Brisbane, 03:00pm in the evening.
It's dark and silent in a traditional Queenslander house at the end of a street.
Nothing can be heard except for the crickets outside, a dripping tap and a clock ticking in the living room. In the master bedroom of the house two Border Collies are asleep. It's dark in the room except for a small beam of moonlight creeping in through a small gap between the closed curtains.
The Border Collie sleeping nearest to the door is a female with brown and white fur, lying on her side facing the door. For some reason she is suddenly awoken.
She slowly opens and blinks with her eyes. She awakens because she feels a presence in the room. Something that shouldn't be there, but is there. She slowly let her eyes adjust to the pitch darkness. Just before she can see clear she suddenly notices a tiny black and white figure standing next to her.
She lets out a small scream and is now is fully awake. She turns on the light on her bed stand. Then she sees what is standing next to her bed. It's her son.
She places her hand on her chest and sighs deeply. ''Ye gods Mackenzie… you almost gave me a heart attack''.
He looks with a sorry face at his mum. ''sorry mum'' he says silently.
She gives him a smile as she looks at him. ''that's alright. What is the matter honey?''
''Can I have a glass of water?'' he asks while he holds a glass before her.
His mother sighs and nods. She gets out of bed and walks to the bathroom to fill the glass with a tired face. When she walks back into the room she notices that the pup has climbed in the bed and is now lying in the middle. But he is not asleep yet.
''Mackenzie…'' she sighs silently as she sees him.
MacKenzie tumbles his thumbs and looks at her. ''Please mum… i… I don't want to be alone tonight. Can I stay with you and dad?'' he pleads to her.
His mum gives him the glass of water and he thankfully accepts it and takes a sip. She climbs into the bed and turns off the light.
''You are a hard case'' she says as she places the glass back on the stand and gives him a kiss on his forehead. ''It's alright for tonight. Did you have a nightmare again?''
MacKenzie nodded. ''You want to share it with me?'' she asks.
''I think I saw Bluey flying outside my window with a couple of fruit bats''
''Now don't be silly'' his mum says. ''What was it? You know you can tell me'' as she puts her arm around him.
He sighs and gets closer to her and looks away in the direction of his dad who is snoring and in a deep sleep.
''I… I had a dream that I was all alone. You and dad were not home and for some reason never returned. I was just here all by myself and…'' he quickly swipes away a tear from his eye. ''I didn't know what to do and I was confused and missed you two and nobody came to help me''.
His mother gives him a hug. ''That sounds awful dear, you know we won't leave you behind alone. Never! You are always with one of us''.
MacKenzie nods. ''I know… but it felt terrible''.
''I can imagine that honey. But you know we won't leave you behind like that right?''.
MacKenzie nods. ''I…just… I *sighs* today at school I was playing with Jack and Rusty and for some reason, we played that we were in a spaceship and then for some reason I remembered that time in the mall, when I was little you remember? And…
''MacKenzie'' his mother says shocked and worried ''I thought we talked about that? You know I wasn't gone. You were just confused when you came out of that slide''.
''I know and I actually remembered that strange lady who helped me and that I saw you standing there this time. I know you didn't left me, but that memory today and my dream just now…. I just had… is something going to happen?''
MacKenzie looks worried and so does his mum. A few days ago she had a bad feeling but now her son had that feeling as well. She lays him down as she thinks about what to say, when MacKenzie suddenly blurs out: ''Are you going to die?''.
His mum is horrified by the question. With a stutter she says ''No…no of course not. I have no intention to die''.
''Am I going to die?'' he immediately asks before she can talk further.
''NO, You aren't going to die either''
''But what if you die. What if dad dies to? Then I will be all alone… like in my dream. Was that what is was all about?''
''MacKenzie. Nobody is going to die''.
''But what if it happens! Then my dream comes true and I will be alone. I have nobody else here beside you two!'' he starts to get restless and panics. His mum places her hand on his chest.
''Calm down… calm down. You won't be alone. We won't go anywhere for a very, very long time. And if anything would happen, you have aunt Mabel. So you never will be left alone. But don't let a dream take over your mind and change you into a doom thinker. It's not necessary''.
She lies him down and turns of the light. It's now dark in the room again. Then she lies down herself and covers them with the sheets.
''Relax and don't ever think that again honey. It was just a dream okay?''.
MacKenzie nods. ''Do you promise you will always be there for me?"'
She smiles. ''What a silly question. Of course! You don't have to ask that. I made that promise on the day you were born. So did your dad''.
MacKenzie calms down and is reassured. He then yawns and closes his eyes.
She looks at him until he has completely fallen asleep. She comes closer and gives him a small kiss on his cheek.
''Remember, I'll always be here for you, even if you can't see me, because I love you''. His tail begins to wag.
She then closes her eyes and also falls asleep.
-
Precisely 6 years later:
Somewhere in Western Australia, 03:00pm in the evening.
