The Repossession (15 page)

We’ve got a ghost maybe.’ He smiled. ‘If you believe in that kind of thing.’

Reverend Schneider regarded the young man with disdain.

‘You don’t attend my church do you? Might enlighten you a little, open your mind.’

The technician shrugged. ‘I’m a scientist. I’ll leave

ghosts and apparitions to you, Reverend. You said you had another volunteer?’

‘He’s on his way. Anwar – a Palestinian. He’s an orphan. No one will miss him. A loner.’

‘Aren’t they all.’

‘Ri?’ Genie called up louder. ‘Ri? We’re home.’

She raced up the stairs to their room and burst into the bedroom. He was gone. The bed was empty, the sheets pulled back. The window was open to air the room.

Genie checked the bathroom. Nothing. Even his clothes were gone.

‘Marshall? Ri’s gone.’

Genie had a bad feeling about this. Ri wouldn’t leave without her. She hadn’t told him they were going out.

She turned back to the room. The water glass was empty.

At least he’d drunk something.

Marshall appeared at the bottom of the stairs. ‘He’s not down here. You think he went out for a walk?’

‘I hope not. He’s still not well.’

Genie ran back outside and called Ri’s name. Then called it again. No response. She could hear the pig snort in the distance and decided to take a walk.
Where would Ri go? Why would he leave the house?
Sure, if he felt a little better he might want a walk, but . . .

‘Hi, pig. You happy?’ She stroked the top of its head and ears and it seemed to enjoy it.

The pig was sat between two straw bales under a tree.

It snorted when she stopped, probably wanting more.

‘Hey, I’ll scratch more if you can help me find Ri.’

She remembered the barn. Ri might have taken a walk there. Just for the exercise.

A sensor triggered the light as she approached the barn.

The night was quiet except for a slight breeze tumbling through the branches of the trees. A quarter moon rising.

She still hadn’t quite adjusted to the eerie silence of the land. A town had a rhythm. She’d spent all those hours every day listening to the rhythm of the town as she lay trapped in her room. Out here, it was either light or dark. The trees swayed, waiting.

She entered the barn. Had no idea where the light switch was but waited in the doorway for her eyes to adjust.

‘Ri?’

She saw a dim figure hunched over a hay bale. ‘Ri?’

Genie ran forward. The figure moved. ‘Genie?’

She caught him as he started to fall. Laid him down on the straw.

‘What you doing out here in the barn?’

Rian looked into Genie’s eyes. She could sense he was confused. ‘Ri? What’s going on, babe?’

‘I thought you’d gone. I didn’t . . .’ She felt his brow.

He was still feverish.

Ri fell asleep in her arms and she lay with him, keeping him warm. She had to get him back to the house somehow.

Way too chilly out here. She looked around her in the dim light for something to help and finally she saw a wheelbarrow. All she had to do was get him in there and just wheel him home.

The pig had followed her. Stood in the doorway, sniffing.

‘Found him. You were a big help, not.’

The pig wandered in and flopped down beside her on the concrete floor. Genie laughed. Didn’t know what she had done in life to deserve the attentions of a pig but it was kinda cute somehow. Beside the pig was warm and at least whilst they were sat here it was sort of comfy.

Ri opened his eyes, realized his head was lying on Genie’s shoulder. He was confused. ‘Genie?’

‘Right here.’

‘Where are we?’

‘Right back where we started. The barn.’

‘Is that . . .’

‘The pig, yeah. I think she needs a shower.’

Rian smiled. ‘She likes you.’

‘She likes anyone who feeds her. Trust me.’

‘No, I think she considers you her friend.’

Genie smiled, gently pulling on the pig’s velvet soft ears. It grunted in appreciation.

‘Well, everyone needs a friend, Rian Tulane. Any idea why you’re out here, instead of in bed where you belong?’

Ri shook his head. He had no idea at all.

‘That girl come to you again today?’

‘Renée?’

‘That’s the one.’

‘She never says anything. Just stares at me.’

Genie wondered how he’d take it if she told him who she was. She decided against it for now. ‘She’s lonely, Ri.

Be nice to her. You think you could get up now? We should get you back to the house. Marshall’s making supper.’

‘You left.’

‘We’re back. Come on. Pig, you get the straw now.’

