The Pole Shift

Mnem and the Country Folk

It was Friday night, and the group of country people had gathered around a large fire pit. There were camp ovens silently slow cooking meats and root vegetables they had got for free from the Ballarat supermarkets. The people glowed with the fire and good eating. Some had never looked so healthy. Many were drinking, including the teenagers, who spent most of their time in the dam, scantily clad, they were flushed with their youth as well beer.

                Everyone snuck glimpses of Mnem as if she were a celebrity. Mnem was oblivious, for her she had become part of the group, as if she had been asked to play a game with strangers and had accepted.  She still looked for the sparrow though,  wanting the hen to return.

                The ground had been shaking, and occasionally a heave in the land would have them all standing, ready to jump into what turned out to be a set of boats. Some of the boats had been made from water tanks, other had been welded together and looked dangerous. The people were proud of their work though, 'The Six Canoes' they called the half dozen vessels. They explained to Mnem that inside they had carefully packed foods, meats they had cured themselves, salted fish.  Barrels of water. They said they hadn't a single can of food and were proud of it.

                The van had been gone over. They found the button that opened the back door but it only worked for Mnem. She let them in anyway, and everyone had a good look. There was cabinets constructed of a thin material, matt to look at but rubbery to the touch. Inside were packets of foods, it was hard to tell of what, and didn't look very appetizing.  The walls were padded, everyone had the sense of it being in a deep sea  submersible, and in fact in the floor was a small thick glass window, as there was on the roof, and either side.  Perpendicular at the back of the van was a bed you could strap yourself into, there were two tubes two left and right of the pillow that were marked 'air' and 'water'.  Pale blue sheets matched a duvet.  

                After the initial enthusiasm of the country folk, they lulled into silence. The cabin was a bit much for them. The old mother was suddenly tired, wary. She said:

                "This little Miss has powerful friends and we have made our plans." Her son lingered on, looking into the cabinets, knocking at the windows. He spotted a letter.

                "There's a note here for you." He handed it Mnem and waited for her to open it, Mnem took it without intent. The two looked at each other for a moment, before Peter felt uncomfortable and walked away. His eyes would not leave her, and had steadily become less enthralled. More intent. His mother looked on at him with knowing eyes and grimaced.

                One of the two teenage girls approached Mnem as the sun fell. She dimpled her cheeks with a slight lift of her eye brows. The other teenagers were heading down the hill torches in hand. They snuck peeks back at their friend.  Mnem, a dozen years the girls senior, returned the expression. Their eyes held, friendliness bloomed , as if they had found something together. The girl uncontrollably beamed, casting off her practiced expression and showing crooked teeth. The two sat for a moment without words.

                "Wanna a swim in the dam?" The slight girl turned a torch on and held it up to her face. "No one will get us the men watch."

                "What men?"   

                "These dudes, our Dads and Brothers mostly." She waved an arm at the group, "They watch in case someone comes. We like it a lot in the dam it's fun." She winked at Mnem, it was the kind of wink her friends use to give her when boys were interested. Mnem nodded and stood,

                'What do I wear?"

                "Nothing of course!"  They headed to the dam.

                 Peter watched them go, counted to fifty, then followed. "I'll watch tonight." He shouted over his shoulder, checking a glock in his back pocket.

                 I bet you will. Thought his mother.