It's dark and silent in a big old barn in the middle of nothing. Nothing can be heard except for the crickets outside, a dripping tap and some animals snoring or chewing in the barn.
At the end of the barn, behind a curtain, lies a border-collie on a bale of hay. It's dark in the barn except for a small beam of moonlight creeping in through a small gap between some wooden planks in the ceiling
In the dust on the hard, cold concrete floor he has drawn two border collies. He looks at them and then draws a heart around them. He keeps starring at them.
Suddenly a drop of water falls on the drawing. Followed by a other, and another. And another. Until the dust drawings have disappeared by the tears that have fallen down on them.
The border collie rests his head on his arms and then silently cries until he falls asleep.
''I am here for you. Even if you can't see me right now. Because I still love you''
''But dad!''
''Bluey, I said no!''.
Bluey then storms off out of the kitchen. Bandit sighs and takes another bite of his toast.
''It's for the best'' Chili says as she pets his hand.
Bandit sighs. ''It's going to be an obsession now for her won't it?. I don't want her to be involved at all in any of this''.
''You did right'' Chili reassures him. ''This is something for us to find out and to work on. She mustn't get involved. For her own sake and that of Bingo's''.
Just a few moments earlier, Bluey (who by now had recovered fast and had gotten out of bed) wanted to know what happened that night and why they took MacKenzie. Bandit had explained it to her. But when he said it was all a mistake based on false accusations and that he and Chili were going to try to find out where MacKenzie was and to clear their names, she offered them her help. All she really wanted was to help one of her best friends. She felt like it was her duty. She was also very worried about MacKenzie what could have happened to him. So she offered her dad to help. She came up with a plan to go in person to the national child safety services council to tell them they were wrong about her mum and dad and to demand to know where MacKenzie was. Bluey was convinced they would listen to her because she was a child.
Bandit and Chili don't want her to get involved in this as she did not need to worry about it at all. Also they were afraid of possible consequences if she would defend her parents. The council might think they send her as some kind of cute plea deal and Friso wouldn't like that. So they told her no and she did not agree with that.
''What are you going to do now?'' Chili asks Bandit.
''I'm going upstairs in my office and work on a detailed script of what we have done for MacKenzie form the day I found out he was in the hospital till the day they took him. Then I need to go to Calypso so she can sign it and agree and I will make one with her to''. He pauses and sighs before continuing. ''Then I probably have to make a appointment with either the council self or a lawyer to make a case and to prove that they made a mistake and that he shouldn't got taken away from us''.
Chili rubs his shoulders. ''You do that honey. I'm sure you can convince them''.
''The weird part is that I haven't heard back from Calypso in days'' Bandit says irritated. ''She won't pick up her phone and doesn't answer back the messages I send her. I don't get it!''.
''Well, she probably needs some time off like you. They threatened her job and I bet it wasn't a great night for her either'' Chili says in a calm, explaining voice.
Bandit nods. ''And I have to call back Mabel but… I don't dare'' he says a bit shaken. ''How do I explain to her what happened?''.
Chili stops rubbing and grabs her phone. ''No reason to worry about that. I will take care of her for now alright? So forget that.''.
She then picks up her bag. ''I need to go to work now. Let me know if there is trouble in paradise''. She gives him a kiss on the cheek and then leaves.
Bandit leaves the kitchen and walks to his office. On his way there he walks by Bluey's room.
He can see that she is drawing. He can see what she draws. It's a drawing of MacKenzie holding a barky boat. He comes closer and his hearth brakes when he hears her sniffling and softly whimpering.
''Bluey?'' he says.
''yeah?'' she says softly back to him.
He walks over to her and sits besides her on the ground.
''I know you are worried and confused. And if I'm being honest… so am I''.
''Why did they take him away from us dad? And so violently? He didn't do anything wrong'' she says sad. Her ears have drooped by now as she stares to her drawing.
Her dad embraces her. ''I know, he didn't do anything wrong'.
''Did we do anything wrong then?''
''No we didn't''.
''Then why?!'' she sobs and weeps as she hugs her father and cries in his chest.
He strokes her back trying to calm her down. The whole situation had left a trauma on the family (except Bingo who got over it). He wanted to be honest and say that he didn't know why and that he didn't have a clear answer for her. But he didn't want to.
He carefully removes the tears from her cheeks. ''Blue I promise you one thing. I will get to the bottom of this and everything will be alright. Eventually''.
Bluey looks up to him. ''For real life?'' she asks.
Bandit nods. He then stands up. ''Say, let's do something together today so we won't think about what happened. Are you still afraid of cinema's?''
Bluey shakes her head no.
''Good. Then we are going to watch the new Greeny movie then''. Bluey thinks and then agrees.
A bit later they walk to the cinema. Afterwards they buy a ice cream together and have a walk to the park. Their day ends with picking up Bingo from school and going to the beach for another walk (or in Bingo's case a short, unauthorised dive in the sea). Bandit had been inspired by Patrick who took him fishing the other day so he could clear his mind. Now a day later he was doing the same but for Bluey. She appreciates her dad for trying to distract her and keep her mind busy with something else.
