Ross River Fever

by Christopher Cummings

  ‘Damn! He’s seen her,’ Andrew thought. He wondered what to do. But he was given no time to come up with any plan. Forman moved instead. Even as the situation registered on Andrew’s mind Forman left his cover and strode quickly forward. Andrew immediately followed suit.

  Before Andrew realized what Forman intended, and before he could shout a warning, Forman dashed around the corner past the two policemen and Jill and out of sight. Andrew heard him shout and saw the two police and Jill stare in astonishment.

  “There he is!” Jill screamed. She pointed and the two policemen recovered from their surprise and started running, one calling on his radio. Andrew dashed forward to the corner, where Jill stood open-mouthed. He was just in time to see the gang running towards the next corner. Forman grabbed a shopping trolley from an old lady and swung it behind him into the path of Constable Fort, who cannoned into it and went sprawling, as did the old lady. Next Forman pushed a man aside so hard he fell against a plate glass window, breaking it. The noise of the shattering glass was quite stunning. The throng of shoppers seemed to freeze and stare.

  Forman yelled at three women who gaped in horror before stepping hastily aside. Next he bowled over a small boy, then grabbed a stroller from a mother and swung it behind him into the path of a cursing Constable Fort, who again collided with it and went down in a heap. The stroller was knocked over and loud wail of fear and pain shrieked from the baby.

  By then most of the gang had fled around the corner. There was some sort of a tussle and Troy went down but the others vanished from sight, including Forman. By the time Andrew reached that corner the gang were at the next, a diagonal which led to the main hall. Beside him were Constable Fort and the angry mother. Next to them was a fight between two people who were wrestling on the floor. Andrew looked and saw it was Martin struggling with Troy.

  By then the gang had all vanished around the next bend, the other policeman in hot pursuit. Andrew skidded to a halt and grabbed hold of Troy’s right arm in time to save Martin from another blow to the side of the head. Constable Fort ignored the angry mother to pounce. He held Troy down and twisted his arms behind him. Handcuffs were quickly clicked on. Then the constable stood up and turned to smoothing down the angry mother’s ruffled feathers. The screaming baby was plucked from the overturned stroller by the mother and hastily examined.

  Andrew didn’t wait. He raced on along the other arcade. Worried and frightened shoppers made way for him. He arrived panting in the main hall a few seconds later to see the other policeman standing with Letitia and Carmen. The policemen was talking on his radio and holding one of the tarty girls by one arm while Carmen and Letitia were both pointing in different directions.

  Andrew ran over to them. “What happened?”

  “They split up,” Carmen cried. “Forman went out there, Jay went that way and the other girl went off along that arcade.”

  The girl who had been grabbed proceeded to abuse them and the policeman. She spat at him and screamed obscenities, making a real spectacle which embarrassed Andrew enormously. Stunned shoppers and shop assistants gaped at them. To escape from the scene Andrew raced on after Forman.

  Forman had run along the arcade which led to the service road the friends had come along. Andrew arrived at the doors and stopped. Which way had he gone? He ran out onto the service road, narrowly avoiding being run down by a car. He looked in all directions. There was no sign of him.

  Loath to give up, Andrew ran across to the right and looked around the corner towards the bus station. There was no sign of Forman there. Andrew stopped and looked around again, this time studying the petrol station and adjacent two-story car park. Still nothing. Reluctantly he went back inside.

  As he reached the main hall two more police came running in from the direction of the bus station. The policeman there directed them on. One ran towards Andrew but he held up his hands to stop him and called: “Too late. He has gone!”

  The policeman turned and ran off along another arcade. Andrew stopped beside Carmen. The tarty girl had stopped shouting and struggling but was glaring at them. “You’ll get yours!” she snarled.

  The policeman holding her shook his head. “That will do. Stop making threats or you will be in even more trouble,” he said.

  “Why are you holding me? I haven’t done anything!” the girl snapped.

  At that moment a female constable arrived and the girl was handed over to her. Constable Fort appeared with Troy. Jill, Mark and Martin followed him.

  “Good work you kids. Now leave this to us,” Constable Fort instructed.

