A really big thank you to all my reviewers, especially to those who take the time each chapter to write. I appreciate your kind comments. Thank you. xx :0)
**Characters and some story lines are owned by Veronica Roth**
CHAPTER TEN - FLYING FOXES AND DROP BEARS
The next day Tris is walking back from the main house after checking on Jojo and thanking Tori for looking after him last night as well as the following week while they are away. She knows that he is too small to come but still can't help a twinge of guilt that he can't. As she is walking past the dog pens she bumps into Uriah who had just finished giving them a morning run and feed.
"Hey Tris,"
"Hi," she notices that Uriah is locking the pens up again "are the dogs not coming with us?" she asks as she stops to watch.
"Not this week, they will when we muster the cattle net month but we are only doing maintenance so we won't need them. What's happening with Jojo?" he asks as he latches the gate and they start walking over to the garages to finish packing up the trucks to leave.
"Tori is going to look after him."
"Tori's good Tris he'll be fine."
"I know I just feel guilty that's all," she sighs.
Uriah swings an arm around her shoulder before saying "it's best he doesn't come you know. He's still little and we wouldn't want the drop bears getting him."
"Drop bears?" looking up under the brim of her large hat.
"Yeah, you mean you haven't heard of drop bears?" Tris shakes her head, "well a drop bear camouflages itself like a Koala," he says and removes his arm "they are related to them see," he adds when he looks over seeing the curiosity on her face.
"Ohh, and what's wrong with them?"
He continues moving his hands up to his face and placing his two pointer fingers to the corners his mouth like fangs "they are vicious carnivores and wait until you are walking underneath the gum trees before dropping down and attacking," he finishes with a jumping scare motion.
"How do you know the difference?"
"Well you don't, not until you feel them dropping on you and the only way to get them off you is to wrestle them off and run for your life," looking back up at Tris he can see her eyes wide with fear and wonder as she stops walking "don't worry Tris," he says as he grabs her elbow to continue walking, "just keep looking up in the trees as you walk underneath them and you'll be fine," he finishes with a wink.
"Hey come on you two, we got to hit the road," calls out Shauna as she jumps into the larger twin cab truck that is loaded with 4 dirt bikes, some cooler boxes, a few bags and various other things that they are going to need, "you're with me and the girls Tris. Uri you need to go with Four or Zeke," she points to the other two single cab trucks equally packed.
Sliding into the back seat with Marlene and taking her camera off from her neck she settles in with the other 3 girls ready for a 5 hour drive ahead.
It was a long drive over bumpy dirt road but eventually they pulled up in front of a small work cabin that was surrounded by scrub. It looked old and worn and not nearly big enough to house 8 people at night.
"How are we all going to fit in there tonight to sleep?" asks Tris as she jumps down and heads to the back of the trucks to help start unpacking?
Zeke coming up behind her gives a laugh "Sleep, no Tris. This is just a small working cabin for storing our food and bathroom for showers. We sleep under the stars honey."
"Outside?" she asks remembering the drop bears that Uriah was talking about before they left and looking up at all the tall trees surrounding them.
"Yep, are you OK with that?" he asks looking up and noticing what he is sure is fear cross her face.
Not wanting to admit to her weakness she simply nods her head "oh yeah, I just didn't realise that's all."
He watches as she helps unload one of the trucks, something was up but he wasn't going to push it he thinks to himself before heading off to the back of the cabin to start up the generator for the cooler and water system. When he comes back around he sees her still acting a little weird, he watches as she keeps looking up and seems to startle at the slightest noise.
"What's wrong with her?" Four asks as he comes up next to him.
"I don't know," he replies, "she started acting weird when I said we were sleeping outside."
"hmm I'll keep an eye on her," Four says before hitting his friends arm as he raises his eyebrows with a smirk "not that way you idiot," hitting his arm again "seriously mate, if she is skittish I want someone with her at all times."
Zeke still smirking "are you not going to volunteer? OW! Alright, Alright maybe we should take her with us across the river."
"Yeah sounds good, get the others to finish setting up while I get the bikes ready," Four says as he walks over to help unload the bikes off the back of the truck that Shauna drove.
"Hey Tris!" Zeke calls out making her jump a little and he raises an eyebrow "are you OK?" he asks again starting to worry.
"Yes I'm fine," she replies with a stern face that doesn't go unnoticed. Almost stubborn, he has the feeling the even if she wasn't she still wouldn't admit it. Knowing this he has to think of a reason for her to come with them and as he looks down to her camera swinging slightly around her neck he knows she won't pass up an opportunity for that. "OK well Four and I have to cross the river and change a fuse on the radio tower before dark. We thought you might like to come and take some pictures."
"Through the scrub?" she asks hesitantly looking up in the trees.
Zeke following her gaze replies "um yeah that's how we need to get there."
"OK," she finally answers knowing that if she is with Zeke and Four all would probably be OK and there would be no need for concern about the drop bears. Following Zeke over to the bikes she watches as they each jump onto one.