The rest of the day both of them felt their hearths still aching about the uncertainty and injustice that had occurred. But they both felt the distraction and doing something together as a warm welcome. They just enjoyed the rest of their day and grew stronger together.
''For Fuck's sake!" Rad shouts as he throws his phone on the ground, causing his screen to crack. ''Oh yeah… great. Like I needed more reasons to be pissed!''.
Frisky sighs. ''Another one?'' she asks without looking up from her magazine.
Both of them are sitting on their couch in their living room.
Rad lies downs with his head on her lap. ''Yup''. He sounds defeated. ''Another one who thought he recognised me from that item on the telly yesterday''.
Since the news item had aired yesterday, some customers of Rad had been cancelling their appointments with him because they recognised him. Thinking he was some kind of aggressive, bad guy who attacked poor journalists without a reason. Even when he explained to them what happened they did not want him to come and cancel their appointments.
It meant that he had a unexcepted week off now. Frisky was stroking his hair as he tried to calm down. A speaker was playing some relaxing music in the room. Frisky bends over and grabs a plate from the coffee table and offers him a biscuit. He grabs one. Just before he takes a bit he stares at it. His face turns gloomy, he sighs and he puts it back on the plate.
Frisky looks a bit surprised. ''Aren't you feeling well? That is your favourite type of biscuit''.
''No… not anymore I think. It is just… it…those colours. I can't''.
Frisky looks surprised and doesn't understand at first. ''What do you mean? Is something else bothering you?''. He keeps silent and that is telling her enough. She grabs him at the shoulders and lets him make sit right up.
''Okay. What else is on your mind?''
''I don't wanna talk about it'' he says quickly.
Frisky stares at him. Then at the biscuit. Then back at him and then she suddenly knows what he is thinking about, or rather of whom he is thinking about. She looks again at the biscuit. It is a sandwich cookie consisting of two dark black cocoa biscuits with a white fondant filling in-between.
''You are worried about MacKenzie!'' she says triumphantly.
He then crosses his arms. ''And what if I am?''
She hugs him. ''I didn't mean anything by it. I think it's sweet''.
Rad gives her a smile and hugs back.
She then looks at him. ''May I ask why? I mean Chili and Bandit are his foster parents and need to worry about him. You don't need to''.
''Oh come on Frisk. The way they took him from them followed by the false accusations. That's not right and it makes me angry how they threated my brother and Chili and caused harm to Bluey''.
''I understand that. I'm also pissed about that to say the least. But why the extra concern for MacKenzie?''
He looks a bit surprised at her. ''Well… how they just yanked him away and took him like he wasn't a dog but an object. Nobody knows where he is. Don't you worry about him?'' he asks her.
She looks down and sighs. ''Yes I do. Of course I do. I am worried about what they have done with him. I also wonder where they took him and more important… how is he?"
''It's strange. I only knew him from Bluey's birthdays because that is where I have seen him the last six years or whenever I picked you up from Charlotte.
And of course by the stories Bluey told us in which he was involved and that was about it''.
Rad stares at the wall while his hand are talking along with his mouth. ''Just a kid that would come back in stories or you would see from time to time. And now for the last couple of months I have seen him at Bandit's place so often and you know… got to really know him. Talked to him, played footy with him and… even saved him. We picked him up last week from that police station and he stayed here''.
Rad puts his hand under his chin as he rests his arms on his knees. He stares in front of him. ''He trusted us while we were basically strangers. We took him in for a night so he would be safe and trusted him while he was technically a stranger to us. We found out he is sensitive and needs people he can trust, I have learned that and…well. (he sighs) I thought maybe I could help him you know? After the funeral and when he stayed here i… hoped….thought… *sighs deeply* to be a part of that process to make him feel confident of himself again, enjoy life again and...'' He chuckles a bit sarcastically. ''What was I thinking?".
''You felt like you could be a part of his life?'' Frisky asks carefully.
Rad looks at her now. He doesn't say anything but his eyes speak for themselves.
''Do you… feel… think he… could have been… maybe….potentially…'' Frisky says carefully.
Before she can finish her sentence or before Rad can say anything his phone rings again. Frustrated he flies from the couch to grab his phone. He picks it up and walks to the kitchen as he accepts the call.
''Rad speaking'' he says as he accepts the call without looking who it is.
''Radso! It's me. Boy, do I have some funny thing to tell you'' he hears Stripe saying on the other end of the line.
On the other side of the country, under the burning sun MacKenzie was working on a other part of the farm. He was now behind the barn in a wheat field. Again he had to work with something impractical. John had given him a scalpel.
A thing designed for precision cutting, like in surgery, not for harvesting large amounts of wheat.
The thing was dull and working with it was time consuming. Also it was very fragile. Handling it to hard could break it, meaning John would have a reason to get angry. And MacKenzie did not want to give John a reason to be angry at him.