  Troy turned to glare hate at them. “Bloody rats!” he snarled. “I’ll get you for this!”

  “Same applies to you sir. Stop making threats or you will be in more trouble,” the other policeman said.

  Troy looked furious. “Why? What am I supposed to have done? I haven’t done anything!” he said angrily.

  Constable Fort raised an eyebrow. “Oh yes? So why did you run like that if it wasn’t because of a guilty conscience?” he asked.

  “Get stuffed, pig!” Troy retorted.

  “Keep a civil tongue or you will face more charges,” the second policemen advised. Troy ignored this and was dragged struggling off out to a waiting police car.

  The friends stood in a group, the isolated objects of curious stares from the shoppers, who had begun to cautiously move again. Andrew felt very self-conscious. “That didn’t go very well,” he said. “So what do we do now?”

  “Go shopping?” suggested Letitia.

  Jill shook her head. “I don’t feel like it now. I think I’ll go home,” she replied.

  “Me too,” Carmen agreed.

  Andrew exchanged glances with Letitia but she just shrugged and said: “If that’s what you want.”

  It wasn’t what Andrew wanted but Martin did. “I’ve had enough excitement for today,” he said.

  Mark opted to take Jill home. Andrew tried to summon up the courage to suggest that he and Letitia stay but a look from Carmen discouraged him and he gave in. They agreed to meet again the next day at the Schipholl’s and separated. Only as he and Carmen made their way to the exit closest to Aunty Bev’s did he feel the start of any reaction. By the time they were out in the street he found he was shivering and felt sick in the stomach.

  ‘Just shock,’ he told himself. But by the time they had walked home he felt awful and knew he was really sick. He had to admit this to a worried Aunty Bev. She felt his forehead and nodded. “You are hot alright. I hope you haven’t picked up a fever from that river.”

  “No Aunty. It is just.. just reaction to being too excited,” Andrew explained. He hadn’t really wanted to tell her about the incident but now it all came out. She listened with growing horror.

  “This is dreadful! Every time you go out some awful thing happens. You’d better stay home in future.”

  “Aw Aunty Bev! It isn’t that bad!” Andrew replied.

  “Maybe not, but it is bed for you. Now go and have a hot shower and get into your pyjamas,” she ordered.

  Andrew was only too willing to obey by then as he felt quite giddy. Later he lay in bed and alternately shivered and sweated. Heavy rain drummed on the roof and he had such sore eyes that he did not even want to read. All he could manage for tea was soup and toast and he then slipped into a restless slumber, frequently interrupted by bad dreams in which he kept being dragged underwater by a half-rotten corpse.

  All in all it was a dreadful night and he woke the following morning feeling drained and weak. His stomach had settled however, and the alternate shivering and sweating had stopped so he got up for breakfast and then had a hot shower and shaved.

  Aunty Bev felt his forehead and debated taking him to the doctor’s. Andrew shook his head. “I’m alright Aunty,” he insisted.

  “What are your plans today then?” she asked.

  Carmen answered: “We were just going over to the Schipholl’s.”

  “You aren’t going near that river
again are you?”

  “We aren’t planning to, no,” Carmen replied.

  “Alright then. But don’t go swimming. And don’t get wet, not even by the rain,” she said.

  “Yes Aunty,” they chorused.

  An hour later Andrew and Carmen mounted the bicycles Uncle Mel had loaned them and set off. Carmen had phoned Mark and Jill and agreed to meet them at Mark’s. Brother and sister made their way to Leopold Street and along it to Nathan Street, crossed that, and rode across Cranbrook Park and along Bergin Road and to Mark’s.

  As they hopped off their bikes at Mark’s he came running down the steps. He looked very agitated.

  Andrew felt a prickling of unease. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure. I just rang up Jill to check that she was coming and she gave me a very odd reply,” Mark replied.

  “What do you mean odd?” Carmen asked sharply. Andrew felt a little stab of worry.

  Mark shrugged. “She just said yes, she would be ready in half an hour, and.. and I was not to forget the motor for the new model submarine.”

  “What new model submarine?” Andrew asked.

  “I don’t know,” Mark replied.

