, just smiled and looked at him intently. As they walked to the cars Andrew was astonished to note that Jacob was now holding Carmen’s hand. Never in his life had he seen a boy hold hands with her!

  As they climbed into the car he watched carefully and noted that Carmen and Jacob let go of each other’s hands with obvious reluctance. Martin also followed Anne all the way to her car and stood talking to her till she was driven away. He also noted that Jill gave him a special smile and wave as she climbed into her father's car beside Mark.

  On the drive home Andrew was tempted to tease Carmen but was so taken up with daydreams about Letitia that he quite forgot. Once home he went quickly to bed and lay fantasizing and wondering what the next day might bring.

  In the end it brought a lot of disappointment and not much excitement. Andrew slept in till 9am, then had a leisurely breakfast. Carmen joined him looking very happy.

  “How’s the leg?” she asked as she sat
down.

  “Fine. I’d forgotten about it till you mentioned it,” Andrew replied. He tested the limb and found that the wound was barely noticeable.

  “Do you still want to go to the beach?”

  “Yes I do.”

  “Then we’d better get a move on. Uncle Mel wants to go to out.”

  The pair packed for the beach, dressing in bathers, shorts and shirts, hats and sandshoes. Towels, food, drinks, sunscreen and odd items were packed in bags and they declared themselves ready. Uncle Mel and Aunty Bev drove them. It was 11am when they arrived at Cape Pallarenda beach. Andrew had never been there and had to concede it was a nice place with a very pleasant view of Cleveland Bay.

  There were dozens of people there already, mostly families. The sea was dotted with sailboats and windsurfers, the waves being about a metre high and sparkling bright blue in the sunshine. Jacob Edwards was there and came over to greet them. Andrew thought he looked very ‘cool’ and grown up, with sunglasses and white shorts and shirt setting off his tanned body.

  Uncle Mel and Aunty Bev told them to take care and left. The teenagers strolled to the beach and seated themselves in the shade of a She Oak to wait for the others. Mark and Jill were next to arrive. They walked down the beach hand in hand, which sent a twinge of jealousy through Andrew. Jill also looked very ‘cool’. She wore tight white shorts, a yellow cotton top and wrap-around ‘sunnies’ and baseball cap. Mark and Jill appeared to have made up and sat side by side. Jill said hello to Andrew but without any apparent warmth. Anne arrived with Martin and Letitia, which surprised Andrew. Mrs Schipholl had driven them and also wore her bathers. She joined the teenagers on the beach.

  “You children run along and play. I will just find a spot to do some sunbathing,” she commented. Andrew thought he saw a look of embarrassment cross Martin’s face.

  First on the agenda was a swim. This was in the ‘Stinger Proof’ enclosure, the Coral Sea being the home of deadly jellyfish in the summer months. Andrew still had to keep his dressing dry so once more sat and watched while the others splashed and cavorted in the shallows inside the enclosure. Mrs Schipholl went in with them but soon came out, to lie on her towel with a book. Andrew found that a bit embarrassing as Mrs Schipholl was a voluptuous woman and her bikini was very small and revealing. His solution was to pretend great interest in the distant sail craft out on Cleveland Bay.

  After a snack of biscuits, cake and soft drink ‘exploring’ was voted as the next activity. The teenagers set off along the beach towards the rocky headland at the end. Andrew was torn over whether he wanted Letitia or Jill beside him but Letitia settled that by walking beside him. Anne and Martin walked beside them with Carmen and Jacob, and Mark and Jill behind them. It was a pleasant walk with the sea breeze to cool them but Andrew was still very conscious of the tropical sun which was blazing down on them. Out to sea dark clouds were gathering on the horizon.

  The friends crossed the shallow mouth of a tiny creek and clambered up onto an embankment mad eof stone. Jacob pointed along it and said, “There used to be a pier here. This place was the Quarantine Station in the old days and they landed people from ships here.”

  That interested Andrew and so did the old defence structures. For the next hour they visited the concrete emplacements of a coast defence position dating from World War 2. This included two gun positions, two searchlight bunkers and a Command Bunker. The visit was partly spoilt by the fact that filthy people had used several of the old structures as open toilets, and because a dirty old man was lurking in one. They also visited the so-called nudist beach but saw no-one but a few other walkers and some fishermen.

  Sunburnt, hot and thirsty they returned to where Mrs Schipholl waited. The other teenagers then went in for another swim but did not stay in long as the dark clouds with grey curtains of rain under them were coming in off the sea. Before the rain arrived they withdrew to what meagre shelter there was and sat to discuss plans for the next day.

  Andrew rubbed his calf, which was throbbing from the exertion. “What about something that doesn’t involve too much walking? My leg is feeling it.”

  “We could go canoeing again,” Letitia suggested.

  “Where?” Andrew asked.

  “On the river,” Letitia replied.

  Martin made a face. “We’ve done that.”

  “We could canoe on a part of the river where we have never been,” Letitia suggested.

  “Where haven’t you been?” Carmen asked.

  “Downstream below Aplins Weir,” Letitia replied. “We have often talked about doing it but never have.”

  “It is too shallow; all mud,” Martin replied.

