All the Lonely People by David Owen

Author:David Owen [Owen, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: contemporary, young adult
ISBN: 9780349003207
Google: 1RtkDwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 41576526
Publisher: Atom
Published: 2019-01-10T00:00:00+00:00

17

The Fight Never Stops

Garden Hill was the focal point of the nearest park, a lump of mud and grass rising tall enough to be seen above the houses around it, a ring of trees scratching at the sky from its top. By day it was the domain of dog walkers and joggers, and by night an unearned reputation for being dangerous meant it was studiously avoided.

A lifetime of warnings jangled in Wesley’s head as he shut the metal gate behind him and made his way up the concrete path. It was beginning to drizzle, fallen leaves growing slick underfoot. It wasn’t the idea of unknown assailants lingering in the dark that worried him. It was facing who he knew would be waiting at the top.

Jordan was silhouetted against the sky, a human shape blotting the town’s jumble of lights. When he heard Wesley’s approach and turned, it was impossible to see the expression on his face.

‘Haven’t been up here in a long time,’ he said.

‘I know,’ said Wesley, trying to remember his last visit, sure it must have been together.

‘I remember when I first came here – not specifically, you know, but when I was little – it seemed so huge. I probably thought I could see the whole country from up here. It’s weird, thinking how small my world used to be.’

Wesley gritted his teeth. ‘I bet you saw a lot more impressive things in Australia.’

‘You don’t have to go that far to expand your horizons.’

Being stuck at home, looking after the mess Jordan had left behind, hadn’t given him much of a chance.

‘Why did you want to meet up here?’ said Jordan.

‘I thought it would bring back some memories.’

‘It does.’ The low light caught Jordan’s smile. ‘Remember when we had that frisbee, and we thought if we threw it from up here it would go all the way to our house?’

‘It’s probably still in that bush.’

‘We must have lost so many things up here, man. Like that random baseball you had from the charity shop.’

Wesley remembered it. ‘It was signed by some American player. I really loved it. You dropped it in the mud and rubbed it off.’

‘Ah, shit. I don’t remember that.’

They stood with an empty space between them, and Wesley kept his eyes on the view. Headlights traced familiar roads and cranes blinked red and white. If his brother had forgotten what used to happen there, Wesley was ready to help him remember.

‘What about that time you invited me to come up here with all your friends?’

Jordan frowned. ‘You came up here with us a few times, didn’t you?’

‘Twice,’ said Wesley. ‘I was so excited the first time because I’d been wanting an invite for ages instead of being stuck at home by myself. They were already up here, and soon as we joined them you ordered them all not to speak to me.’

Beside him, Jordan was silent, though he let out a sharp breath through his nose.

‘At first we were all just sitting around, and nobody would even look at me.

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