Free The Moa Cave by Des Hunt Page B

success when happy shouting from the lounge disturbed him. He put the Game Boy down and rushed through to the other room.
    There was Mandy, being hugged by Molly and Alice at the same time. She looked only slightly less dirty than earlier. Hine looked pleased that she was back and was the next to hug her, though she did screw up her nose a little.
    Tyler felt a surge of relief and wondered if he should hug her too. Fortunately he was not offered the chance. Mandy was almost carried to the chair in front of the fire while Molly ran off for a hot drink. It seemed that Mandy had a sore leg or something.
    The story came out over the next few minutes. She had washed herself in the creek and then climbed the cliffs, wanting to spend some time by herself. ‘I walked along the hill for a while until I had calmed down. Then when I tried to come down I twisted my ankle. It was so painful I couldn’t walk on it.’
    ‘Didn’t you hear us calling?’ asked Bill.
    ‘Yes, and I answered lots of times. But you didn’t seem to hear.’ She paused for a while trying to control her emotions. ‘It was horrible. I kept thinking that you might never find me.’
    ‘How did you get back then?’
    ‘The swelling went down and even though it hurt so much, I knew I had to get back. Anything could happen to me out there. So I just forced myself.’
    ‘Let’s have a look at it,’ said Molly.
    Mandy rolled up the leg to her pants with only a couple of squeals of pain. The exposed ankle may have been a little swollen but it was not all that obvious.
    ‘I think the best thing is a shower first and then an ice pack,’ said Molly. ‘We’ll do it at the house. I’ll go get it ready. Alice, could you fix some supper for us all? And Bill, get in a bit more firewood, please.’
    Soon the three youngsters were left to themselves. Tyler wanted to say something kind to Mandy, yet couldn’t find the right words. Then he noticed her face: she was smirking. ‘What is it?’ he asked.
    ‘Oh, you two are so easy to beat,’ she sniggered. ‘You get sucked in every time.’
    Tyler could already feel the first hint of anger. ‘What are you talking about?’
    Hine nodded her head slowly. ‘It’s simple, Tyler. The “Get lost!” was a dare.’
    ‘I got lost,’ said Mandy, ‘and you didn’t. You two are now on one life and I’m back to two.’
    ‘What about the leg?’ asked Tyler, feeling the pressure in his face building.
    In answer she stood and did a graceful spin on the ‘injured’ ankle, before slumping back into the chair. Hine grinned and shook her head in admiring disbelief. ‘You’re crazy, Mandy.’
    ‘I know,’ she replied proudly. ‘That’s what everyone says.’
    Tyler’s breathing was now out of control. He twisted away so they couldn’t see his face. Then he felt the pendant in his pocket as it touched his leg. An image of Ata flashed in his mind. Strangely, he felt his anger lessen. He closed his eyes to hold the image for longer. His breathing slowed and gradually the pressure in his nose subsided. He turned back to look at Mandy sprawled back in the chair, and surprised himself by smiling. She was crazy—totally and absolutely. How stupid it was for him to get upset by it.
    Molly returned and seeing the happy group said, ‘Ah, it’s good to see you all smiling again.’ She turned to Mandy. ‘Come on, dear. Do you think you can make it through to the house?’
    ‘I hope so,’ replied Mandy, doubtfully. ‘Perhaps Tyler can give me his shoulder to lean on.’
    So Tyler was forced to be her support. Plus he had to tolerate the stench coming off her clothes. It was not a pleasant job, especially as Mandy was shaking with suppressed laughter beside him. Yet, when he thought about it later, he was pleased how he had controlled his anger. Maybe at last he’d found a way to beat the curse.He went to sleep holding that thought. Yet behind it was another feeling, and that was a resolve to make sure he won the game.