* * *
On the Home Country side of the banana palm forest, Riff and Raff waited quietly in the shadows, unwilling to encroach on the silence that had settled over their neighbour’s yard. Five minutes. There’d been no repetition of the terrible cry - no outbreaks of dismay from the house. Perhaps it had been nothing. They could not bring themselves to abandon their watch just yet, but it was becoming harder to justify.
And then . . . Mister Hughes came, dropping silently over the fence. Like he’d done last night when he stepped out, just for one frightening moment, with a gun. This time, he didn’t see them. But he did see something else - something farther along, in the garden. And then, crouching low to the ground, Riff saw it too; the three little tell-tale red lights of night vision goggles.
He pointed them out to Parisa who, after a moment’s thought, whispered in his ear: “Shoomba. I bet you.”
They didn’t know why, couldn’t think why. But was it him then that caused that frightful scream? What had he killed in his neighbour’s yard?
They watched as Hughesy approached the red lights, halted, then scuttled back to the corner. Whispers. Missus Hughes must be there. And then, after a bit, Mister returned to the three red eyes of the night goggles. So, Riff and Parisa thought: Shoomba and Mister Hughes are together? To do what?
The low rumble of Hayley’s Ute interrupted their thought. It was leaving Boogerville, slowly, without lights. And the night was so strange. Riff took Parisa’s hand and retreated onto Rahimi Island. He definitely was not finished watching and guarding. But he had a feeling. A fear. An apprehension. About Afsoon, his only remaining child. He needed to see her; to know she was safe in their home.
Neville the Less Page 53