Memories of Life

23. Reluctance.

23. Reluctance.

The pain in Tashs' stomach had begun to ease as she ran her tongue over her swollen lip where the Tracker had struck her. Her legs however felt like lead helping Skel traverse the bush; his ribs aching with every step, relying almost exclusively on Tash to support him. The cold and hunger only made the unknown journey and destination seem that much more impossible. Yet they continued to follow the closely watching dog, who wagged its tail in encouragement. The man however had not stopped to wait for them, only occasionally would they glimpse him in the grey distance, before he vanished amongst the bush again like a ghost.

After hours of walking Skel succumbed to his exhaustion, and pain, collapsing to the ground. "Come on Skel; Get up!" Tash encouraged trying to help him to his feet.

"I can't." He cried. "It hurts, and I'm cold."

The dog noticing his surrender sat near the boy licking his face with its warm tongue. "Thanks for trying." Skel said to it, in a defeated voice.

"Come on Skel!" Tash demanded, tears forming in her eye's. She too wanted to lie down and give up, but she knew her mother wouldn't have accepted it.

"I'm sorry Tash." Was all Skel could manage.

The dog who sat beside them suddenly stood, its tail whipping excitedly. Tash looked up and saw the man silently approaching them, a frown still on his face directed towards the dog. Tash stood wanting to say something to him, but the unwelcoming look on the mans face made her think twice.

"You should be doing this." He said looking at the dog, who continued to wag its tail triumphantly as the man leant down assisting Skel to his feet. "Hold onto my back boy." The man turned offering his back to Skel, who held on with what strength he had left to the mans broad shoulders. Looking at Tash he asked. "Can you still walk?" Tash nodded. "Good - We still have some way to go."

The man slowed his pace for Tash to keep up never once stopping to rest or relieve the burden of Skel on his back. Tash still felt she needed to say something to this stranger, though his silence was overwhelming, not even his footsteps on the wet ground made a sound. Eventually the sound of a rapidly running creek greeted them, and the man stopped, while the dog bounded ahead up a small rise. Tash looked at Skel whose eye's were shut pressing himself against the mans back absorbing any warmth he could from him. Standing for some minutes she wondered what the man was waiting for, who looked silently off in the direction the dog had gone. Loud vigorous barking then echoed in the distance, prompting the man to move on.

A sense of much needed relief washed over Tash when finally reaching the top of the rise, discovering a mist covered clearing with a small shack sitting in the middle of it. She allowed herself a momentary, hidden smile, then looked at Skel whose eye's were now open; taking in the welcome site of shelter.

The dog sat on the edge of the veranda expectantly waiting, its tail sweeping the old wooden boards. Lowering himself, the man eased Skel from his back onto the veranda out of the rain beside Tash. Who watched the stranger remove his mac revealing the gun sitting hidden just under his jacket, wondering why he had not used it on the two men. Opening the door, the dog entered first with the man gesturing for the two strangers to follow. It felt warm and inviting as they stepped inside with the last of the seasoned ironbark embers glowing in the fire-box. Opening it the man replaced the remaining wood from a basket beside it into the fire, which crackled with its freshness hitting the hot coals. The siblings stood wet and shivering not wanting to get too close to the man and his fire, and removed their dripping jackets. They watched him open a large chest at the end of the bed, and remove some blankets placing them on a bench seat at the kitchen table. "You better get out of those wet clothes - leave them by the fire." He said in a low pitched grumble looking at the ground. Tash and Skel looked nervously at each other as he grumbled again. "I'll leave you to it."