Winter Solstice Part 1
Three hours out of the city and the sun sittinglow behind them, Jayden and Matt entered the karri country. There they were,one minute driving past paddocks and scrub and next minute Jayden’s littlehatchback was enveloped in blonde, serried ranks of the enormous trees. Somevalleys the sun now failed to reach and these places were dark, the sky closedover with feathered, crown shy canopy.
‘It’sclaustrophobic ey,’ Jayden commented.
‘Intiger country now,’ Matt said. He’d been quiet on the trip south, not hisnormal cocky self, a lot of time spent looking at the blue screen of his phone,finding murder ballads on Spotify or glaring out the window.
Theycrossed the river into the old timber town.
‘Placeis just up here.’ Matt had the maps app open on his phone and Cave’s sombretone was replaced by a chirpy female voice: In 300 metres, turn left ontoSheffield Street. ‘Dunno why we even need an AirBnB, Jay. We’ll be out allnight anyway.’
‘Promisedmy Mum.’ Jayden didn’t mind admitting this to his best mate. Twenty four andstill beholden to his Mum but Matt knew why and didn’t tease him.
It wasan old mill house, one of many lined up like a little town, opposite theabandoned timber mill. Green shade cloth flapped listlessly against weatherboardwalls, presumably to block the afternoon sun on hot days. Smoke curled out of asteel chimney. The house looked like a rental and Jayden wondered how that evenworked. He stepped onto the veranda and knocked on the zed door. Matt stayed inthe car.
A manstepped out so quickly he must have been waiting on the other side of the door.‘Are you two the pickers?’ He looked at Jayden and then to Matt in the car. Hisface was curiously soft and hard, a criss cross of scars on one russet eyebrowbut his skin pale, like he’d stayed indoors all his life and still managed toget beaten up. About as pretty as a ditch, Jayden’s Mum would say.
‘Pickers?Nah,’ Jayden turned to Matt, avoiding the man’s raptor stare. ‘We’re headingsouth. Hopetoun tomorrow.’
‘Okay.Just don’t want any pickers stayin’ here. Fucken parasites. Come on, I’ll showyou the room.’
Nowthat the sun had set on the shortest day, the cold crept out of the earth. Theroom they’d paid for online was out the back of the house, a veranda that hadbeen converted into a sleepout using mismatched corrugated iron. It was cleanand freezing cold. A double bed, a small white plastic blow heater and anancient television.
‘Toiletand bathroom through here,’ the man gestured to what used to be the back door. ‘Andif you want to make a coffee in the morning, use the kitchen.’ For some reason,he reminded Jayden of Matt’s Dad. The way he spoke, a man who didn’t botherwith menace to be unsettling.
The manlooked at his phone. ‘Matt and Jayden,’ he said but still didn’t introducehimself. ‘Have a good night boys,’ and then disappeared into the house. Mattdropped his backpack and stared around him.
‘Whatthe fuck? Have you locked up the car?’
‘Let’s justhave a cone first.’
‘Not inhere mate. He’ll smell it. Also, I asked if there were two beds but there’sonly one.’ Matt’s gaze around the room and stopped at the wooden chair with asingle towel folded on the seat. ‘I don’t mind sharing a bed with you, mybrother but I’m not sharing a fucking towel.’ He stuck his hands deep into hishoodie pockets.
Jaydenstooped to flick the switch for the heater. Nothing happened. ‘Heater doesn’twork,’ he said unnecessarily and then tried the TV. ‘Maybe the power’s off outthe back here.’ From under the back door there was a thin strip of yellow lightand then a wisp of wood smoke from woodstove inside. There was a knock from theinside of the back door.
Thedoor opened inwards and the man stood, framed by light, holding a stack oftowels. He came in and set them down on the chair. ‘Need some extra towels, ey?’He went back inside the house and came out with an extension cord and powerboard. ‘Use this for the heater and telly.’
Afterhe’d left again, Jayden and Matt stared at each other.
‘D’youreckon he’s got a camera in here?’ Matt said.
