The Birthmark Page 9

  He looked behind him. The light above the shed lit up the first section of the carpark. Rows of vehicles sat half in shadow. He saw a movement beside a Landrover at the edge of the carpark. Girls, trying to hide. He watched carefully to see if they moved again. There were three of them and Hector could guess who they were from their silhouettes and the pale limbs of one of them. Stupid! What was Lily doing out at night? Still, it was his big chance now to act cool in front of her. He’d go and find a cigarette, that’s what he’d do.

  Hector slunk along the wall of the shed. As he reached the corner of the building he looked towards the girls’ hiding spot, but they’d faded into the shadows. He turned the corner, still looking over his shoulder when, bwack! He collided with another boy.

  It was Jonah, the footy hero from Pago. He wore a sleeveless sports jacket with the hood pulled over his head and he held his cigarette between thumb and forefinger.

  ‘Got a smoke, Jonah?’ Hector asked, as cool as he could.

  Jonah took a cigarette from inside his jacket and passed it and his own cigarette to Hector. Hector pressed the two together, pulling deeply and quickly, delighting in the red sparks that shone in the darkness. So cool, don’t need a match—are you looking Lily?

  ‘Want to come in?’ Jonah asked. ‘We’ll stay over by the back door and you can choose some music.’

  Hector hesitated. He wanted to see what the girls did next. Before he could answer, something flicked against his leg.

  ‘Hey, who’s chucking stones?’ Jonah said.

  Hector spun around. He could just make out a shadow behind one of the motor scooters. ‘Over there,’ he pointed, and together they walked over to the bike.

  Lily got to her feet and stood awkwardly in the spotlight.

  ‘Hi, Lily, what are you doing here?’ Jonah said.

  ‘Just checking the place out.’ She fiddled with the scooter’s mirror as she talked.

  ‘I didn’t think you’d come here,’ Jonah said. He ran his fingers through his spiky hair and seemed to puff out his chest. A bit like a rooster, Hector thought. And then he understood. Lily was interested in Mr pretty-boy Jonah. And from the way he was talking to her, flashing his toothy smile and posing with his bulging biceps, Jonah was interested in Lily too.

  Hector felt the hot sting of jealousy. He became oblivious to everything they said, and they said a lot. Lily smiled and fidgeted, all the while watching Jonah, and laughing at his jokes. She was too bold, so conspicuous in the light, her eyes shining in its glare. She was fearless, that’s why she thrilled Hector so much. But now as he watched, he thought she was just plain dumb.

  ‘I’d be careful, Lil. Cyrus said he’d come tonight,’ Hector lied, interrupting them.

  Lily looked at him with distaste, as if he was some kind of annoying insect. ‘Bullshit,’ she said flatly.

  ‘No, true.’ Hector had often seen her younger brother peering through the windows when the nightclub was rocking. He wouldn’t be surprised if Cyrus did turn up at some stage tonight.

  Lily turned to Jonah. ‘I suppose I better go. Mum will kill me if she knows I’ve been here.’

  Jonah nodded and smiled at her. ‘Thursday then, at the Pago volleyball courts.’

  ‘OK, see you there,’ she said. Then she dashed back into the shadows.

  Jonah slapped Hector on the shoulder. ‘Well, you coming in or what?’

  Hector made an excuse about a stomach-ache and strode off home. His head spun with rejection. Why Jonah? Why pretty-boy Jonah? Thursday, eh—Thursday they had a date. Well Hector knew what to do. He’d turn up too, and do his best to make sure that Jonah looked like a shithead.

  twelve

  Yamek District

  6 March 1943

  Tarema returned to the lean-to at sunset carrying a large orange shape, a ripe pumpkin. He set it down in front of their mother who stared at it vacantly. Tepu didn’t like her reaction. Over the past few weeks she’d done a lot of sitting and staring. Now she’d been presented with the equivalent of a treasure chest: a whole pumpkin. His mouth watered just looking at it, but she didn’t even blink.

  ‘Where did you get it from?’ Tepu asked his brother.

  ‘They steal our house, I steal their pumpkin,’ he said, leaning heavily on his knife, slicing the vegetable in two. Tepu couldn’t help but laugh, only the seriousness of the crime changed his tone. ‘They’ll catch you, Tarema, and then they’ll hurt you.’

