Free Brumby Mountain by Karen Wood Page A

she whispered.
    â€˜Me neither,’ he whispered back. ‘Can you believe what Steve said? About the no-man’s land, all the boundaries meeting.’
    â€˜It’s like your mum’s stories,’ whispered Jess. ‘It must be a real place.’
    â€˜I couldn’t stop thinking about it all night. My head nearly imploded. My parents are both buried here. I could hear the river where my mother died. I was haunted by them all night. It was weird sleeping here.’
    â€˜Good weird or bad weird?’
    â€˜Dunno,’ he said. ‘But I can’t wait to go back to the property. I want to find the place in Mum’s stories.’
    â€˜You weren’t freaked out about the way . . . you know . . . your mum . . . ’
    Luke took a lingering breath. ‘I hate alcohol,’ he answered quietly. ‘I’m never ever drinking.’
    Mrs Arnold burst suddenly out of the bunkhouse door. She was a scary sight in her limp old nightie with hair poking out at strange angles. ‘ Jessica! ’ she hissed, casting around the carpark. ‘ Jessica!
    â€™ Jess felt the swag cover being shoved over her head. ‘Shhh,’ Luke laughed softly. She huddled in the warmth of his chest, where she could hear the beat of blood through his heart. He wrapped his arms protectively around her. ‘Old cow stole my dogs, she’s not getting my girl,’ he whispered under the covers. He lifted his head again and let out a piercing whistle.
    Mrs Arnold swore as Filth cannoned past her. She mumbled something about bloody teenagers. Just before she slammed the door shut, Fang escaped too.
    After much sniffing and peeing, the dogs found Luke under the ute and wagged apologetic tails at him. ‘On the back,’ he growled at them, pointing to the tray of his ute.
    â€˜Let them in,’ Jess said, rubbing Filth‘s nose.
    â€˜No way! They’ve lost their swag privileges. Get on the back, you disloyal mutts!’
    The dogs leapt onto the ute like water flowing back up a waterfall.
    â€˜Let’s get going early,’ said Jess, resurfacing. ‘I want to check on Dodge.’
    â€˜Kiss me first,’ said Luke, running his cold, work-cracked hands along her neck and up into her hair. ‘Before the old hag busts you out here.’ She snuggled into the warmth and rustle of the swag and felt herself almost drown in his arms and lips and gorgeous soft whisperings.
    The idea of jumping back out into the frosty cold morning was left behind until Mrs Arnold, fully clothed and in steel-capped boots, kicked at the swag from the side of the ute. ‘That’s enough of that, you two, get up!’
    â€˜ Lukey Pukey’s making me wanna barf,’ said Grace, walking past in pyjamas and boots with no socks, a towel over one arm and a wash bag under the other.
    When Grace and Mrs Arnold were both in the bathroom, Luke grinned at her. ‘Quick, let’s nick off again!’

    The property looked more inviting in the morning light. Kookaburras chortled in the gum trees and birds flitted down by the creek. The family of kangaroos grazed in a nearby paddock. A huge buck stood guardedly, staring unblinkingly at Jess and Luke until they were at a safe distance.
    Luke picked up an old shovel and stepped through the front door of the house again. ‘Look out, snakes,’ he said as he disappeared.
    Jess went to the sheep yard to check on Dodger and Legsy. She found them finishing the remains of last night’s hay, with a thick coating of crunchy white frost across their backs. Mist billowed intermittently from their nostrils. Dodger seemed unperturbed, but Legsy chewed with a tight muzzle and his ears pinned back.
    On the hillside behind them Jess noticed the shaggy black horse staring at them.
    â€˜Hello Rambo!’ she called out. The horse flicked an ear back and forth, then walked away. One ear remained turned in her direction, she noticed.
    Jess