The Silence of Snow by Eileen Merriman

Author:Eileen Merriman [Merriman, Eileen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780143773719
Publisher: Penguin Random House New Zealand
Published: 2013-04-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

By day five, Jodi was dying for a shower, a cold drink and a non-freeze-dried meal, in that order. Her pack had become lighter as the days went on, her legs heavier.

‘What’s wrong with this scene?’ Rory asked as they plodded down the deserted beach. Nikau palms swayed in the breeze as creamy waves spilled onto the untouched sand.

Caitlin spread her arms and turned a circle. ‘Looks like paradise to me.’

Jodi dumped her pack in the sand and sat down to remove her boots and socks. ‘Apart from all these fecking sandflies, that is.’ Despite her long-sleeved shirt and cotton trousers, she’d still been bitten countless times.

‘Exactly my point.’ Rory rubbed a monster-sized bite on his ankle. ‘I think I was wrong about the weta taking over. These little buggers will be the only creatures left if there’s an apocalypse.’

Saul flopped down beside Jodi. ‘I was wondering why a beach that looks like something out of Hawaii was empty, but now I see why.’ He slapped the side of his neck. ‘I think they’re resistant to the insect repellant.’

‘I think they eat the insect repellant.’ Jodi stood up and approached the tide line. She waded in to her ankles, watching the foam swirl around her feet. Sea spray hung in the air. The crash of the surf was so loud she didn’t hear Rory, didn’t even know he was there until she felt his arms slide around her.

‘Please don’t tell me you’re going to swim in that.’

‘I’m not going to swim in that,’ Jodi said, relaxing into his embrace. Two months clearly wasn’t long enough for her stomach to stop flipping when Rory touched her, especially in public. Partly that was because they’d had to hide their relationship for the first few weeks, and partly because it wasn’t something Rory did very often.

But he’d been different these past few days, more relaxed than she’d ever seen him. As tired and dirty as she was, Jodi felt as if they were suspended in an oasis, far from the rush and clamour of the outside world.

‘I’m so wound-down,’ Rory said, as if her thoughts were audible. ‘I don’t think I want to wind up again.’

‘Me neither.’ All those nights cuddled up in the tent, where they’d talked until the early hours. I wish this could last forever. ‘We could elope, buy a house on the West Coast.’

‘We could start a commune.’ He kissed the side of her neck. ‘A nude one.’

‘Are we back to your walking-around-naked fantasies again?’

‘Man, you guys make me sick.’ Saul sauntered up behind them, holding a battered water bottle. ‘Think we’d better get going, God’s Gift is getting mutinous.’

Rory released her. ‘Why?’

‘Says he can’t wait to get to Karamea and crack open his first beer. Me neither.’

‘Ah, I’m going to jump straight in the shower.’ Rory’s forehead wrinkled. ‘Possibly with my can of beer.’

Saul smirked. ‘Thought you were going to say: with Jodi.’

‘Goes without saying,’ Rory said, slipping her a smile.

‘Well, don’t forget: in two days, she’s all mine.

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