The Denniston Rose by Jenny Pattrick

Author:Jenny Pattrick [Jenny Pattrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781869793753
Publisher: Random House New Zealand
Published: 2015-02-14T16:00:00+00:00

BACK at the Incline the twins and Brennan have not missed their mother. All the schoolchildren are there, shrieking and laughing, competing to dream up new, daring ways of riding the Incline. No wagons rumble down today; the children are free to invent their own transport. Rosser Scobie has carried an old worn shovel all the way from home. He sits on the shovel and leans forward to grab the handle sticking up between his legs. His brother Andrew gives him a push and down he flies, rattling and bumping between the rails, the metal of the shovel screaming and striking sparks on the gravel. Rosser screams too and rolls off, clutching his behind. The metal is too hot. Hoots of laughter as Rosser climbs back up, grinning and slapping the seat of his pants as if dousing flames. Andrew has an idea. A wet sack on the shovel blade will do the trick. This time Rosser shoots down a good distance before overbalancing and rolling sideways. Everyone wants a turn.

Michael Hanratty arrives with a new contraption. His dad has helped him build a wooden bogie — like a trolley but with two parallel pieces of timber nailed underneath instead of wheels. These slot over the metal rails of the Incline.

‘Watch me!’ Michael always demands attention, and usually gets it.

He sits, important, on the flat top of the bogie, feet on the cross-piece, hands on a guide rope, though how he can guide the thing is not clear — the bogie will follow the rails willy-nilly.

The children stand in a circle around Michael. Rosser and Andrew are memorising the construction. This looks much better than a shovel. Dylan Rees is doubtful.

‘It’s too steep, Michael. You’ll never make it. You’ll break your arm.’ Dylan has broken his arm more than once and has learned caution.

‘I’m not scared,’ says Michael. ‘Watch, Rose!’

‘I’m watching,’ says Rose.

‘Watch, Bren!’

Brennan Scobie looks at his feet.

‘Give us a shove, Bren! Are you all ready?’ Michael’s voice is high and edgy.

Brennan still looks away so the twins give Michael a shove, harder than necessary. The bogie leaps forward, runs a few feet and stops. The twins laugh.

‘Your boards are pinching the rail,’ says Dylan. ‘They’re too tight, Michael, see?’

‘No they’re not,’ shouts Michael over his shoulder. He kicks with his heels and jerks his body. The bogie, poised on the brow of the steepest plunge, edges forward, then sticks again.

‘Ha ha,’ says Rosser Scobie.

‘Kick again, Michael!’ says Rose.

Michael kicks again and the bogie moves sedately downwards.

‘Told you!’ shouts Michael, but the words turn into a yell as boy and bogie shoot suddenly down out of sight.

The children run to the edge: nothing but air and distant sea in front of them. Forty feet below Michael is still going, leaning back, pulling on his rope as if it were a brake, almost standing upright on the cross-piece it is so steep.

‘Michael!’ shouts Rose.

‘He’s going to be killed!’ says Dylan Rees.

‘Let go!’ screams Brennan. ‘Let go, Michael!’ As if he could hear.

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