  “Depends on the tide,” Letitia replied. “It is still worth doing. Who is interested?”

  Andrew indicated he was. Carmen looked at Jacob but he shook his head and said: “Sorry. I’ve got a holiday job. I’ve got to work.”

  To Martin’s obvious disappointment Anne also said she couldn’t come. Jill said she wasn’t feeling well and thought she would have a quiet day at home. Mark offered to join her. The expedition was thus reduced to Andrew and Letitia and Carmen and Martin. For a while Andrew thought they would just cancel it but the idea remained alive and arrangements were made before they scrambled into cars to go home.

  Nine O’clock on Monday morning found Andrew and Carmen at the Schipholl’s. Mr Schipholl had gone to work but Mrs Schipholl greeted them warmly. “I hope you don’t get wet,” she said, indicating rain clouds in the distance.

  “Won’t matter,” Andrew replied. “We will get wet canoeing anyway.”

  Letitia appeared, bubbling with enthusiasm and wearing only jeans and T-shirt. She looked so desirable that it set his pulses racing and his imagination going.

  Carmen looked around. “Where’s Martin?” she asked as they were ushered in.

  “Working on some model in his room,” Letitia replied. “Come through.” She bent and scooped up Tiptoe and carried her along, holding her to her breast and stroking her. As they went along the corridor Snoopy suddenly yapped and came scampering out of Martin’s room.

  Andrew bent to ruffle his ear. “Hello Snoopy. Great guard dog you are,” he said as he rolled him over to tickle his tummy. Snoopy wagged his tail ecstatically. Martin was busy working on a model which he covered with a cloth as they arrived.

  “What’s that Martin?” Carmen asked.

  “A secret. I’ll show it to you when I finish it,” Martin replied. He absent-mindedly patted Snoopy, then indicated the model of the Cutty Sark. “Nearly repaired,” he said.

  While Andrew and Carmen bent to study the model Martin carefully scattered a measured amount of fish food on top of the water in his fish food. Attention was shifted to the fish. Carmen pointed at them. “Which one is ‘Goldie’?” she asked.

  Martin pointed. “And that is ‘Galleon’, the one with the green and red flecks. ‘Groper’ is the big one at the back, and ‘Gummy’ is the dopey looking one coming out from behind that rock.”

  They admired the fish for a few more minutes before Letitia urged them to get moving. “The tide is just turning. We have to hurry,” she said. As they made their way back along the corridor she contrived to bump against Andrew. ‘She has no competition today with Jill away,’ he thought. ‘I wonder if we can arrange it to be in the same canoe?’

  They did. Letitia organized it so that Carmen and Martin went in one canoe and she and Andrew in the other. They carried the canoes out and across the road, then down to the river. Raincoats, balers, water and snacks were added before they boarded and set out.

  As they did Snoopy set up a performance of barking and whining at being left behind. He ran back and forth along the bank. Martin turned and called to him: “Sorry Snoopy, old pooch. You can’t come with us. Go home. There’s a good doggie, go home!”

  Snoopy whined and looked unhappy. He sat and wagged his tail, then settled down on the grass with such a look of utter despondency on his face that Andrew had to stifle a lau
gh. “He’s a good dog Martin. I wish I had one like him,” he said.

  It was a hot day with a scattering of heavy cumulus clouds. These drifted slowly by. At one moment the paddlers would be in deep shade and the next in sunlight so bright it hurt the eyes and the skin burned as though a flame had been brought close. Andrew liberally smeared himself with sunscreen and insisted Letitia do likewise. He eyed a mass of dark clouds off to the east towards Mt Elliott and regretfully decided they would miss.

  They paddled downstream with practised strokes and were soon opposite the ‘Island’. As they approached it Andrew explained the secret camp again.

  “I want to see it,” Letitia insisted.

  “The bullies might be there,” Carmen cautioned as they rested on their paddles for a moment.

  Andrew shook his head. “No, they won’t be,” he replied. “Now that the cops have been there they will have shifted camp.”

  Carmen wasn’t happy with the idea but Martin was also curious so they paddled slowly along on the fringe of the reeds, Andrew’s canoe leading. Now that he knew what to look for, and where to look, he easily located the ‘secret’ entrance to the gang’s harbour. He led the way in, noting that his heart rate had shot up and that his hands felt slippery with sweat.

  The secret harbour was deserted and he drove the canoe up onto the beach and held it steady while Letitia stepped ashore. He followed and they were quickly joined by Martin and Carmen.

  “This is neat!” Martin approved. Andrew led the way along the track through the long grass, tensed and ready to fight, and wishing he hadn’t allowed himself to be talked into it. The wound in his leg seemed to throb noticeably, to remind him of his last visit. But the place was obviously deserted. They had a quick look around but the stench made them wrinkle their noses in disgust.

  “What a pack of pigs!” Carmen said. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

  They made their way back to their canoes and set off down river again, still discussing the gang and its hideout. Only when they reached Aplins Weir did the subject change. Here they had to lift the canoes out of the water, haul them up onto the weir, then portage them about a hundred paces along the bank and down to a sandy beach on the next reach of the river. Several young kids were interested spectators for this operation.