Looking over his shoulder Four notices her still standing there, "are you going to come with us?" he asks as she nods her head "well jump on we need to get back before dark."
Noticing her hesitate he asks "what's the matter?"
"I've never been on a bike before," she admits looking at them.
Zeke smiling yells as he starts it up "well I have no room on my bike Four because I need to take this bag with me. Looks like she's going to have to double with you," and with that he starts to take off in front of them down the dirt path leading to the river.
Four looks to Tris and smiles "there is nothing to worry about, just swing your leg over and hold onto me."
She walks up, swings her leg over the seat and after he shows her where to put her feet he calls over his shoulder as he starts up the engine "good, now you just need to put your arms around my waist and hold on. I promise I won't let you fall."
Gently she snakes her arms around him fully aware of their closeness. When the bike jumps forward she gives a small squeal and pulls her arms tighter and squeezes her knees and thighs firmer around his hips becoming even more aware of him. She is all too aware of his body moving easily underneath his shirt with each bump or turn of the bike and can feel herself blush fiercely when she feels an unfamiliar warmth creep its way from deep down below.
Eventually she feels the bike stop, Four gently taps her hands that are still firmly wrapped around him causing her to quickly release her clasped hands and pull them back around. Swinging her leg off the rear of the bike she stops and stares. In front of them is a wide river running very fast. Tris noticed what seemed like two cables that looped from one side of the river to the other with a pulley on either end. On one of the cables sits what looks like a harness and as she watches Zeke pull on one of the cables it seems to get closer to him.
"This is what we call a Flying Fox and to get from one side of the river to the other we have to strap you in and pull you across. It works kind of like a zip line but with pulleys," calls Zeke noticing her watching him, "Four will go first show you how it's done, then you and finally me."
She watches as Four straps himself into the harness and leaps of the edge of the bank, he glides along for a few metres before Zeke starts pulling on one of the cables edging him along further across the river. Finally he reaches the other end and after unhooking himself he give the thumbs up to Zeke to pull the harness back across to them.
"Alright, ready honey?" he asks as he grabs the harness and motions her over, "so the important thing to remember is to remain calm and know that Four and I won't let anything happen to you OK. Oh and just give me your camera, I'll pack it in the bag to keep it safe."
Tris nods her head and hands him her camera and as he fastens the final clip into place, Zeke looks at her and smiles "ready? Just run and jump and let us do the rest."
Taking a deep breath she runs and leaps over the edge of the bank feeling herself freefalling for a few seconds before the harness catches her on the cable gently gliding her along. She can feel the wind whipping through her hair and relishes in the adrenaline now pumping through her. After a few meters she can feel a tugging on the cable above her and looking up sees Zeke pulling her across the raging water below.
Halfway across Tris notices that the cables drop so she is hovering just above the rushing waters causing her to raise her feet to avoid getting them wet. Suddenly she feels herself stop, not sure what's happening she looks over to Zeke and notices that he has a wicked smile across their face. He jumps up and grabs the cables pulling them down towards the ground with all of his body weight behind it. This action suddenly causes Tris to fling high up in the air making her give a squeal at this unexpected motion and her hands grip tightly onto the straps of her harness. Just as fast Zeke lets go of the cables forcing her to fall back down dunking her into the water. Feeling the current swirling around her, the harness pulls her back up to the surface, at first it takes her a moment to catch her breath and when she realises that she is now soaking wet and safely bouncing in her harness above the waters again she throws her head back and laughs. This makes Zeke also laugh and continues with the dunking a few more times before continuing to pull her safely across to the other bank and Four.
Reaching out and grabbing her hand helping her up he laughs as he looks down on her dripping wet with hair stuck to her face. He gives a slight cough as he moves his fingers down to unclip the harness. She smiles up at him with a flush in her cheeks as she wipes her wet hair away from her forehead.
"Thank you," she lightly pants out as she is still trying to catch her breath.
Noticing her give a slight shiver he pulls her in and wraps his arms around her and rubs his hands up and down to help warm her up.
Both of them completely unaware of time hear Zeke call out "OK I don't want to interrupt, honest but when you are ready a little help please, seriously no rush though, I'll just keep bouncing here to pass the time," from where he dangles over the river waiting to be pulled across by Four.
Laughing he looks down to Tris "do you think I should help him?" he asks raising an eyebrow and a smirk curling at his lips.
"hmmmm I think so. He has my camera," she replies with a wink.
"OK you go stand in the sun and try to warm up a bit while I drag him over."
A few minutes later he has reached them and is bending forward to unclip his harness. Smiling over to Tris he asks "did you enjoy your swim honey?"
"Yes thank you, in fact tonight in appreciation I'm going to make sure that I sleep so close to you to ensure you remember this afternoon by the wonderful aroma of swampy river that I am currently experiencing. I might even go for a quick run just to make sure it's nice and ripe for you Zeke," she says with a serious face. She can't hold it for long though before breaking out into a laugh when she sees his face drop. "I'm kidding Zeke," she adds with a wink.