Genie stood up and gave a hand to Rian. ‘Come on, pull you up.’

Rian allowed himself to be pulled up. ‘I can walk.

I got here.’

Genie nodded. ‘Yeah. You did. Take my arm. You’re leaning. You’re not well yet.’

Ri took her arm and they hobbled out of the barn.

‘Stars are out. Going to be a cold night again,’

Genie commented.
Just like a country girl
, she thought.

I’m adapting
.

Rian stared up at the stars and halted a moment.

‘We have to save those kids, Genie. I don’t know how we do that, but we got to save them.’

Genie frowned. ‘How?’

Rian didn’t answer.

They walked back down the track towards the house, Genie puzzled by Rian’s odd behaviour and worried he seemed to be getting sicker.

Rian was confused. Something had made him leave the house but he couldn’t remember why now. Couldn’t remember much of anything in fact.

Moucher was barking and raced towards them, frantically wagging his tail, happy to see them both.

Genie realized with a sudden surge of pleasure that she was beginning to think of this place as home.

Rian woke with a start, immediately cramping up. He rolled over, swore and tried to lift his toes, stretching the tendons to alleviate the pain. He rubbed his calves and could feel how stiff he was. God knows how long he’d been in bed. Rubbing helped some. He glanced over towards the open window and was happy to see how bright it was. Warm sun covered half his bed and he rolled over into it. He rested a moment, enjoying the feeling of heat on his back. The bed didn’t smell good. He knew he’d been sweating up like crazy for days now, but other than feeling light-headed, he sensed it was finally over.

He wondered where Genie was, or Marshall. The house seemed quiet. He could hear the trees sashaying in the breeze and some birds arguing, a faint electrical hum in the background, probably the fridge downstairs.

He opened his eyes with a start. He realized he’d fallen asleep again. The sunlight had gone. It was still light though. He sat up. Looked around the room. He was alone. No red haired crazy girl staring at him. Perhaps

that had all been an hallucination, part of the illness. He hoped so.

He heard laughter coming from outside somewhere.

Immediately he recognized it was Genie. She sounded happy. He loved the way she laughed. There was a regular thumping noise and some swearing. He thought he recognized that sound but couldn’t immediately place it.

‘Time to shower,’ he told the room. He realized that he had no idea what day it was, or the time, but he knew one thing for sure, he was hungry. That had to be a good sign, right?

It was when he was towelling off he noticed the post-it from Genie stuck on the mirror.
Gone to chop wood. Get better soon, this is supposed to be a boy’s job!

Rian smiled. Genie chopping wood. That’s what that thumping sound had been. And the swearing. He grinned.

Suddenly he heard his father’s voice saying, ‘Be good for her, toughen her up.’ Yeah, exactly the kind of thing his father would have said. He wondered briefly where
he
was now, what he was doing. Wondered too why families had to be so messed up.

He turned. She was there. Sat on the empty bed staring at him. Rian quickly placed the towel around him, embarrassed, even if she wasn’t real.

‘Your clothes are on the chair,’ she said, pointing.

Rian cautiously entered the bedroom and grabbed his clothes, hastily dressing with his back to her. He was flustered and not a little disappointed. He’d thought he was getting better. Now he was seeing things again. He felt spooked to hell.

‘You don’t look like your dad, y’know. He’s taller. Of course he’s older.’

Rian turned around to face her, pulling his sweater on, flicking his hair out of his eyes. ‘You know my dad?’

‘My father too.’

Rian stared at her, anger suddenly flaring.
Her
dad?

What the . . . ? The stupid thing was, take away her red hair, the weird blue jacket she clung to, she really did look like a girl version of his dad.

Rian frowned. ‘What did you say?’

Renée looked him straight in the eye. ‘My dad too.

He never told you about us, did he?’

Rian was staring angrily at her.

‘Those business trips to Cedarville and the copper mine? He spent them at our house y’know. Used to pick me up from school and drive me to the Kawkawla Lake all the time. My mother was always saying he was going to leave your ma, going to keep his word. She knew he would, eventually.’

‘You’re my
sister
?’

‘Renée Cullins. Half-sister. Born a year after you –also Scorpio.’

