The sun was just emerging over the horizon as a glow began to transform the dark sky. Lily was still sleeping when Flynn slid out of bed and crept out of the room. He needed to be alone for a while before he assessed the extent of the damage to the Grange in the cool morning light. It had been five days since the fire and last night he’d received a call from the CFA giving him the all clear to return. Flynn stood by the old ghost gum on the ridge, now just a charred stump. He thought of the countless times he’d sat under its shady branches and sighed: it would be missed.
An ugly burnt-out swathe ran along the ridge and down the hill that encompassed the two top paddocks and beyond. Flynn glanced over his shoulder – the blackened land continued almost to the sheep pen by his house and over through the grazing land to the west. He’d been lucky: unlike some, he’d kept his house, but by the looks of things the only other bit of land that hadn’t been touched was the bottom paddock and, hopefully, the shearing shed. Not that he had any sheep left to shear at this point – he hoped they’d scattered but feared he’d find many of their remains in the charred fields.
He had spent the last five years pouring everything into this land to make the Grange a going concern, just like it had been when his grandad had been alive. And now, in one afternoon, he was back where he’d started. Yes, there was insurance, but his land was scorched and the flock was gone, right along with the fences. He’d miss out on the lambing season and he could kiss his next wool cheque goodbye. It would take time to rebuild the Grange to what it was, and things were going to be pretty tight for the next couple of years.
With a sigh he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. It was kind of heartbreaking, but it could have been even worse. What was that old saying about what doesn’t break you? Flynn looked back across the ridge and let out half a laugh in disbelief. His grandmother’s white weatherboard house stood unscathed. Part of him was glad that the new owners hadn’t lost their home, but another part of him … Well, if ever a house deserved to be razed to the ground it was that one.
He drove back to Lily’s place. The smell of freshly brewed coffee hit him as he walked into the kitchen. Lily turned and smiled.
‘Hey, I didn’t wake you, did I?’
She shook her head. ‘No. I didn’t realise that you’d head out so early. How does it look out there?’
‘Pretty dismal. Oh hell, I don’t know, I suppose it could be worse.’ Flynn grabbed a cup and poured himself a coffee.
‘Is there anything I can do?’
‘Thanks, but not really. I need to assess the damage and then ring the insurance people.’
‘Any sign of the sheep?’
Flynn shrugged. ‘Not yet.’ A silence settled over the kitchen; he should say something to fill it but this morning he just didn’t have the words. Seeing the fire’s destruction had left him with a cold hard lump in his stomach. It hurt to see everything he’d worked so hard for go up literally in smoke. He wanted to tell her what he was feeling but it all seemed too raw this morning.
Lily stared at him for a second. ‘Um, I suppose I’d better get ready. I think I’ll do a short run just up to the gardens today.’
Shit, was he screwing up again?
‘Lily, I’m not running and I’m sure as hell not pushing you away. It’s just today will be … no, is a bitch. As days go, I get the feeling this one isn’t going to be up there in my favourites.’
Lily stood up and walked over to him. She laced her arms around his waist and gave him a hug. ‘I get it, don’t worry. But just remember I’m here if you want me.’
Flynn pulled her close. ‘I want you – don’t ever think I don’t. We’re good?’
‘Yeah, we’re good.’
‘Okay,’ he said before dropping a kiss on her mouth. ‘I’ll call you tonight.’
***
He’d found another group of them. This would make the third lot he’d discovered as he wandered through the burnt-out paddocks. Flynn took off his Akubra and rubbed a hand over his eyes. He told himself it was the ash and dust in the hot air that was making his eyes sting and tear-up. These fifty or so sheep carcasses in the far western paddock, just before the mouth of the gully, looked as if they’d been heading for the creek, but the fire had overtaken them before they could get to safety. So far his grim discoveries had netted somewhere over five hundred of his flock.
For a second he felt overwhelmed. Turning away, he scrambled down the blackened side of the gully to the water’s edge. Just deal with it. He’d have to call Johnno’s brother, Pete, and get him to bulldoze a pit so he could get rid of the carcasses. But for now, Flynn needed a second away from the depressing sight of his dead sheep, the charred land, the ash and the burnt scent that lingered in his nostrils.
He followed the water downstream; if he kept walking the creek would eventually arch by his house. After a few minutes the burnt earth gave way to the grey green of the eucalypts and wattles that had escaped the fire. The water splashed along its course, running over river stones and glinting in the early afternoon sun.
Flynn squatted down by the side of the creek and dipped his hand into the cool water. He splashed it on his face before sitting back on his haunches and taking in a breath. Down here the air smelt sweet and untarnished by fire. If he closed his eyes for a minute maybe he could just pretend yesterday hadn’t happened.
Jeez, stop feeling bloody sorry for yourself and get on with it.
Flynn stood up – no point dwelling on something that can’t be changed, better to keep moving and deal with the things that were in your control. He started to head along the water’s edge when he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Flynn stuck his hat back on as he went to investigate. Behind a large rock and a bit of a scraggly blackberry bush, Flynn saw a flash of white.
‘Hey, what are you doing there?’ Flynn exclaimed as he neared.
Baaaaa.
‘Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.’ His eyes looked over the animal; as far as he could see, it was unhurt.
The sheep bleated again as it eyed Flynn moving closer.
Flynn slid off his belt and, after a moment or two of awkward wrangling, managed to loop it around the sheep’s neck. ‘Come on, mate, we’re going home – and there’s no way I’m going to carry you the whole way.’
Baaaaa.
‘Nope, not going to happen,’ Flynn said as he led the sheep downstream and towards the house. One out of two and a half thousand sheep – well, that was a better result than he’d had ten minutes ago.
***
Later that day, Flynn was checking the fence around the stock pen near the house when he saw Mac’s ute coming up the drive. He walked towards the vehicle as it pulled up.