  ‘They won’t catch me, I move like a rat in the night.’ Tarema was thin and agile, and his nose was pointy. Tepu could imagine him twitching it like a rat. ‘Yes, but rats gnaw and keep people awake. One day a quiet cat will be waiting. Be careful, Tarema.’

  ‘I will. What about you? You walk around the forest at night, too. But I never see you come back with any spoils. What are you up to?’

  Tepu considered telling him about the ancestor bird. Then he thought better of it. Tarema would only want to come along. He’d ruin things, frighten the bird away or maybe it wouldn’t come at all. Then Tarema would think he was crazy.

  ‘I’m scouting the forest, looking for patrols. One day I’ll lay a trap for them,’ he said.

  Tarema’s face lit up, excited at the thought of sabotage. ‘I’ll come with you.’

  ‘No, it’s best if I work alone. What if they catch us both, then what good would it do?’

  Tarema looked offended. ‘You don’t want me to come because you’re really a spy, right?’ he whispered.

  ‘Don’t ever accuse me of such a thing,’ Tepu spat.

  ‘Well, prove to me you’re not. Take me with you tonight.’

  Anbwido

  Wednesday 30 June 2004

  There she goes, off to the shower block. She’s trying to avoid me, Lorelei thought. She’s stayed at Decima’s no doubt, but who knows what sort of mischief they’d been up to. They probably met with her thief of a boyfriend late in the night.

  Lorelei hated it when Lily didn’t come home to sleep. It was OK when Lily was a child, but now she was a young woman, she couldn’t be trusted. Neither could Decima. Besides, they had a room for her here and even if Amos wasn’t home at night, then Rongo and Eldon took care of the place, made sure no boys came prowling about. She was really slipping, young Lily. She needed a reminder, she needed sorting out.

  Lorelei pushed herself up from the armchair. Her insides were queasy from too much beer the night before. She’d have to go to the toilet anyway, she’d catch up with Lily when she came out from the shower block.

  As Lorelei walked to the kitchen her head pounded with every step. She held her hands to her head and squeezed in a futile effort to stop the pain. Why did she do it? She had to tag along with Daphne, had to go and drown her disappointment from the bingo. Still, one day she’d win. One day she’d win the thousand dollar jackpot or a fridge.

  Yeah, a new fridge, that would be excellent. She opened the old one and sniffed at the cool air. She looked for comfort, but there was nothing: no beer, nothing except cold rice. She slammed the door shut and examined its surface. There were rusty spots and patches where the white paint had chipped away. Dots of black mould grew down the sides. Yeah, she could do with a new fridge. And when she’d won it, she’d stock it full of beer and fish and throw a party.

  Shit, what a party it was last night! All that dancing, and singing too. No wonder she felt sore all over. And what time was it when she got home? Maybe after four in the morning, but her sons were asleep in the lounge room in front of the DVD player as she lurched down the corridor to her room. And in her bedroom there was nothing but the mattress on the floor and a crumpled sheet. Amos was missing again. Why didn’t the bastard stay home and look after the kids? But no, once again he’d gone to the shanty town in Dabweg where his young lover stayed. Lorelei wouldn’t see him till late Wednesday night, if she was lucky. Amos the stupid arsehole, he was never home, never did his share.

  She walked outside into the midday sun and screwed up her face to block out the glare. Sh
e headed towards the shower block. The door opened.

  Lily stepped out, holding a towel. Her hair was tied to the side in a thick wet plait soaking her T-shirt.

  ‘Where do you think you’re going, princess?’ Lorelei snarled, grabbing her daughter by the arm.

  ‘Nowhere.’ Lily tried to pull away from her and skidded in the coral. Her towel fell in the white sand that powdered her feet.

  ‘Nowhere? Like off to see your little boyfriend.’ Lorelei began pulling her towards the house.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Is that where you were last night, you trut—off with that chicken thief?’

  ‘I was not, don’t be stupid. I was at Decima’s.’ Lily tried to wriggle free but her mother’s fingers pressed into her arm.

  Fury boiled inside Lorelei. ‘Stupid, am I? You dare call me stupid. Don’t you talk to me like that, you trut.’ Lorelei dug her fingers in harder, determined to make her daughter cry out. She would suffer for the insult.