After lunch (a cold, potato soup) he started working again when after a while he suddenly stops. He normally tried not to think while working so he could concentrate, but a thought had just slipped in to his mind. He thought: ''If we worked with more people at the same time, we could be done before the end of the day''.
He turns around. ''Hey David'' he asks.
''Yeah mate?'' David says back while he keeps working.
''You told me the other children lived on this side of the farm'' MacKenzie
''I told you they were here'' David says not distracted and without stopping.
''Then… where are they?'' MacKenzie says as he puts his hands on his hips.
David points to the other side of the field. Again without looking up he says ''there they are''.
MacKenzie squints his eyes to see if he can spot other children, but he can't.
''Well. I don't see them. You sure they are working today or that they are on this side of the farm?''.
''Yup I'm sure'' David answers back.
''Well I think you're wrong'' MacKenzie says.
David sighs and drops his scalpel. He grabs MacKenzie's hand and he leads him to the other side of the field. They both walk until they reached the end. At the end of the field stands a big wooden fence and just behind it a row of big, black she oaks.
''There they are. You see?'' David says frustrated as he let's go of MacKenzie's hand.
MacKenzie is surprised. There are no others. So he folds his arms and gives a frustrated look back at David. ''Well… where are they then?'' he says a bit confused and annoyed. ''I don't see anyone else around here''.
David's face then turns into sadness. He then slowly points to the ground. ''You are standing right in front of them. Just look'' he says softly.
MacKenzie throws his arms in the air. ''I don't know what you're talking about!'' he sounds frustrated. ''There is no one there in front of me or around us and I ….'' he abruptly stops talking.
He looks down and now realises what David meant with his words. He was indeed standing in front of them. The other children that were brought here by Friso and his department.
His eyes grow wide while his pupils shrink. His mouth and hands starts to tremble as he takes a step backwards.
In front of them he finally spots the other children. Or at least their resting places.
Seven overgrown, but still visible graves. The ground was disturbed and darker on places then the ground surrounding it and they were marked with little stones in the shape of crosses. The first five were also fairly overgrown with shrubs and weeds.
MacKenzie stares in disbelief at David as he slaps his hand for his mouth. He doesn't know what to say or do. He wants to run away but his legs are frozen. He keeps looking at the burial places of the unfortunate children that were brought here before he came here.
David comes to stand next to him and points to the first and oldest looking one on the very right side. ''There rests the first child that ever arrived here. At least that is what we know and think, we are not sure''.
He takes a short pause before continuing and telling a long story.
''Nobody knew where he came from, how he was or how long he had been here. He died just two days after the second one arrived here and was already in such a bad shape that he could hardly talk anymore. We only know that his name wat Patch and that he was a Parson Russell terrier. So yeah, he is almost completely forgotten by everyone.
All the others we do know more about as Bobby, he was a Caucasian Shepherd from an orphanage in Perth and is in the second grave next to Patch, told his story to his successor and that one told his story to the next, etc, etc. Like I told you my story yesterday and now will tell you their stories so you can tell it to your successor. That way none of us won't be forgotten if we tell each other's names and stories. That's the only way we will be remembered if there ever comes a day this place is being freed from the evil that rules here. You know what they say.. you are only truly dead when nobody remembers your name or life story and we won't let John give that pleasure''.
MacKenzie turns his head in disbelief and with tears in his eyes: ''Don't say that David, don't say that!" he sounds desperate. ''How did this happen to them… did John did this?''
David scuffs. ''No. That good-for-nothing cunt would never kill. To lazy and to hypocritical he is. You can argue that he caused their deaths by letting them work to death and not providing any good food or hygiene but that's it. He would argue with you that the weather is to blame, or the fact the nearest supermarket is 200km away from here or that they were weak while he provided shelter and food. He did not shoot them or anything like that. The only one being shot was Lucky, but John 'technically' didn't do that''.
''Wha… what do you mean by that?"' MacKenzie says with a trembling voice.
''Well, you see. After a year of being alone, Bobby got company of a Shiba Inu named Donny.
He came here because he was dumped at a fire station as a baby and he had walked away from his foster family because they treated him badly. Big nerd apparently but he was raised on a farm so he had some experience with the work. They worked together on the field like us. Eventually Bobby collapsed from weight loss, sun heat and hard work after a year and died.
Donny was here the longest, lasting almost three years and some months on his own until his own demise.
He died of the same reasons as Bobby. Before he died he was joined by a girl named Pam. She was a Keeshond and was taken away from her uncle's care after he mum died and her father abandoned her. They had falsely accused her uncle of being horrible to her''.
David walks to her grave, gets on one knee and removes the weeds from it as a form of respect. He ten continues talking as he slowly backs up and stares at her resting place.
''The only girl to ever be here. She lived here the shortest of everyone, just around ten months as she really couldn't stand the harsh surroundings here and the treatments and fear she had of John. That fear of him became her fatal I believe.
