La Rochelle's Road by Moir Tanya

Author:Moir, Tanya [Tanya Moir]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781869793395
Publisher: Random House New Zealand
Published: 2011-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Two

The first southerly gust hits Karupoti Bay in the early evening, forcing the incoming tide to turn back on itself, and the swell to blacken and boil. A wave breaks over Robbie’s head; he feels a moment’s panic as the net lurches out to sea, and the whitecaps mount around him.

‘Hang onto it!’ yells Tommy, against the wind.

By the time they have dragged the net back up the beach, the rain is driving hard, and blackness has swallowed the sky. They work quickly to clear the net, fingers numbing, their bare skin stung by flying water and sand. They have caught one yellow-bellied flounder.

‘That all you got?’ In the kitchen, George looks up from his paper and shakes his head. He speaks loudly, over the roar of rain on the roof. ‘Don’t know what you two are having for tea, then.’

‘The fish must’ve hidden up cos of the storm.’

‘They’ve got more sense than you, then. When there’s a southerly coming, the smart fish bury themselves. They don’t mess about in the middle of the bay, unless they want a trip to Santiago.’

Tommy hangs his head, but fails to look very sorry. Never turn your back on the sea, thinks Robbie. But what if there is another behind you, just as fickle? Surely a man cannot be expected to look everywhere for danger.

A gust of wind howls down the chimney. Rain spatters and hisses among the logs of the fire. Robbie looks out the window and shivers. It cannot be more than five o’clock, but there is barely light enough to see by.

‘You better stay here tonight,’ says George.

Robbie hesitates. ‘They might worry,’ he suggests, with more hope than conviction.

‘They know you come here? Well, then. Won’t expect you back in this.’ The old man pauses, listening to the storm. ‘Few trees down tonight, I reckon.’

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