  ‘Let go of me!’ Lily screeched, pulling away.

  Lorelei anchored herself in the gravel and tried to haul Lily back towards her, but she was surprised at her daughter’s strength. ‘Get in the house!’ she screamed at her.

  The woman’s face was warped with rage. If only she could get a good grip on Lily, she’d thrash her till she bled. She’d hit her so damn hard she wouldn’t be able to walk. But the stupid girl had sunk low into the coral threatening to topple Lorelei over.

  She shouted down at her in a blast of alcoholic breath, ‘Get up, you stupid bitch!’

  Lily clawed at the loose coral with her free hand. As Lorelei tugged at her, Lily threw a fistful of crushed rock and dust into her mother’s face.

  ‘Eeeooow!’

  Lorelei recoiled as the gravel flew at her, but she was too late. The grit bit into her eyes, stinging as she covered her face and howled, furious that she’d been outwitted.

  thirteen

  Yamek District

  6 March 1943

  Tepu stared at the ground for a long time, avoiding his brother’s eyes. He knew the night-time absences must have looked suspicious. He didn’t want to take his brother into the forest and scare off the ancestor bird, but he didn’t want Tarema to think he was a spy. Tarema’s words hurt him more than he was willing to show. There was no other way to prove his innocence except to take Tarema with him.

  ‘OK, tonight, after she sleeps,’ Tepu whispered, glancing towards their mother who sat at the edge of the lean-to, staring into the darkness.

  Later, when they heard her soft snoring, the boys crept out into the forest. It was a cloudless night and they made good progress, thanks to Tepu’s knowledge of the terrain.

  Soon they came to a rough track Tepu had cut through the vegetation at waist height. Tepu had to crawl through most of it but Tarema, being smaller, simply crouched to keep up.

  ‘You must never show anyone this track,’ Tepu said, ‘it’s our secret.’

  ‘Where does it lead to?’

  Tepu didn’t tell him about his small shrine in the pinnacles where he went to chant. Instead he told him about what lay beyond, high in the cliff.

  ‘There’s a Jap camp on top, where the officers rest. I’ve scouted around the bottom of the cliff and I know a few ways to climb up. It’s steep and overgrown and they hardly ever patrol it from this side. I guess they think it’s inaccessible.’ He held his fingers to Tarema’s mouth. ‘Listen, you can hear them. I think they all get drunk up there.’

  ‘Let’s go up!’ Tarema could scarcely contain his excitement.

  ‘It’s not safe, they might hear us.’

  ‘Not if they’re drinking they won’t,’ Tarema whispered, slipping away from Tepu’s warning grasp.

  ‘Tarema, come back!’ Tepu called as loudly as he dared. He cursed after him. Why did he let his brother manipulate him? Now Tarema would be caught for sure, or fall and injure himself and it would be he, Tepu, who was to blame. He would have to stop him. Summoning his courage, he scrambled along the track after him.

  Anbwido

  Wednesday 30 June 2004

  Lily ran across the road and headed for the Witch Track. She knew her mother wouldn’t follow her, but she wanted to be as far away as possible. Before she knew it she was on the path that led to Christina’s house. Better there, than at home with Lorelei. Besides, her mum would never think of looking for her in Government Settlement. She smiled with relief at her escape from Lorelei and rubbed her arm. It was throbbing from the attack. The other thing to smile about was how her mother knew nothing about Jonah.

  She couldn’t believe how bold she’d been attracting his attention last night. But it had worked; he’d come over to talk to her. When she’d analysed it all with Decima, they both believed he’d talked to her as if he couldn’t get enough of her eyes. ‘He likes you,’ Decima said, and Lily had asked her again and again to explain why she thought so. And every time Decima answered, Lily felt her chest bursting with pride. He’d talked to her about the music, tried to convince her to come inside, offered her a cigarette. But she’d been frightened and Hector had warned her about Cyrus and told her it wasn’t safe.

  Bullshit Hector. She shouldn’t have believed him. She hadn’t seen Cyrus this morning but she was certain he’d stayed home last night with Amos. Dumb shit Hector. Maybe something would have happened if she’d stayed there with Jonah. But really she knew he was right to warn her away. There were too many eyes in the dark.

