The Tomo by Mary-anne Scott

Author:Mary-anne Scott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: New Zealand, Dog on farm, Knots, rescue
Publisher: OneTree House Publishers
Published: 2021-10-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

The party noise went on for hours. The adults drank heaps. There was singing, sometimes to a guitar, sometimes to the sound system Chopper had set up.

Phil mostly stayed in with Oliver, and when he did make a brief appearance at the party, Chopper and Penny looked uncomfortable. Phil could tell Skip wasn’t giving off the same vibe of abject misery.

Emara smuggled out more lengths of rope and lugged away the sections that were knotted and ready to stow with the saddles. She brought Oliver and Phil food and drink, and Phil stashed the leftovers into the backpacks arranged along his wall. He folded the sheet off his bed into Skip’s backpack and added a small piece of rope Skip could use to tie the sling shut.

Skip did his share of lifting and gathering too, but only for Emara. He stuck by her side and offered his expert advice whenever an opportunity arose. He helped Phil smuggle Oliver outside to pee then paused inside Phil’s room as Phil settled Oliver into bed. ‘Don’t leave me,’ Oliver whispered.

‘I’ll be here all night,’ Phil said.

Skip nodded in approval. ‘Yeah, I’ll go and hang with Emara and you keep Oliver company.’

When he’d gone, Oliver said sadly, ‘I think she’s Skip’s girlfriend, now.’

‘She was never my girlfriend and you need to cheer up or you’ll get sick.’

‘And then I’ll die?’

‘My God, Oliver! You’re starting to freak me out.’

‘Aunt Lily said she’s praying for our family, but we have to do some of the work ourselves.’

‘We are doing the work. We’re making sacrifices by missing Christmas and leaving home and not complaining. All that stuff is harder than saying prayers.’ He picked up the sleeping bag Oliver was lying in and rolled Oliver onto his side. ‘Are you comfortable? Or would you prefer to sleep this way?’ Phil flipped Oliver like a pancake which made Oliver laugh.

There was a knock at the door. They froze. ‘It’s me, Penny. Just checking you’re okay.’

‘Yes, thanks.’ Phil looked around the room at the half-packed bags and the pieces of rope. ‘I’m in bed now. Just playing some old videos of my little brother from last Christmas.’

‘Wouldyouliketochat?’ Her words slurred together.

‘Tomorrow,’ Phil called. ‘Thanks, though.’

‘Goodboy. Sad. Sosorry. Morrow.’

‘Thanks Penny.’

‘She sounds drunk and kind of nice,’ Oliver whispered.

‘I think she is both of those.’

‘Then why is she leaving Blue to die if she’s nice?’

‘There it is, Oliver. The million-dollar question.’ Phil lay down beside him. ‘It’s too big for tonight. Get some sleep and I’ll be here beside you.’

Oliver fell asleep and made snuffling noises like a baby hedgehog. Blue had been a noisy room mate too, her legs used to work as if she were running. Sometimes Blue whimpered or growled in her sleep. He wondered how she was doing.

Thoughts of Blue kept Phil focused. He went through the stages of the rescue and his knots over and over until he knew he had to succumb to his tiredness. His eyes felt gritty and he’d just stretched out beside Oliver when there was a soft knock at his door.

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