A Crooked Rib by Judy Corbalis

Author:Judy Corbalis [Judy Corbalis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781775538271
Publisher: Random House New Zealand
Published: 2015-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

We applied our eyes to the crack at the top of the doorway where, unseen, we were afforded a clear view of all who might go by. It was some time before anyone passed. I prayed desperately to the Maori gods, to Mr Hadfield’s Te Ariki, to the spirit of my unknown father, to protect us, to ensure that no one would stop and examine our hiding place, to save us from the demon, Te Rau-paraha.

Though the bare feet of the warriors made no sound on the earth, we caught the rattle of their flax kilts. Then, a group of figures flashed past the hen house, heads bent, topknots bobbing, as they stole about the hushed pa. We could not tell whether the other inhabitants had hidden or fled, but we knew very well that Te Rauparaha sought only us. He would not risk an attack on the powerful Te Rereta-whanga-whanga and Te Rangitake.

My mother nudged me as, through the crack, we spied a solitary figure walking towards us. I studied his face with its heavy moko, the sloping forehead above the sharp hooked nose and jutting top lip. But most arresting were his eyes, small, deep-sunken and almost obscured by hooded, wrinkled eyelids. As I peered at him, unseen, he seemed to look back at me, raising those lids to reveal a pair of cold, penetrating eyes. I shuddered, knowing instantly why my mother did not trust him and why she had so often quoted to us what others said of him: ‘Ko te uri o Kapu manawa witi.’ ‘No one can know his thoughts, whether they are for good or evil.’

We heard other noises, distant voices murmuring greetings, the bustle of the life of the pa slowly resuming. The feathery dust of the hen whare was almost choking me, and I was terrified I might sneeze. It was stifling hot and my limbs were numb from standing crushed in that tiny space, but I dared not move. Voices drifted from outside and now we could hear quite clearly that the Kapiti men were questioning the Waikanae people.

‘No,’ we heard frequently. ‘Not today, at least.’ And another voice, ‘Never.’

I felt my mother stiffen. They are talking about me, I thought. They are saying they have never seen me. And I prayed that no one would mention my return from the world of the spirits.

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