Free Out of Alice by Kerry McGinnis

recalled her own eager reply.
Yes, let’s!
    Sara jerked herself back to awareness, blinded by light. She had left her sunnies in the vehicle. Where had that voice come from? A shiver went through her as if something cold had traced a line down her spine. Cicadas shrilled and the long fingers of the eucalypt leaves spun in the heated air. She mopped her face on her sleeve. She was sweating but her skin felt cold. What was wrong with her? She turned towards the bank, meaning to find her sunglasses, and saw instead a man’s dark outline looming above her. Terror blanched her face. She shrieked, ‘No!’ then the blackness roared over her and she fell into darkness.

9
    Sara woke to the heat of sun-baked earth at her back. It took her a moment to remember where she was, then she saw the man’s shape crouched beside her and recoiled before recognition overtook her instincts and she relaxed. ‘What happened?’ Her head spun as she sat up.
    â€˜Take it easy. You fainted.’ His gaze left her to find Becky watching big-eyed beside him. ‘It’s okay, Squirt. Could you get me a cup of water? Good girl.’ The child scampered off and Sara reached vaguely for her hat that had fallen off; she felt shaky and lightheaded, and wilted before Jack’s accusatory gaze and the sudden harshness of his voice. ‘You scared the crap out of the kid, shrieking like that.’
    â€˜I’m sorry,’ she said stiffly, embarrassed. ‘I don’t know what —’
    â€˜Drink this. You’re probably dehydrated.’ He thrust the cup at her and waited, frowning while she drank.
    â€˜You want to tell me what’s going on?’ His tone had moderated. ‘You saw me on the bank, squawked like a frightened chook, then dropped like a poleaxed steer.’
    Her face reddened and she bit her lip, not meeting his gaze.
    â€˜Maybe it’s not my business but Beth’s not here, and Becky’s my niece so . . . You don’t suffer from epilepsy or anything like that, do you?’
    â€˜Of course I don’t!’ she cried, stung. ‘I’d have said if I did. Anyway, I hold a driver’s licence. And I can’t be both a hen and a steer!’ Sara caught herself and reined in her temper. ‘Look, I’m sorry. Perhaps it was the heat. I’ve never fainted in my life. That’s the first time ever! So if you’re worried about Becky, you needn’t be. Where is she, anyway?’ She looked frantically around.
    â€˜Making the tea. She’s okay.’
    â€˜With boiling water and an open fire?’ Alarmed, Sara struggled up, briefly dizzy again as she bent for her hat.
    â€˜She’s a bush kid.’ He spoke calmly. ‘She’s been making billy tea for ages.’ He took her arm as she climbed. ‘Go and sit down. You need tea with plenty of sugar, and I’m serious about your liquid intake. It’s easy to get dehydrated out here.’
    Becky, her face grave, was sitting on the trunk of a fallen gum; Sara joined her there. ‘Sorry, chicken. Did I scare you?’
    â€˜A bit.’ Sara felt the child’s scrutiny, read the uncertainty in her dark eyes. ‘You’re not getting sick, like Sam, are you? He fell down like that too, right at first. His face went all white and he went to sleep just like you, only he didn’t yell.’
    â€˜I’m sorry,’ Sara repeated gently. ‘That must’ve been awful for you. But people can faint for all sorts of reasons. Your uncle thinks I haven’t been drinking enough water.
I
think I just got too hot. Look, let’s have some cake. That’ll make us all feel better.’
    It worked with Becky. She was soon chatting away again. Jack squatted on his heels near their log, drinking from the green pannikin, his previous suspicions of her fitness seemingly forgotten. Not that she blamed him. He was obviously fond of his sister’s