  Andrew felt his concern turn to something sharper. Carmen looked very worried and asked: “How did she sound? Did she sound normal?”

  “Well... no, not really. She had a bit of a quaver in her voice. I thought she sounded a bit scared,” Mark replied.

  “Is there anyone else at home with her?” Carmen asked.

  Mark shook his head. “No, both her parents work.”

  Carmen grabbed her bike. “I don’t like the sound of this. Come on!”

  CHAPTER 18

  KILLER TURTLES

  Carmen leapt onto her bike and started pedalling. Andrew followed at once. Mark ran to get his own bike. Andrew pedalled after his sister as hard as he could. He felt sick inside. If Carmen was that worried then it must be serious!

  It was only two blocks to Jill’s. The house was a modern, single-story, brick-veneer structure, set in a pleasant garden. Carmen rode up onto the lawn and sprang off her bike. Before Andrew had even dismounted she was pounding on the front door. There was no response. As Andrew joined her she knocked again, her face quite agitated. Andrew noticed a button for a door bell. He pressed it. Chimes sounded faintly inside the house.

  Mark joined them, his face flushed and worried. “She’s home. I rang her only a couple of minutes ago,” he said.

  “Round the back, quick!” Andrew said. Carmen rang the bell again and knocked. There was still no response. Mark ran to the side of the house, followed by Andrew. Mark ran along the driveway. Andrew paused to peer in a window.

  What he saw brought him to a halt. “Mark!” he cried.

  Inside the lounge room were Jill and three masked youths. The three youths had hoods or balaclavas over their heads but Graham was sure they were the gang. One of the youths, Forman Graham thought, had hold of Jill, gripping both of her wrists behind her back. Jill looked terrified and her blouse had been partly undone or torn open. A second youth stood in front of her, wearing only a black T-shirt and no trousers or shoes. He was exposing himself to her and was obviously intent on sex. The third youth stood threateningly on the other side of her. Andrew instantly imagined the worst.

  ‘Poor Jill!’

  Mark skidded to a halt and ran back. He looked in the window and instantly exploded.

  “Bastards!” he shouted. He at once began to climb in the window. When Andrew had first seen them the three youths had appeared agitated, no doubt in response to the doorbell. Now they spun round and gaped at the faces at the window. Jill also looked and screamed. The one holding Jill immediately released her and ran for the back of the house, followed by the one with no trousers. He scooped up his trousers as he ran. The third one grabbed a bag off the floor and went after them.

  Andrew started running. “Around the back, quick! They are getting away!” he yelled. Mark ignored him and continued to scramble in the window. Andrew ran around to the back just as the back door crashed open. The first one dashed out. He saw Andrew and screamed an obscenity, then sprinted across the back yard. ‘Forman!’ Andrew decided.

  Then the other two came dashing out. The second one still only wore his black T-shirt and had no trousers or shoes on. His trousers were in his hand. The pair saw Andrew and bolted after Forman, panic clear on their eyes. Andrew shouted with rage and charged. He ran full tilt into the second one and they went down in a screaming, struggling heap. The youth yelled and hit at him. ‘Troy,’ Andrew identified. Andrew tried to grip him and hold him. It was instantly apparent that Troy was desperate and had the strength to go with it. He gouged and thumped at Andrew and yelled, “Jay! Help me!”

  Something smashed into the back of Andrew’s head. He felt a wave of red and black engulf him. Another blow struck him and he was hammered on the nose. Blood spurted and he saw black dots. Troy struggled like a madman. Andrew clung on grimly and cried for help. Again Jay struck him with a stick. Andrew let go with one hand to protect himself from another blow. This smashed down on his left forearm so hard that for a moment he thought the bone had been broken.

  At that instant Carmen appeared at the back door, her face suffused with rage. She screamed like a banshee and charged. Jay took one look and fled. Troy broke free and sprang up. Andrew snatched at the flapping legs of his trousers and managed to grip them. In spite of being kicked he hung on, again yelling for help. Troy kicked at him again but then glanced at Carmen and let go. He and Jay both raced across the back lawn. Andrew found he had the trousers in his hand. He rolled over, still reeling in his head from the blows. Blood tasted on his lips.

