Awakening: Book 1 The Last Anakim Trilogy by Janet V Forster

Author:Janet V Forster [Forster, Janet V]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: One Dog Pubs
Published: 2015-11-30T05:00:00+00:00

22

DEB AND NICK

The elongated shadows were quickly devouring the light. ‘We’d better get back,’ I said, worried that my brother would be organising his friends into drunken mobs with flashlights and beacons to search for me.

We clambered over the rocks and into the gloomy mouth of the twilit forest.

‘Let’s just keep this between you and I,’ Nick said over his shoulder, as he cleared a trail ahead of me. ‘I don’t want to ruin everything!’

My face twisted. ‘That’s hard, Nick.’ I wanted to yell my feelings from every hill, from the tops of the tallest eucalypts, I wanted girls everywhere to know that he and I were in a relationship, if that’s what this was, that he was no longer available. It was impossible to hide my disappointment.

Stopping, he turned to me and when I reached him he touched my cheek gently. ‘This is important, Deb … for now, we’ll work something out.’

What choice did I have? I had to trust him. ‘I guess we can try and unravel a bit more of this mystery in the meantime,’ I said.

He resumed his walk, holding back the low-growing branches for me so that I wasn’t stung in the face by one. As we neared civilisation, the bush grew less dense and we merged with a more frequently trodden path which meandered along the waterline. Dusk was gathering. Insects hummed and gnats swarmed silently in coal-dust patches, the ending day an opportunity for moving on, the Kookaburra’s call a warning as a Willy Wagtail took flight, his wings scattering the sky above us.

Nick slung his arm over my shoulders casually, almost familiarly. The warmth and heaviness of it felt reassuring, but as we got closer he withdrew slightly, noticing the rowdiness of my brother and his friends who were still apparently oblivious to my absence.

‘I’ll take you home,’ he insisted protectively, concern furrowing his brow as he noticed the state of my intended chaperone. ‘Just tell your brother you’ve met a friend or something.’

I wandered over to George who was looking a little unsteady. ‘Who’s driving, George?’

‘Ish no problem, Mandy’ll drive us later,’ he slurred. I noticed his bloodshot eyes. ‘Sheez not drinking.’

I looked across at Mandy, relieved to see her in a respectable state, a bottle of water in her hand. She chatted to an overweight boy who was oblivious to the sausages he was charring on the barbeque. Great plumes of smoke and sparks spiralled from the grill. He wielded the tongs in one hand and a stubby in the other, unconcerned. I raised my eyebrows and shrugged involuntarily.

‘You look like you’ve had enough!’

‘Yesh, Mum,’ he said with a mock salute, nearly taking his eye out with his can.

‘Well, whatever then ... I love you.’ I hugged him briefly.

‘You too Shish.’ He patted me on the back like I was his pet dog.

‘I’m going home. I’ve met up with a couple of mates. I’ll see you tomorrow.’ The lie came too easily and I swallowed down a globule of guilt. I could see Nick out of the corner of my eye, only because I knew he was there.

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