Free The Worm King by Steve Ryan Page B

he reached the van Azziz had
taken the torch off Astrid and held it focused on Leroy’s bloodless face,
pressed flat against the driver’s side window. Froth bunched at the corner of the
Aborigine’s mouth and his right eye was stretched wide open, staring grotesquely
through the glass at them. Winston gasped in shock and Astrid whimpered. Azziz
thrust the torch at the Hat then opened the van door, holding up his left hand
to prevent Leroy spilling out. The moment he reached in, Peanuts snapped viciously,
growling with barred fangs forcing him to withdraw. Azziz immediately pushed
the door closed, but gently, so it didn’t click shut. ‘Go round the other
side,’ he ordered.
    Winston scuttled around then opened the door
slowly, patting the passenger seat lightly, trying to induce the dog over. ‘Here
boy, come on.’ Eventually Peanuts slunk across, head held low and wary. Provided
the dog remained between himself and Leroy it might not attack.
    ‘Come on.’ He gradually coaxed the dog over,
and very carefully, slid a hand up onto its collar. ‘I’ve got’im!’
    Azziz caught Leroy as he rolled out then
lowered him to the ground. The Hat closed the driver’s door. Peanuts barked twice
and Winston let go of the collar. As soon as he closed the passenger door the
dog began howling, a far more disturbing sound than the barking.
    They stood around the body. ‘Heart attack?’
asked the Hat. ‘Does a stroke look like that?’ Lightning forked overhead, drops
of rain began to fall and the dog wailed.
    Azziz opened Leroy’s shirt, checking his
chest. ‘Wouldn’t think so. Seizure or overdose of some kind? I really couldn’t—’
    ‘Hey! You fūlla’s over there?’ Āmiria
and the twins appeared from around the side of the pumps in the middle of the
forecourt, making a beeline straight for the van.
    Astrid grabbed the torch from Azziz and
raced towards them. ‘Didn’t I tell you to stay inside?’ she shouted, waving her
arms to herd them back indoors before they could see the body.
    Azziz and the Hat lifted Leroy by the hands
and feet, carrying him into the mechanics garage attached to the shop. Winston
walked along behind. Leroy was a tall man so his afro skimmed the wet ground. Tools
had been left scattered on the floor and the Hat tripped over, so they left the
body where it fell because it didn’t seem likely anyone else would have a
reason to enter. Azziz ferreted around until coming across an oil-stained tarp
which he used to cover the body.
    Winston returned to the van and carefully
opened the passenger door. Peanuts had quietened down. He closed the door then
went in through the rear, feeling around in Leroy’s clothes until finding an
old belt. Returning to the front, he attached the belt to the dog’s collar and
led it back into the servo.
    Much later the twins were on the floor in
the middle of the shop. Natasha wrote in the exercise book Azziz had given her,
while her sister scribbled in a magazine she’d taken off the rack by the
counter. A solitary lantern was left on, turned to its lowest setting and Natasha
had the book pressed hard up against it.
    Everyone was supposed to have a quick nap
before they drove on to Canberra but Winston lay restless, and unable to sleep.
The others were scattered at various spots around the store, telling themselves
they were dozing, although in reality all were wide awake, staring into the dark.
    The twins turned on a torch and got up to hunt
for more snacks from the shelves. Winston heard Astrid speak to them quietly as
they passed, saying she was sorry for shouting at them earlier but they ignored
her.

Chapter Twelve
    Flying
    J ean watched the match burn out. Her last one.
    She’d waited and waited and waited. Then
waited some more. Waited up here on her hilltop. He said he’d come back, with
an ambulance; promised he would.
    She stood, hands outstretched groping
blindly.
    ‘You’re not going now!’ pleaded Hilda, invisible
in the darkness.
    ‘I