  Carmen stopped and knelt beside him. “Are you alright?”

  “I.. I think so. What about Jill?” Andrew asked. He could not voice the terrible fears.

  “She’s alright. We got here just in time,” Carmen replied. “They had only been tormenting her and have not done anything.”

  “They were going to though,” Andrew replied, remembering the horrible scene through the windows.

  “Yes they were. They told her that,” Carmen answered grimly.

  Andrew got to his knees and looked. The three bullies had jumped the back fence, dashed past a shocked and frightened lady who was gardening, and run off around the corner of the next house.

  “They are getting away! Quick! Go and ring the cops!” Andrew cried. He struggled to his feet and wiped blood from his mouth. A quick glance and some painful flexing reassured him that his limbs were all unbroken and functioning. His head hurt but he ignored that. Carmen hesitated. Andrew pushed at her. “Quick, phone the police! I will watch where they go.”

  “They might turn on you,” Carmen said.

  Andrew shook his head. “Not them. They are in a panic. They will just run,” he replied with certainty. “Now get going!” He tossed the dirty trousers down and ran to the back fence. Carmen called on him to come back but he ignored her. The fence was only a low, chain-wire one with a pipe as a top rail and he easily vaulted it.

  The woman in the garden stared at him fearfully. “What’s going on? Who are you?” she shrieked.

  “A friend of Jill’s,” Andrew replied as he ran past. “Those thugs just tried to rape Jill.”

  “Jill!” The woman lost interest in Andrew and turned to the back fence. Andrew did not wait to explain. He ran to the corner of the house and along to the front fence. Several ornamental flower gardens obstructed his path. They had been damaged by the passage of the three bullies and he did not hesitate but ploughed through them and sprang over the front fence.

  As he landed on the grass footpath he looked both ways. He saw the bullies at once. They were already half a block away, running towards the river. A lady with a little boy and a stroller with a baby in it, were standing on the footpath staring after them in surprise and another lady was craning over the fence to gape at the spectacle of the youth running past with no trousers on.
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br />   Andrew started running after them. He made no explanation but called to the ladies as he passed: “Tell the police which way they went!” They gaped at him and called out to ask what was happening but he ignored them. By the time he reached the corner the bullies had run another block. Andrew saw Jay glance back and heard him shout to the others. They kept on running.

  The road ended there at a low gate. Beyond it was the river bank. This was a flat area of mowed grass about fifty paces wide. The three raced across this and dropped from sight over the bank. Andrew kept on running, aware that his head was throbbing and that he was panting badly and that a stitch was starting.

  Within half a minute Andrew reached the top of the river bank. Here he came to a standstill, chest heaving, and looked around. There was no sign of the bullies. Andrew was surprised. Below him the bank dropped through long grass to a line of trees. A dirt road curved down to the right to the end of a low weir. ‘Gleesons Weir,’ he remembered.

  ‘Now which way did they go?' he wondered. ‘They haven’t had time to run across the weir.’ He resumed running, going down the gravel road as he could not see any tracks in the long grass. After a hundred paces this road joined another coming in from the other direction, both ending at the end of the weir. Andrew recognized it as the place where the bullies had drowned the little girl’s kittens.

  Once again he halted and looked around. No sign of them! He was astonished. ‘How could they vanish so fast?’ Puzzled and angry he looked in both directions along the bank but there was no sign of movement. ‘Did they go right or left? Or are they just hiding in this long grass?’ he wondered. Somehow he didn’t think so. ‘I wouldn’t like to run through that grass with no pants or shoes on. It’s full of prickles and snakes,’ he thought. Then he smiled with grim amusement at Troy’s evident discomfiture.

  At that moment he heard voices and two little boys appeared from down below the weir. They were carrying a large glass jar and a small net of the sort used to catch butterflies. In the jar were several baby tortoises and the boy with the net carried a larger tortoise gripped between his fingers. The boys saw him and stopped and looked worried. Ordinarily Andrew would have been angry and have told them to let the tortoises go but all he could do was shake his head and ask: “Have you kids seen three big kids come down here?”