The China Coin by Allan Baillie

Author:Allan Baillie
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781742283821
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia
Published: 2009-09-29T04:00:00+00:00

Leah swept her chair aside and ran to the corner, past slow-moving men and toppled chairs. Through the dust she could see the wall of the trailer factory and the bamboo, stark against the darkening sky. Beyond the bamboo and the wheat and the winding track, there may have been the taxi, searching. But it did not matter now.

Joan was sprawled in the dust with a motorcycle lying on her back. A plump man in a grey suit was sitting on the ground adjusting his spectacles. Joan was absolutely still.

For a moment Leah stood rigid, choking, her fists banging against her legs. She started to run for the bike, clawing at the air and shouting.

Her arm was caught, swinging her wide, away from her mother. Ke was pulling at her, stepping in front of her, saying ‘Wait’ with his lips. Something in his eyes. He let her arm go and patted the air between them as he backed toward the bike. She could hear her breath thundering in her throat.

Ke moved slowly to the bike with Tong and two other men as the plump man began shouting angrily.

‘Quiet, Heng.’ Tong gripped the bike and waited for the others to place themselves. He nodded and they lifted the bike straight up, walked sideways and bounced the bike back on its wheels.

‘Mum …’ Leah ducked to Joan’s head.

Joan seemed to be flattening, becoming part of the earth, but dust particles were dancing before her nose. She was breathing. Tong passed his hand before her face, feeling the breath, lifted her dress slightly, ran his fingers down her spine gently and moved her upper leg. He said some words Leah did not understand.

‘Concussion,’ said Ke, to Leah. ‘Exhaust burn on the leg, and Tong thinks there is a broken ankle …’

The plump man, Heng, started to shout again. Slower, and this time Leah could just about work out what he was saying. ‘Look what this woman has done! Look, look!’ He was wobbling a warped mudguard, but he was ignored.

‘Get a stretcher, Ke,’ said Tong.

‘Rushed out on the road, just like that. Didn’t look at all.’

‘Xu Ping? How’s the tractor? Yes, back here.’

‘It wasn’t my fault.’

Tong stood up. ‘Going at that speed through the village … could’ve killed anyone.’

Heng stumbled a little and peered at Leah, then at Joan. ‘Who are they?’

‘Australians, looking for – ’

‘Foreigners! He looked at Joan as if she had bitten him.

Ke and another youth ran up with an army stretcher, shaking dust from it with every stride. It had been used many times, but not recently.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Taking this lady to hospital.’

Heng shook his head in a moment of alarm. ‘No, no …’ He was alarmed, fumbling. ‘It’s too far.’

‘We’re not going to Chengdu hospital.’

‘Not Chengdu.’ Suddenly Heng was almost smiling.

‘The local hospital.’

‘Yes, that is best. I will make arrangements.’

‘They will probably send this lady on to Chengdu.’

‘I will make arrangements.’ Heng kicked his bike into life and rode away.

Ke watched him go. ‘He’s our village cadre. Our Party man.

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