He lets out a relieved sigh "you had me worried there Tris. I almost ran like a girl into the scrub just like Uri does every time he sees a possum."
"What?"
"Ha, it's one of his secret fears. Possums scare the beegeebers out of him, goes running like a girl every time."
"Really?"
"Yep every time,"
"Ok come on we need to be back before dark," Four calls over his shoulder as he starts walking on the trail leading into the scrub.
"Stay behind Four and I"ll be right behind you OK, "he passes her camera back to her.
"Thanks," she replies grabbing it and starts to walk along the path, remember about the drop bears she keeps looking up into the trees above as they continue to hike their way closer to the tower.
Eventually they make it to a large clearing with a radio tower standing in the centre; she sits down on the ground nearby leaning back on her hands and raises her head up to the afternoon sun while Zeke and Four go over to change over a fuse.
"This will probably take around an hour so just sit tight and we won't be long OK," Four calls over to her. He watches as she nods her head before sitting forward to remove the hair elastic running her fingers through her damp hair. He is only aware he has been staring again when Zeke gives him a nudge.
Tris sits there for a while watching them then something catches her eye. Sitting forward she picks up her camera and looking a little closer she can see it's a small blue lounge lizard. Watching it scurry forward and then darting off to the side she starts following it camera poised and so focused on the lizard she is unaware that she had followed it into the scrub surrounding the clearing.
Suddenly without Four or Zeke she is aware she is by herself and with the fear of drop bears she feels uneasy deciding to make her way back to them. Looking around she realises that she is actually a little lost and starts to panic a little more, deciding that the direction directly behind her is the best option she starts that way but continues to look up into the trees as she tries to make her way back to them.
"STOP!" she suddenly hears a powerful voice, a familiar voice behind her. As she turns around towards him she is sure that she sees a flash of silver fly just past her. Startled she jumps back as she watches Four stride towards her his face is stern, in fact borderline angry.
"It might be wise to be a little more aware of where you are walking" he says as he bends over to retrieve something from the ground. She then can see the dead brown snake killed by the knife that he is now holding and slowly wiping along the ground to clean before standing up to meet her stare.
"I…I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking," she stammers.
"What are you doing walking off by yourself like that Tris?" he is standing tall with his arms stiff beside him, fists almost clenched.
"I saw a blue tongue and started to follow it, I just wanted to try and take a few photos."
Shaking his head "you can't do that," looking at her with an angry stare "you didn't tell me where you were. I'm responsible for you Tris, one minute you're sitting there with us and the next thing you were gone," he moves towards her "I didn't know what to think, what if something had of happened to you?" he sighs and looks down to his feet, when he looks back up his face and voice have both softened a little, "didn't you remember anything that Bud taught you when you first got here?"
"Yes,"
"Are you sure? Rule number one don't ever walk off by yourself without letting anyone know where you are. Rule number two always look to the ground where you are walking keeping an eye out for snakes. These are the first things Tris! The first things and within a matter of 10 minutes you have ignored both of them."
He stands there staring, moving slightly forward towards her again he places his hands on her shoulders and has to look away as he notices her eyes glisten with tears threatening to spill.
"What were you thinking, I don't understand. Why weren't you watching the ground Tris?"
"I didn't want to run into a drop bear," she says softly looking down to her feet as she kicked the ground.
"Drop bears?" he asks looking at her and realising that she is deadly serious he can't help himself he lets out a deep rumble laugh and looks up to the sky, "bloody Uriah I'm going to kill him."
Tris suddenly looking up from the ground sees him laughing, laughing at her! She doesn't know why but this makes her angry, how dare he! I know I'm small but there's no need for him to be so rude as to laugh at something that I'm afraid of. She thinks as she jerks herself away from his grasp. Looking up at him fire crosses behind her eyes.
"Do you think I can't look after myself against a drop bear?" she practically yells, jaw set firm eyes dancing with angry fire behind them.
"Tris….." still smiling at her.
"You don't have to laugh at me…." She steps back again eyes wide with fury.
"Tris….." takes a step forward still smiling at her.
"I know I'm small but I'm sure I can handle myself against it you know!" Takes another step back.
"Tris….." takes a step forward still smiling at her.
"Just because I don't know how to throw a knife doesn't mean…"
"They aren't real."
"I can't take one on. What?"
"They aren't real."
"What do you mean they aren't real?"
"They are an Australian myth like Big Foot or The Loch Ness Monster. It's a story normally used to scare tourists."
"They. Aren't. Real."
"Nope"
"I want to go back to camp now."
SNEAK PEAK AT THE NEXT CHAPTER….
"Tris…."
"Yes Four." She answers over her shoulder while snapping some of Zeke trying to dust off his pants from where he fell over.
"How did you know there was a possum in Uriah's bag?"
"A drop bear told me," she says turning to look at him and he could swear he sees her give him a quick wink.
"Are you still mad at me or should I check my sleeping bag too?"
"I guess you'll have to find out the same way Uri did."