Banshee by the Billabong

Brewing Storm

The old woman was standing there. What did she mean, that I came? Martha smiled. She walked over and shook the old woman's hand. "Nelly, how good to see you. Make it quick , she's got to go back to her camp." Nelly looked at me. She gave a warm, slightly toothless smile. "No need to be so stiff, child! I'll get ye' back in one piece, nothin' to worry about." I forced a slight smile. Nelly beckoned me closer. So I went forward. Okay, I better position myself so I can run if I'm threatened. Nelly stood aside and opened the tent, still smiling. So much for that plan. I hesitated. But, I still needed to find out about the billabong, and if I put up a fight it'll waste time. So I took a deep breath and entered the swag.

I was hit by the strong stench of eucalyptus and lavender. I gazed around the setting. Bones, leaves, all sorts of strange things. Nelly enters behind me."It is time to pass on the knowledge. The knowledge of the billabong." Nelly invites me to sit. Clearing a space in the tent, a sit. Nelly plants herself on a roughly made cushion. "Long, long ago, the Gubi Gubi tribe lived in this area. My grandmother was only a girl at the time....... it was sometime in the 1800s, mining days. The white people -" I interrupted. "Who are the white people?" Nelly smiled. "Ah, yes. Europeans. They are the white people." Nelly continued. "The white people were always coming here, for gold. Yes, this lake was once rich, plentiful. So much gold, you could see it without scoping the dirt. There was a family. Whites, they were. They had a little girl. Ann her name was. My grandmother and her became good friends. One day, Ann went exploring with Gunoo, my grandmother. Gunoo took Ann to the billabong, a sacred place to the Gubi Gubi people. When they arrived, a elder told them ""Two will enter, one will escape. Two they were, but one shall live, the other shall die."" Gunoo and Ann ignored this warning and went on their way. The billabong was said to be a beautiful place. There was a cyclone, a huge storm. A tree fell as they ran away, and killed Ann. My grandmother got away, but the entrance was blocked, and the billabong was lost forever. Some say it is still there. If you listen carefully, you can here Ann's cries. It is said her spirit never made it to the stars." Nelly smiled. I just sat there, gaping. "It's getting late, wouldn't want your parents to wake, finding their daughter isn't there." I nodded and exited the swag. "Thank you" I said before I leave. I run the way Martha and I came. Thunder rumbles in the distance. I walk. Maybe.... just maybe.. I listen carefully. I hear moans. Soft moans that are carried by the wind. I begin to run again, run back to my camp.

Thanks for reading part 8! Part 9 coming soon. Just to let you know, this is mostly made up. I just did random things that I knew were Indigenous. I apologise for this so please don't hate me. Anyways, hope your enjoying Banshee by the Billabong!