Not exactly.
‘I’ve upset my mum.’
You haven’t. She loves you.
‘I love Tortilla, but he still annoys me when I can’t find him.’
That’s different.
‘How?’
There’s no time to explain. Please get out of the cave now.
‘But…’
The orb vanished, leaving Mathew alone in the darkness once again. Time no longer existed. Minutes could be hours. Hours could be days. The unrelenting darkness allowed no access to the sun in this private universe.
Another voice broke the silence, words straining on a leash, bouncing off the walls of the cave. ‘Mattie? What are you doin’ in there? Hey, come on, speak to me.’
Dozens of caterpillars crawled across his tummy.
‘Who did this, Mattie?’
Don’t let him in. He might be trying to trick you.
Good advice.
‘Come on, Mattie, let’s get you back inside before the police come.’
The word police sent a chill through his heart.
‘It’s me. Gareth.’
Mathew suddenly found his voice. ‘Gareth?’
‘I’m right here.’
‘You can come into the cave if you move the boulder out of the way.’
‘Boulder?’
‘I put it in the entrance to keep the predators out.’
‘Oh. Yeah. Right. Maybe it’s best if you move it yourself. I’ve got a bad back.’
Mathew frowned. ‘Why are the police coming?’
‘Just to talk.’
‘What about?’
‘Let’s just get you inside first.’
‘Is it about the girl?’
Gareth sighed. ‘Why don’t you get that boulder out of the way so we can see each other?’
‘Okay. But you have to be careful.’
‘Why?’
‘Because there’re bats in the cave.’
‘Oh.’
‘I’ve got Dad’s penny to protect me.’
‘Good idea.’
‘Is the orb with you?’ Gareth asked.
‘What orb?’
‘The one who visits the cave.’
‘No… I’m on my own.’
‘Where’s Mum?’
‘In the house waiting for you. She’s made a nice pot of tea.’
‘I’d prefer lemonade.’
‘I’m sure that can be arranged.’
‘Good. I’m thirsty.’
‘I’ll bet your hungry, too?’
Mathew’s stomach rumbled. Like a grumpy bear as his mum used to say when he was a kid. ‘I’m starving.’
‘How does hot dogs and mustard sound?’
‘Yummy to my tummy.’
‘How long have you been in the… cave?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘What’s he done?’ His mother’s voice this time. Thin and shrill, as if delivered on a breath of nitrous oxide. ‘Oh my God, Gareth, what’s he done?’
‘It’s all right. He’s coming out now, aren’t you, Mattie?’
Mathew crawled towards the mouth of the cave. ‘I want my hot dogs and lemonade.’
‘They’re on the table waiting for you,’ Gareth said. ‘Do you need any help to move that boulder?’
‘What boulder?’ Sonia asked. ‘What the heck is he talking about?’
Gareth didn’t answer her. He asked Mathew again if he needed any help.
‘It’s all right; I can move it myself.’
‘Have you seen his eyes?’ Sonia asked. ‘He looks like a zombie.’
‘Why don’t you go back inside and let me handle this, Mum.’
His mother cried as Mathew removed the boulder from the cave. High-pitched squeaks that reminded him of a mouse. Why was she so upset when he was only in the cave? Maybe it had something to do with the police.
He shoved with all his strength and rolled the rock out of the way. Bright light burned through his eyelids. Leaving the cave was like being born again. It took him a few minutes to adjust to the light and get his bearings. Focus on Gareth. Feel the unbearable heat. Smell the awful stench emanating from the body next to him and hear the flies buzzing around him like dozens of tiny spitfires.
Gareth reached out a hand. ‘You want me to help you up?’
Mathew was about to take his brother’s hand when he caught sight of Jodie’s naked body. Saw the flies. The ants crawling across her face. Eyes staring at the ceiling.
‘Mattie?’
Mathew wanted to scream. Go back into the cave and hide with the bats.
‘Come on, mate, let’s get you out of there.’
He banged the floor. ‘She’s dead!’
‘Don’t think about that. Just give me your hand and let me help you up.’
‘I want to talk to the orb.’
‘You can later.’
‘Does the orb know who killed her?’
‘Come on, Mattie. Don’t upset yourself.’
‘The orb told me I need to put things right.’
‘Don’t worry about that for now. We’ll think about that later.’
Mathew’s brow furrowed, as if trying to underline his thoughts. ‘I didn’t kill her, did I Gareth?’
‘No.’
‘Do you know who did?’
‘No.’
‘I feel sick.’
‘Then let’s get inside. You don’t wanna puke and contaminate the crime scene, do you?’
‘No. But I want to kill those pesky flies.’
‘Me, too.’
Mathew’s chest swelled. There was a sudden pressure behind his eyes, pulsing down through his nose. And then the tears came. Hot and salty. He banged the back of his head against the shed wall, trying to make everything go away. Several pots lined up on the shelves danced to the rhythm of his heartache.
‘She’s only a little kid,’ he wailed, banging his head harder. ‘Dead. Dead. Dead.’
Gareth grabbed his wrists and tried to haul him up. He only succeeded in dragging his brother closer to Jodie’s corpse. ‘Come on, Mattie, help me out here. I can’t lift you up on my own.’
‘Mathew? Mathew Hillock?’ A new voice. Deep. Male. Breaking through the barrier of his grief.
‘He’s had one of his blackouts again.’ Gareth this time. Familiar. Kind.
‘We need to get him out of there and seal the shed off as a crime scene.’
‘I know. But please don’t do anything to hurt him. He’s got enough to deal with as it is.’
‘Mathew? My name is PC Harlow. Can you come out of the shed, please?’
‘I said someone would die,’ Mathew shouted, ‘but no one would listen. Now she’s dead.’
‘It’s okay, Mattie,’ Gareth said. ‘We’re listening now.’
‘I want to go back in the cave.’
‘What’s he talking about now?’ Deep voice again. PC Harlow.
‘It’s nothing,’ Gareth said. ‘It’s just where he goes when he’s having a blackout.’
Mathew’s mother and a plainclothes detective appeared behind Gareth and Harlow.
‘Am I in trouble?’ Mathew asked. ‘Am I in trouble, Mum?’