So quickly and somehow John got hold of a other orphan. His name, we are not sure, was Jean or Luke or Lucky.
Maybe a combination of it but something like that. Either way, he was a black Labrador and was a foreigner who didn't speak English at all. He spoke some kind of French or something. So John, our redneck racist, threated him extra badly and unfair because of that. We only know from drawings he made for Rufus that he was on holiday with his parents here in Australia and that they were hiking on a mountain when his parents tripped over loose stones and fell to their deaths in to a ravine.
He was taken to an orphanage after the incident by mistake instead of being send back to his family in his country of origin and therefore ended up here unfortunately. Talking about bad luck. He had to work on the fields as Pam was being mistreated by Doris in her kitchen until her passing.
Then shortly after she died, number six came. A white Samoyed dog named Rufus, who I mentioned before. He and Luke worked together on the fields for months. It was the only time John tried to put two at work at the same time. But one day, after months of terrible heat in the summer, the hottest summer ever recorded, John and his sick son were bored and thought of a game''.
''What kind of game?" MacKenzie didn't dare to ask but he did.
''Well…'' David tells. '' One night in the barn they had promised each other to come up with a plan to escape. If the opportunity would raise they would signal to each other. And one day an opportunity rose. But Rufus hadn't noticed that the foreign dog was so upset about being held here instead of being back home that it slowly drove him crazy. And I mean really crazy. He became nuts! The hot weather and the lack of fresh water and food also didn't help. Rufus told me that he was being treated better and got better food then Luke.
So, one very hot summer day they had to paint John's house in the baking sun and according to Rufus John was upstairs sleeping while his son had to keep an eye on them.
To their luck he felt asleep on the porch in the chair. His rifle sitting unguarded next to him. So Rufus signalled Luke and convinced Luke to grab the rifle as he was near it. With the riffle he wanted to take out the son and take John under threat so he would release them. That was their escape plan.
MacKenzie listens integrated to the story. ''And what happened then?''
''Well… Luke took the rifle but instead of giving it to Rufus and waking up the son and threaten him into releasing them… he pointed the rifle at Rufus. At that point he was so mentally broken and abused that he completely had lost his mind.
He wanted to shoot Rufus so John would have no other choice then to take better care of him as he would be the only one left''.
MacKenzie can't believe what he is hearing.
''So Rufus desperately runs to safety in to the fields to save himself while the bullets from the rifle were flying around him. He trips and Luke starts beating him and they start fighting all while Luke tries to aim and shoot him and he almost succeeded as well. But just before he could pull the trigger, Rufus was able to kick him in the stomach and on the ground.
He then grabbed the rifle and by accident he pulled the trigger shooting Luke in the head who just got back standing up on his feet. So… therefore he is technically the only one being killed by firearm on this farm. As we know off and that is what I meant by John technically never shot at someone, he let others do it for him''.
David points at the fourth grave. ''There he is. Poor bugger had completely lost it. And I don't know if it was really an accident or that Rufus decided it had to be done at that point you know? Giving him mercy and release him out his this hell. He told me it was an accident, but…yeah. We shall never know''.
''What happened next?'' MacKenzie wants to know. He is horrified by what he has heard but he wants to know what happens next.
''Rufus got beaten up badly by John and his son for 'destroying a valuable working tool' (David says in a sarcastic tone and pointing his two fingers in the air, making quote gestures) and locked up without food for two days in a barrel inside the barn. But the truth is, they knew that the black Lab was losing it. Rufus was convinced that John and his son left that rifle on purpose and that John was looking at everything that happened and expecting this to happen. It was a game for them. Or a show that is the better word.
They were entertaining themselves as they predicted the outcome of what would happen. They probably had a bet on who of the two would shoot the other''.
David sounds sickened and full of hate as he talks about John and his son.
''So, you were there last person to see Rufus''.
David nods sadly. ''Yeah. He was a good mate. Very friendly. I worked with him for just a bit longer than two months. He was here all by himself for a year and some months at that point. Very emaciated and exhausted but still full of humour and kindness, even after all the shit he had to go through''. David smiles as he thinks back of Rufus.
''So… John then dumps them here?'' MacKenzie asks.
David shakes his head. ''No… Everyone has to dig the grave of his predecessor. So I dug his, he dug the one of Luke who dug the one for Pam, etc, etc. I have just added the stones in the shape of the cross. So that is new. Otherwise their last resting places are so empty. Just pray that John doesn't find out about it. He wants to cover up and pretends like these graves don't exist''.
MacKenzie stares in disbelief at David because he suddenly realises that if they don't get saved or think of a escape plan, he has to dug a grave as well at a certain point probably. Maybe he ends up here too! He doesn't want that to happen and he feels nauseous. His vision becomes blurry and everything around him spins. He needs to get away from here. He was expecting to meet the others alive and well, not to walk in to a make-shift graveyard caused by a lunatic. The whole atmosphere of the place felt bad and sad.
