Diamond Dogs

Chapter One

 Matilda was lying belly down in the long grass.  The light of dawn peeking over the horizon was crossing her dark eyes, illuminating the glints and specs.  She had to squint to see the dormant campsite below.

A smirk crept across her face until Bradley invaded her vantage point.  He dropped beside her and stretched his neck to look over the mound.

He was shorter than Matilda and a year older at 23.  He kept his mousy-brown hair longer than his dad would like, and was addicted to expensive fake tans.  His square jaw and straight nose set perfectly under his incredibly annoying baby blues.  Bradley could certainly pull without even dropping a hint of his family’s old money.

He looked at Matilda.

The camo paint did not hide her sleek features.  Her dark hair was pulled back under her beanie, a stray wisp had caught a piece of dry grass.

Bradley reached to her and Matilda flinched back, but he kept going until his fingers pulled the grass out of her hair.  He twirled the evidence between his fingers in front of her nose.

‘Really?’  Matilda balked at his corny move; it was not the time to make fun of her, they were on a mission.  They hadn’t been able to win a series since Matilda joined the squad.  She wanted to squash the bad luck charm taint once and for all.

Bradley tapped Matilda’s shoulder and scurried backwards down the hill.  Matilda needed just one more look over the top but Bradley’s hand wrapped around her ankle.  A strong yank and Matilda’s belly slid down along the grass.

***

Red camp was still sleepy.  A few had shifted but dozed off again.  The watch was distracted by the dirt in his fingernails.

Matilda was waiting just behind the scrub.  She was waiting for the signal from the hill to make her move.

Flash one.

Flash two.

She popped out of her hiding place and ran.

She ran and ran.

Making it to the tree stump in the centre of Red camp without detection was miraculous.  The totem was waiting for her, an ugly fertility idol, but it was the game changer and so Matilda forgave its badly sculptured erection.  Without breaking speed, she snatched the totem from the stump.  The Reds panicked in the background.  Matilda hurdled the last man waking, and sprang into the bush.

She flung the totem to her left as she hit the clearing.  Her chasers missed the move and kept on her tail. 

One by one, Red team was ambushed by the Blues.

Matilda was left with one cocky Red gaining on her, Steve - better known as Mack, after the truck incident.

“You’re not gonna make it.” Mack belted out between his breaths.

Giving the bird was Matilda’s only response.

When Mack was close enough, he pummeled Matilda to the ground.  Flipping her over he flicked off her beanie.  Matilda’s hair exploded free.

“You!”  Mack realized he needed to be a little more gentle with his captive.  Still, he attacked her sides.  “Where is it?”

Matilda laughed at both his tickle and the bluff.  “I don’t have it!”, she managed to burst out.

She gathered her elbows to sit up but was pushed back down.  This time Mack reached down her pants, a little too close for comfort.

“That’s not very polite.  You could at least buy her a drink first.”, Bradley stood over them wagging the totem in his hand. “Is this what you’re looking for?”