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DAKOTA
Salty air licks my skin as the cool ocean breeze whips across my face, blowing my hair about. Images of Avander still rattle around in my head—strong like the saltiness in the air, beautiful like the ocean but delicate like the breeze. Huge Norfolk Island pine trees and dense foliage from ferns and other plants thicken the forest. The morning sun beats down on me as I climb out of the car.
The house Jackson bought is a run-down two storey abandoned house. No-one has lived here in years. The trees have grown through the building, and it will take weeks, if not months, to have this place looking like new. It’s a good thing Dash and I have done this kind of thing before.
My phone pings in my pocket with a text message. It’s most probably Katzé Föehn, the daughter of the current leader Efrem Föehn, and the girl I’m supposed to marry. I can already feel our ties stripping away. I wonder if Kat can feel it too? Or is she too wrapped up in her father’s world to notice?
Why was I born into this life? I am not leadership material.
Pulling the swag from the back of the Ford Territory, I walk through the old house and hope that this place doesn’t fall down on me.
‘Why the hell did Jackson pick this place?’ Dash asks.
He and I are the same age— eighteen, only he is older by a few months. Our father impregnated a few women over the years, my mother being one of them. I don’t want to be like him, wandering from bed to bed. But I suppose that happens when you’re still looking for the one that holds you with every breath they take.
I shrug my shoulders and walk around, looking for a nice spot to lay my bed. One where I don’t have to worry about the roof caving in. This house smells like rotten wood and dirt.
‘I picked this place because it seemed like a nice and quiet cul-de-sac. Somewhere we can be hidden. There’s only two neighbours who live down the road a bit. It’s an excellent choice,’ Jackson explains as he tries the stairs out.
Dash and I look at each other. His dark brown eyes blaze with mischief. His shoulders are much broader than my own but he is a couple of centimetres shorter.
‘Jackson, how long do you think it will take to clean this place up?’ I ask. I can’t bring my younger brothers to this place just yet. Jackson made other arrangements for them until we are settled.
Jackson rubs his chin. ‘I don’t know. Maybe a week.’
I nod. ‘Good,’ I reply.
The room that would become the lounge is where I lay my swag down. I unclip the rope that is tying up the swag and watch it roll out. My own spicy and sweet smell hits my nose.
I pull out my phone and check the messages. I read Katzé’s text.
Kat: Did u make it safely? How’s the new town? And what’s it like?
I rub my eyebrow.
Me: Yeah we made it. Town’s small with heaps of bushland.
I keep it to a minimum. Sometimes I can’t be bothered texting Katzé or texting generally. I lay the phone down on my bed.
Dash slaps me on the back.
‘Come on brother, let’s tear down this house,’ he says; his favourite joke.
This is the third house we are rebuilding. The first two— we only lived in them for a while. Doing them up just so we can sell them at a better price. But this area for some reason feels like home. I don’t know if it’s the house or the small town, but I’m already drawn to this place.
We start moving vines and overgrown plants out. We leave the large trees until last, and this house has a few growing through the damn building. It’s light work and easy, but I’m really looking forward to pulling down walls and tearing it apart. Something Dash and I have in common. Jackson bought Archer with us. Archer is his one and only brother— lucky bastard. Jackson is our guardian and father for all intents and purposes. My brothers and I are called delinquents because we have different mothers.
‘Dakota, get the esky out of the car,’ Jackson commands.
I let go of what I’m holding and walk out to the car. Down the road are two houses. Two people run out of the old rickety house, and over to the small cottage, and I remember the smell of roses when we passed by. I swear that the taller looks like Avander; the other one, looks like it could be her sister. The both of them have blonde hair. Well, as far as I can tell. Once they have gone into the house, I grab the handle of the esky and take it inside.
With everyone talking at once, I zone them out and concentrate on the work at hand. The house is only a shell now but once we’ve finished, it will be brand-spanking new. Archer and Jackson will go over to Avalon tomorrow and pick up more supplies.
My phone pings again. I walk inside and rub my dirty hands onto my shorts before I answer it. Another text message from Katzé displays on the screen.
Kat: Hey, when you’ve got time give me a call.
I don’t bother in replying. She most probably wants to relay information from her father. I throw my phone back down onto my unfurled swag and head outside to finish moving tree stumps from the property.