Catherine Jinks TheRoad (47 page)

‘I mean the way we can’t seem to get to Broken Hill. Or Coombah. Any of us.’

Alec grunted. Verlie said, ‘We’ll get there, Peter, don’t you worry.’

‘But do you think we
can
, Mr Muller?’ the boy pressed, his soft brow puckered. ‘Back when we were in the car, it sounded like you didn’t think so.’

‘Did it?’

‘You sounded ...sort of ...Idunno . . .’

‘Yeah, well.’ Alec chickened out, backing down the caravan steps. ‘You don’t wanna pay any attention to me,’ he said. ‘It’s your mum and dad you should be listenin to.’ He fled, then, unable to tackle the issue of time loops and magnetic fields in front of Verlie. When he reached the group by the station wagon, he saw that Noel had his arm around his wife’s shoulder. She was pretty easy on the eye for an older woman, with smooth brown skin and vivid colouring and
great
legs (Alec eyed them appreciatively), but she also looked like a bit of a handful. In fact, she reminded Alec vaguely of Michelle, though Michelle wouldn’t have been seen dead in that T-shirt.

Linda seemed to be arguing with Ross.

‘I would have thought that there were more important things than your caravan,’ she was saying. ‘Like your lives, for instance.’

‘Obviously,’ he retorted. ‘But it was a major investment, and I’d prefer not to leave it here. Especially with a mad gunman on the prowl.’

‘But Del just said!’ Linda protested. ‘You’re going to eat up more of her petrol, pulling that thing!’

‘Ross understands the situation, Linda.’ Noel squeezed his wife’s arm. ‘It’s his decision.’

‘It’s Verlie’s decision too!’ Linda snapped. ‘She doesn’t even know about this gunman, yet! She might prefer to move faster and further, when it comes to getting out of here, don’t you think?’

‘I’ll ask her,’ Ross said gruffly, and Del observed, ‘It’s your choice. I’ve got two cans of spare, so I can give yiz a top-up. What yiz do with it is your business.’

‘I’ll pay for it, of course.’ Ross’s tone was pompous.

‘Bloody oath, ya will.’

‘And I’ll go and tell Verlie what we’ve decided to do.’

As Ross walked away, Alec decided that he didn’t like the guy very much. Ross seemed to think that he was better than everyone else, and moved as if he had a stick up his arse. ‘What
hav
e
we decided to do?’ Alec inquired of Noel, who was still embracing his wife with one arm.

It was she who replied, her face a complex map of emotions: anxiety, fear, anger, fatigue.

‘We’re getting out of here as fast as we can,’ she said. ‘We’re going straight to the police. God, I can’t believe this is happening.’

‘Del’s giving Ross some petrol,’ Noel added, by way of explanation, ‘so he doesn’t have to stay out here. It wouldn’t be wise, I don’t think – do you?’

Alec had no opinion on the subject. He was too tired. Draining his mug, he started towards the caravan. But Del stopped him.

‘You wanna get that jerry can outta the backa me car?’ she inquired. ‘Or dja wanna stand guard while I do it?’