For a moment he feels the emotions of the others, all around his age or a bit younger, and their restless spirits surrounding him. It becomes too much for him.
He turns around and walks away.
''Hey, where are you going?'' David asks?
''I have to go sorry… I still have to do that chore John gave me at the grain silo'' MacKenzie says.
David looks a bit confused at him. ''Okay…?''.
MacKenzie runs towards the old, rusty grain silo. When he arrives he notices John's truck coming towards him. Quick he manages to avoid being hit by it as he ducks away.
The truck comes to a stop with screeching tires.
John steps out grinning. ''hehehehe'' he giggles as he lights a cigarette.
''I… I was just about to do the job on the silo you wanted me to do'' MacKenzie says.
John looks down on him. ''Do you even know what you have to do?''.
MacKenzie then realises he doesn't know as John never told him what to do here. So he shakes his head.
John sighs. ''It's really easy. Even a worthless pooch as you can do it''. He points a finger up. ''Climb the ladder and fix that latch up there'' he says.
MacKenzie looks up and gulps. He has to climb up a ladder of a rusty, not safe looking grain silo of 90feet (27 meters) without any safety equipment. He turns to John who looks at him impatiently. MacKenzie knows that there is no point in asking for another job or safety equipment. So he slowly walks up to the ladder.
''Hello, come on in'' Stripe says as he opens the door of the entrance of his storage unit facility. Rad walks in.
''You know that you could get into trouble for telling me what you have told me?'' he says to Stripe.
Stripe shrugs his shoulders. ''Yeah I know and I don't care. Because you will get into more trouble for what you are about to do'' he says with a smug face.
Rad turns around. ''What? I'm not planning to do anything'' he quickly defends himself.
Stripe grins. ''Sure…. You are not here to break into a unit rented by the government so you can get certain information about a certain kid?''.
Rad looks down as he rubs his arm. ''maybe…'' he whispers. ''But I'm doing it for Bandit!" he quickly adds.
Stripe nods. ''That is why I told you about this''.
Rad looks puzzled. ''Huh? What do you mean?''.
Stripe then turns of a switch in his office, causing the security camera's to freeze and stop recording. They then walk to the end of the hall where the large units rented by Friso are located.
''I mean that I want to help Bandit as badly as you want. And we also both want to know if MacKenzie is save. Hack, we just want to know what happened to him and where he is. Isn't that right?" Stripe tells his older brother.
Rad nods. ''Yes. But why didn't you tell Bandit to come here? Why me?''.
Stripe stops and looks at him. ''Two reasons'' he sticks two fingers up. ''One, I couldn't ask Bandit to come down here and look it up. Bandit is not in a right state of mind to do this. We as brothers have to do this for him. And besides, if MacKenzie is transferred to a orphanage, they probably have Bandit blacklisted everywhere as all orphanages are in the care of that Friso guy. So he would be recognised and maybe arrested if he shows up somewhere. So he can't go anywhere for his own safety. And two, we are going to find out where MacKenzie is and either bring him back or report to Bandit that he is safe. Or not. And if it's not…''
''What we do not hope or think!'' Rad says strict.
''Agreed, so if we find out it's not safe where he is… we either save him or report it back to a court so they can take care of it and restore Bandit's name in glory!'' Stripe says determined.
Rad holds up his hand, Stripe grabs it and they pull each other close. ''Heelers! WOO-WOO!'' they bark as they do their little victory dance, completely convinced of their plan.
They arrive at the units rented by Friso.
''So…. Which one is it?'' Rad asks?
Stripe shrugs his shoulders. ''Dunno'' he says.
Rad stares into the camera and sighs. He grabs the maintenance keys he owns and opens the first one. A lot of lockers, chairs and some cabinets. After an hour of searching they can't find anything useful. They then look into the second one. Then the third, then the fourth and then the fifth. When Rad opens the sixth unit after two and a half hours of opening file cabinets he is tired and has some excruciating pain.
''I don't think we are going to find anything useful Rad'' Stripe says tired.
''Don't give up just yet. We only need to dig through this one and then we got one left. There must be some kind of information lying around here somewhere'' Rad says determined.
He opens a black file cabinet and spits through it. After a couple of seconds he smiles.
''A-hah! Yes! Found the jackpot'' he says happy. His tail starts to wag, hitting Stripe in the back.
''Hey, watch it with that thing! What did you find?'' he turns around and looks over Rad's shoulder.
Rad pulls out a brown map labelled as 'Collie, M' and shows it to Stripe whilst grining.
''Oe, that sounds promising'' Stripe says.
Rad opens the file and starts reading it. It's indeed a file about MacKenzie.
He puffs. ''It's full of nonsense and lies. There are things written in here about MacKenzie, Bandit and Calypso that are clearly not true. All made up''. He points at one line. ''It says here that Bandit refused to bring MacKenzie to school and that he therefore missed important classes. That is nonsense!".
''Yeah that is weird. He got home-schooled by his teacher and did his homework. And the school knows he was still to sick to attend'' Stripe says surprised.