  And the funny thing was, Lorelei still thought Lily was Hector’s girlfriend. Ha! The idea suited her well, kept Lorelei misinformed. Her mother would never know that she and Jonah had arranged to meet at the volleyball tomorrow. She tried to hold that moment in her head for as long as she could. Me, me—he wants to see me! She was so happy she wanted to shout.

  ‘Hello!’ Christina said, startling Lily as she approached the Lowrys’ back door. Christina walked out from the wash house, her pale thin arms straining to carry a load of wet washing.

  ‘Hi. You got in all right then?’ Lily said awkwardly. They’d walked her home along the Witch Track last night with the torch light failing. Bad batteries, Christina had said. It didn’t matter that Decima swore she’d just bought them. No matter what they said, they couldn’t convince Christina that the Witch Track was haunted.

  ‘Yeah, Dad was waiting up for me but I told him I’d been at Decima’s. I don’t think he guessed anything.’ She hauled a wet sheet onto the line and began pegging it out.

  ‘Dad didn’t get the washing finished this morning, so I have to do it.’

  Lily was shocked—Christina’s dad did the washing! Amos had never done any housework in his life. Well, men just didn’t do any in Tevua. Washing was a woman’s job.

  ‘Want to go for a walk?’ Lily asked.

  ‘Where to?

  Lily shrugged. ‘We’ll see if Decima’s at home.’

  ‘OK, just let me finish hanging this up.’

  ‘Sorry if I’m disturbing. Can I help?’ Lily said.

  Christina grinned and handed her a peg. ‘Sure. I don’t like doing the washing and you’re not disturbing me. Besides you’re welcome here anytime.’ Then she added with a serious tone, ‘whenever you need to, you know… escape.’

  Lily was astonished. What did Christina know? Had Decima talked about Lorelei? Maybe she guessed anyway because of Lily’s black eye, or the red marks on her arm where her mum had grabbed her. Lily shrugged again and mumbled a thankyou.

  Lorelei had always said white people looked down on Tevuans: exploited them, abused them. Although Christina hardly knew her, she was offering friendship and hospitality. Not at all like what her mother had warned.

  Twenty minutes later they reached Decima’s house, only to find it shut up, a contrast to the noise and chaos of that very morning when Lily had left. She called at the front door and listened for any movement. Nothing. Frustrated, Lily swore and slapped her hand against the doorframe. Where were they? Australia? No, the pl
ane didn’t leave until tomorrow. It must be Auntie Eide. Something must be wrong.

  ‘They’re at the hospital,’ Hector called from the track. ‘I saw them leave about half an hour ago. Eide blacked out. Come to my place. I’ve got cold water.’

  Lily scowled. Hector was beginning to irritate her. She wanted to talk about last night again with Decima, not hang around with him.

  ‘OK,’ Christina said, ‘I’m dying of thirst.’

  Lily opened her mouth to object but Christina was already walking up the track to Hector’s hut. Reluctantly, Lily followed.

  Hector’s grandfather was unpacking fishing gear from his jeep.

  ‘Catch anything, Ibu?’ Hector asked.

  ‘A bad day, just one rainbow runner. I gave it away.’ The old man turned to look at the girls and smiled his rubbery smile.

  Lily returned the smile but she came no closer to the house. Her mother’s words reverberated in her mind: Riki was crazy and she shouldn’t associate with him. But why should she believe anything Lorelei said? All her mother wanted to do was keep her in the house and thump her.

  If she could think of an excuse to leave then she and Christina could go somewhere else. But how would she convince Christina? Her new companion was happy to spend time with Hector and Riki. It would be rude to drag her away, just like her mum had done to her. She decided to wait for the right moment.

  ‘Never mind, Ibu. We want water, it’s so hot today,’ Hector said as he disappeared inside.

  The old man chuckled, ‘Go ahead. It’s a good day for swimming at the channel, Hector.’

  ‘You take us!’ Hector said from the kitchen.

  ‘Well, wait for me to finish,’ Riki said and he walked around to the back of the hut.

  Hector motioned from the door for the girls to come forward. Lily hesitated, but followed Christina to the steps of the hut and drank the cold water he offered. The chill was like a thread of ice snaking down her throat. If she was this hot now, imagine what it would be like at the channel? It would be cooler in the forest.