Raw by Scott Monk

Author:Scott Monk
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Australia
Published: 1998-03-26T16:00:00+00:00

A piglet squealed as several kids leapt to catch it. A muddy hand grabbed its slippery tail but couldn’t hold on. It kept running until it hit the far wall then did an about turn. Another kid lunged forward and missed, landing face-first in the mud. The future rasher of bacon didn’t wait a second more and bolted across the mini-arena. Two boys also tried to grab it but failed. Finally, a girl in a dress now caked head-to-foot in brown gunk cornered the piglet and tackled it. The crowd laughed and applauded as she clutched it to her chest and beamed a white smile as the announcer handed her a hundred bucks cash.

‘Somehow I think you better give that to your mum and dad to buy some new clothes,’ he joked.

Everyone laughed again. Except Brett that was. He leaned against the railings, staring at the game of slippery pig but not seeing a thing. All he could think about was Caitlyn’s parents dragging her away; saying that he was a criminal. Fair enough, it was the truth; but using it as an excuse to stop him and Caitlyn being friends made him angry. He had a hundred comeback lines stewing in his head but they were useless now. Mr Douglas and his daughter had left an hour before.

In that time, Brett had met up with Michael Lydell from the stables then Josh. Michael and Josh were firm friends and Brett had to put up with Mr Goody Two Football Boots when Michael called him over. They’d stood round watching the show, Michael blabbing on about buying a carton of smokes from one of the rodeo’s cowboys. Bargain basement prices, he said. Back of a truck stuff, y’know. A trader’s paradise. He offered Brett a cut if he was interested after Josh had firmly said no. But Brett declined. He was deciding whether to find out where Caitlyn lived and have it out with her old man.

‘What’s wrong with Sam?’ Josh asked, just as the next event was announced.

‘I don’t know.’ Michael hid the carton of smokes behind his back. ‘But I’m not hanging round to find out.’

He left.

‘Brett!’ Sam had spotted him. ‘Where did you say Robbie went again?’

‘I thought he went to the toilets.’

‘He’s not there. I couldn’t find him.’

‘Any sign of them?’ Mary called out, metres away now.

‘No,’ Sam shouted back. ‘They’re not anywhere inside the showground.’

‘Do you think they’ve gone into town?’

‘They must have.’

‘Who’s missing?’ Josh asked.

‘Paul, Darren and Robbie. You haven’t seen any of them have you?’

‘No.’

Sam turned round and cursed.

‘No sign of them, Sam,’ a big black police sergeant said, joining the group. ‘I talked to a gate attendant and she said she might have seen someone fitting Robbie’s description leave about an hour ago.’

Sam swore again. ‘We better go and find them then.’

‘If you’re not here when the show finishes I’ll take the boys back to The Farm,’ Mary said. ‘I’ll drop them off then meet you outside the pool with the ute.’

Sam nodded but decided against the ute.

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