‘Hey, how’s it going?’ Flynn asked as his friend emerged.
‘Pretty good. You?’
Flynn shrugged. ‘All right, I suppose.’
‘Really?’
‘No, it’s been a pretty shitty day. The fences have gone along with the sheep. The upside is that the fire didn’t touch this,’ Flynn thumbed over his shoulder towards the stock pen. ‘I’ve still got the house and the shed, which is a blessing, and the bottom paddock with the shearing shed.’
‘Well, your day is just going to get a whole lot better – look,’ Mac said as he gestured down the drive.
Flynn frowned at a truck making its way up the steep hill towards the house. He turned to Mac. ‘What’s this?’
‘Everyone in town knew that you had to release your mob of sheep. Anyway, some of us managed to track a few of them down. Mrs Hatton found a dozen of them in her rose garden.’
‘No …’
Mac nodded. ‘Yeah, you can imagine how happy she was about them stomping around her prize roses. You know how touchy she is about them, especially this year after Mum pipped her at the post at the show. Well, I reckon any other day she’d give you an earful, but under the circumstances she was happy to send them back along with her best wishes and a gingerbread cake.’
Flynn swallowed the hard lump in his throat as the truck came to a stop and he saw it was filled with his sheep.
‘Added to that we found a few in the old timberyard, and handfuls scattered around pretty much all the way into town.’
Old Harry Turner clambered out of the truck and walked over to Flynn. He rubbed his hand across his weatherworn face before coming to a halt.
‘I don’t know what to say, lad. You almost lost everything and it was my fault. There was a spark from my tractor and the damn fire flared up so quick I just couldn’t stop it. I’m sorry, I really am.’
Flynn reached over and clasped his hand on the older man’s shoulder. ‘It’s all right, Harry. It was an accident and I don’t blame you for it. It’s summer and fires happen.’
Harry let out a sigh of relief. ‘Thanks, Flynn, I appreciate that. It’s not much, after everything you went through the other day, but at least Mac and I are able to return this lot to you,’ he said, tapping the side of the truck.
‘Thanks mate, I appreciate it. How many did you find?’
‘One hundred and eighty-seven. Well, a hundred and eighty-eight, to be honest, but that last one is proving difficult to catch. Last seen, it was hightailing it into the bush towards the winery,’ Mac said. ‘So how many have you found?’
‘Alive, there’s a couple of hundred or so down in the bottom paddock. They were all huddled together behind the shearing shed. Other than that, all I’ve got so far is Lucky.’ Flynn pointed over to a lone sheep tethered outside his house.
‘Lucky?’
‘Yeah, I found her down by the creek. I figure she’s my new lawnmower.’
‘Mate, it’s summer – there’s no lawn.’
‘Yeah, but there will be one day, and I reckon she deserves it. As to the rest of them, I opened up all the gates, so I can only hope they managed to get away.’
‘We’ll keep an eye out for them. I’m sure they’ll turn up.’
‘Everyone in town is talking about you, Flynn,’ Harry said.
‘Well, I suppose a fire will do that,’ Flynn said with a slight smile.
The old man chuckled. ‘Oh, it’s not the fire or your missing sheep that have got the tongues wagging. It’s the fact that you kissed Lily Beckett in the middle of the evacuation centre.’ Harry gave Mac a nudge in the side. ‘Picked her up and everything, apparently.’
‘Yeah, I was there, Harry,’ Mac said.
‘Really? Well, I missed it.’ Harry winked at Flynn as he added, ‘Guess I’ll just have to wait for my invite to the wedding.’
‘I’ll keep that in mind, Harry. Come on, are we going to unload this mob or what?’ Flynn walked towards the back of the truck, ignoring the laughter behind him.
***
Lily paused by the gate as she placed her earphones in and chose some music. Today she was going to go down by the old wooden bridge and run on the opposite side of the creek. Instead of heading into town, it took her farther out until she was almost at the borders of McKellan country. It also put another twenty minutes onto her run but the scenery was worth it. She’d rediscovered the route last week and been running it nearly every morning since.
Breathing in the crisp morning air, Lily set her pace to the pumping beat. She ran along the nature strip and under the spreading branches of the gums. Passing the last house, the nature strip finished and she was forced onto the road. Just to be on the safe side, Lily made sure she ran on the edge. The verge began to dip as the road curved towards the creek.
About fifty metres ahead, the road narrowed just before the old bridge until it was only wide enough for one car to go over at a time in either direction. In fact it was so narrow that if there was a car on the bridge, Lily would have to wait to cross over. On either side of the bridge there was a steep drop as the ground fell away to the rocky creek below.
Nearing the crossing, Lily pulled out her earphones as a precaution so she could listen for any approaching cars. Which was just as well, because she immediately heard a car slow down behind her. Lily moved over right to the edge of the road and, without looking around, waved the car on. She kept running but was almost to the bridge – if the damn car didn’t pass her soon, she would have to stop and wait while it crossed.
God, why were they taking so long?
The car moved forward and Lily could feel it almost next to her, as if it was keeping pace. She gave it a quick sideways glance, just long enough for her to register that it was big and dark. The driver was obviously being overcautious as there was still plenty of room to pass her.
Lily gestured again for the car to drive on. She was mid step when the car swerved and clipped her. Catching her on the hip and thigh, there was enough force in it to send her flying through the air.
Pain radiated through her leg as she saw the rough, dry ground rushing up to meet her. Lily raised her hands in an attempt to protect her face. She landed heavily and rolled down the embankment. Sticks, undergrowth and rocks scraped and stabbed at her as she tumbled towards the water. Her head hit something hard as she came to rest on the bank of the creek. Before losing consciousness, she thought she heard a door open and then close before a car drove off.