Rian, still angry, thought about it. How his father had the insurance business with his mother, but at least one week over every month he’d be down at the mine doing their accounts and other stuff. He’d been there with him once. It was a small outfit, a union buyout, and they kept it going even though the previous owners couldn’t make a profit. He remembered trailer parks, a lake, and his dad’s plans to buy an orchard that fell through. He sensed the girl was telling the truth. Why lie about something like that? He felt a sense of betrayal, a whole lot of sudden emotions. He’d had a sister all this time and never knew.

‘My mother’s called Alyssa. I’ve seen you many times, before I disappeared last year. Known about you a long time I guess. Seen you at school, then holding hands with Genie outside McBean’s. You love her a lot, I can tell.’

Rian stared at her, plain astonished. He had a sister, a crazy red-haired girl, who seemed to know all about him.

His father had another life, another family, kept secret all this time. His legs felt shaky.

‘You don’t have to say anything. You don’t even have to like me. I just wanted you to know.’

‘My dad is history now. Ma threw him out when he . . .’

Renée nodded. ‘I know. He broke her legs. Ma came and got him, sobered him up at our place. She was furious. She won’t even get in the car with him if he’s been drinking.’

‘He still living there?’ Rian asked, despite himself.

Renée shrugged. He couldn’t tell if she was sad or not.

‘No idea. But I didn’t leave because of him.’

Rian approached her. It was stupid to be angry at her.

His damn irresponsible father. No wonder he never had any money. He closed his eyes a moment to bring his temper under control. This girl was just an apparition, he had to remember that. She had it doubly tough. Not dead, not alive, and she needed help. His help. Her brother’s help.

‘I’m sorry, Renée. I’m sorry I never knew you. Would have been cool to have a sister.’

Renée nodded. She knew it was a shock for him. He was taking it well considering. She looked at Rian with renewed hope.

‘How did you end up like this anyway?’ Rian asked.

‘We’re a long way from Cedarville.’

All of a sudden Renée looked angry. ‘I was happy. I liked my life. It all changed when Reverend Schneider set up a church and—’

Rian was caught by surprise. ‘Schneider?’

‘Told my mother I was evil. She only gave his church all our money. Everything. She works for the church full time now. Worships him.’

Rian couldn’t believe this. One man responsible for so much pain. ‘How did you end up like this?’

‘The great almighty reverend said he would drive me to the border. I was going to Portland, live with my cousin.

Wanted me to have a chance, he said.’ Renée sighed. ‘Only he had other ideas and busy hands, about which I ain’t going into. He tricked me good.’

Rian was sat right beside her now. ‘Renée, I don’t know what I can do for you. I’m your brother, I guess.’ He was still adjusting to that idea. ‘But I don’t know what you are, exactly.’ He placed his hands close to hers. They were almost touching now. There was a rush of static around their fingers. It was the weirdest feeling. ‘I can almost feel you.’

‘I can hear your heart beatin’.’ She leaned in towards him and static seemed to rise up through all of Rian’s body.

Renée touched the side of Rian’s head. ‘I can see this.’

There was a momentary flash of indigo all around Rian and he flinched as he got a small shock.

‘What was that?’

‘Your aura. We can see so much more than you.

Everything has an electrical field. Your aura was missing for a while, but it’s back now. You’re getting better.’

‘You can see my aura? For real?’ Rian was impressed.

Renée nodded, offering up a tight nervous smile. ‘We can see a lot of stuff people can’t see. Sometimes it’s . . .

um . . . sometimes you can tell people aren’t well. It’s like seeing a dark shadow.’

‘An X-ray,’ Rian suggested.

Renée nodded. ‘Kind of.’

‘Cool.’

‘But we can’t touch, we can’t feel you and we can’t feel the rain or the wind or smell anything – and I know it’s stupid, but I miss feeling everything, Rian. We’re just existing. I can’t explain it. We’ve got all these cool things we can do, but I don’t know what you smell like.’

Rian laughed looking back at the bed. ‘Probably a good thing. These sheets are pretty skanky right now.’ Then, because he could see she thought he was mocking her.

‘I’m sorry. It must be totally scary for you. What does it feel like to be . . . well, like this, I guess?’

Renée shrugged. ‘You never have to sleep. You’re always on. It’s pretty exhausting actually. I sometimes just go to the edge of the reservoir and sit there, watching the water.