''Something fishy is going on here and this file proves that we are right. Bandit was framed'' Stripe says.
''But why? Who would want this? I mean… what is someone getting out of doing this?'' Stripe says in disbelief.
''That I don't know. But we will find out. But first…'' he slides his fingers through the pages until he reaches the last one. He reads what It says and looks surprised.
''You won't believe this last entry…'' he says thunderstruck.
''What is it?'' Stripe wants to know.
''It says they transported him on a plane to a farm in Western Australia'' Rad answers.
''What the…. Wy all the way up there?'' Stripe says still in disbelief as he looks confused.
Rad shuts the file and puts it back.
''Don't you need that anymore?'' Stripe asks.
Rad shakes his head. ''No. I got the address. And if that Friso guy comes back, he can't know we where here looking through this''.
They walk out and shut the door and lock it before walking back to Stripe's office. In there Stripe unfreezes the cameras and sits down on the couch next to Rad.
''So… what now?'' Stripe asks as he taps his knees.
''Looks like I'm going to Western Australia'' Rad says.
''Why and jow do you think you get there? And do you know the way up there?'' Stripe says surprised.
''Well somebody has to go and you need to stay with your kids. And besides i know that state. I lived there for a while when I worked on the oil rigs years ago. And when… you know'' Rad says.
Stripe nods. ''When you were fifteen'' he adds.
Rad nods. ''So I know how to get there and get around there''.
''When are you going?'' Stripe says.
''Tomorrow. I will tell Frisky I have a job there. For safety reasons you will be the only one who knows that I'm going to see MacKenzie. I get a plane, rent a car and from there… I'll see.''
Stripe pats him on the shoulders and gives him a beer. ''Good luck brother. Please keep in touch alright. If I don't hear anything from you, I come after you'' he says reassuring.
Rad smiles. ''Not to worry. I will keep you updated. What is the worst that can happen there on a farm?''
MacKenzie wipes the sweat from his brow as he climbs the metal ladder bolted to the side of the old grain silo. The late afternoon sun beats down on him, turning the steel rungs scorching hot and hurting the palms of his hands. Below, John waited by the truck, watching.
"Just tighten the latch and come back down," John says impatient. "That door's been flapping in the wind for days!"
Reaching the top, MacKenzie carefully stepped onto the narrow ledge encircling the hatch. The rusted metal groaned under his weight. He crouched and started fastening the latch when, suddenly—CRACK!
The hinge snapped. The small platform beneath his foot gave way, and MacKenzie pitched forward. He tried to grab the rim of the hatch, but his fingers scraped empty air.
Then, he was falling. He screams as he falls down.
He lands hard inside the silo, the impact knocking the wind from his lungs. The grain shifts around him, swallowing him up to his chest. He gasps and thrashed, but each movement makes him sink deeper.
''Awh, hell!" he hears John saying irritated and hopelessly complaining. Then the sound of John's truck door slamming shut and him drive away at full throttle.
"MacKenzie!" David's voice was distant, frantic.
Panic clawed at MacKenzie's throat. He struggles, trying to push himself up, but the golden sea of corn only pulls him down. It was like quicksand. Every desperate motion to escape made it worse.
He then took a deep breath and forced himself to stop.
''Think. Stay calm' he suddenly heard a voice saying from above. He looked up but saw no one. The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't think of who it could be.
Then MacKenzie thought of something else. If he could distribute his weight, maybe he wouldn't sink as fast.
He spreads his arms and tries to keep his legs from kicking. But the corn keeps swallowing him. It rose past his ribs, tightening around his chest like a fist.
His breaths now came in short, panicked bursts.
''This is it. This is my end'' he thought defeated.
Suddenly an arm reached down, with a hand to grab.
''MacKenzie! Grab it!'' he heard the same voice saying desperately.
"I—I can't!" he choked.
"You can! Hold on, son!"
With all his strength he reached. The tip of his fingers touched that of the hand reaching to him. They felt cold. He tried more and the hand came down more until MacKenzie could grab it. The arm then pulled him up. Not all the way out but just a little enough to prevent his head going down and him completely disappearing. Not save, but save enough until help would come.
''Thank you'' he puffed.
''Remember. We will always be there for you'' the voice said.
MacKenzie then sees how the arm disappears into nothingness. He just could make out a black and white fur pattern on it. The same as he has.
His eyes grew as his mouth falls open. That arm. That voice! ''It…. can't be…'' he murmurs to himself.
Then, just a bit later—above him—a rope dangled, causing him to wake up from his astonishment.
Someone was at the hatch, one hand gripping the rope, the other reaching down. MacKenzie stretched his arm, but the grain, once again, clutched him tighter, dragging him down again to his shoulders.
With the last of his strength, MacKenzie fought against the grain's grip, inching his fingers upward. The rope brushed his palm—he clenched it, held tight.
The person above pulled. The rope dug into MacKenzie's skin as he was dragged inch by inch from the suffocating mass. He coughed, gasping, finally feeling air against his face.
Then—he was free.
He collapsed onto the silo's ledge, shaking. The person hauled him the rest of the way out and gripped him tight.
MacKenzie closed his eyes, breathing deeply, feeling the solid ground beneath him. He was okay. He would never look at a grain silo the same way again.
He opens his eyes to see. He sees John looking disapproving at him next to his truck.
So it wasn't John who pulled him out. He then looks behind him to see who is standing there. To see who had pulled him out.
MacKenzie turns around and immediately freezes with fear. His pupils shrink so small that they are almost not visible and he starts shaking.
In front of him stands Boris. The Cane Corso that attacked and robbed him just over a week ago. The dog who was responsible for having his tooth knocked out of his jaw. The actions of this dog got him removed from the care of the Heelers.
Slowly his arm comes up and he points at Boris. ''i…i..it…it…it's you!'' he still says in disbelief and completely shaken. ''But… what are you doing here? How…''. He can't believe it.
MacKenzie turns around, and back again. He pinches himself in the arm to see if it is a hallucination. But it isn't. Boris is really here with him at this already hellish farm.
Boris starts laughing. ''So… we meet again fleabag''.
It all becomes to much for MacKenzie. In a fit of fear he starts running.
''OI! Come back here!"' John screams angrily.
MacKenzie doesn't listen. He has enough, he needs to get away from here. As fast as he can he runs through the fields, looking for a way out.
His heart pounds as he tore through the cornfield, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The tall stalks scratches his arms and face, but he doesn't dare to slow down. Behind him, the furious shouts of John and Boris grow louder.
"Where do you think you're going!" Boris bellows. MacKenzie quickly turns around to see them getting closer. Their faces look like they actually enjoy hunting him down. Now, he really starts to run for his life.
He bursts out of the cornfield into an open pasture, his feet kicking up dust. Ahead, an old wooden fence marks the edge of the farm. If he could just get over it, he could disappear into the woods beyond.
"Cut him off, Boris!" John shouts.
MacKenzie glances back and sees Boris veering off to the right, aiming to intercept him. John was still charging through the field, shotgun in his hand. MacKenzie isn't sure if John will actually use it, but he wasn't about to find out.
Panic surges through him. He pushes himself harder, his legs burning, but Boris was fast—too fast.
The Cane Corso tackles him just as MacKenzie reaches the fence, sending them both crashing into the dirt.
MacKenzie kicks and squirms, trying to break free, but just like in that alley, Boris has the strength of an ox and proves to be too strong. He flips MacKenzie onto his back and pins him down with a knee to his chest.
"Gotcha," Boris sneered. ''Now, this is no way to say hello to a old friend is it?''.
John arrives a second later, panting, his face red with rage. He looms over MacKenzie, gripping his shotgun tightly.
"You got some nerve, boy," he growled. "Working tools don't get to run free around here. I told you that didn't I? And trying to run away after we saved you and took you in? How fucking ungrateful you are! It almost breaks my old hearth".
MacKenzie swallows hard, staring up at them, his heart hammering. He had been caught. And now, he has to face whatever was coming next.
''I'm getting to old for this'' John complains as he turns around.
''But it was kinda fun, wasn't it dad? Like the old days'' Boris says as he picks up MacKenzie and starts walking behind John. ''Bit of free exercise. Haven't done that in a long time''.
''yeah… yeah'' John says.
''What kind of punishment for his runaway behavior do you have in mind dad?'' Boris asks.
John stays silent for a while, while they are walking further. He is thinking. After a while he says: ''Lets get him to the barn. No diner this night and his punishment will be actually benefitting him''.
Boris smiles bright. ''Oh, you mean you are going to… 'help' him? We haven't done that to one in a while'' he says.
John nods as he chuckles. ''Yup'' is al he says.
MacKenzie starts to get worried. ''What do they mean with helping me?"
They walk back to the barn where John opens the doors. They walk to the back and Boris places MacKenzie on the ground, next to the bucket. John walks to the other end of the barn while Boris grabs MacKenzie's shoulders and makes sure he can't move.
MacKenzie is getting nervous. He doesn't know what is about to happen. Then he sees John coming back, holding something in his right hand.
''You know what it is with working dogs? Sometimes they fall into silos because they trip over something. And that something is sitting in their way. They also can trip over it when they work in the field or when they run. You know what I am talking about?"' he says slowly and meanisly.
MacKenzie doesn't respond. Then John reveals what he is holding. It's a large, rusty machete. He is slowly raising it.
''I'm talking about your tail boy. Obviously it's in your way, otherwise you wouldn't have tripped over it. And around here you don't need that thing'' John explains while grinning from ear to ear.
Boris grabs MacKenzie's tail while also laughing. ''It's docking time and you are long overdue!''
MacKenzie starts to realize what John is going to do. He shakes, raises his arms and screams desperately ''Nooo!'' when John comes down with the machete….