As I watched the Portal from my spot at the Drop Zone, I couldn't help but admonish myself for the umpteenth time. "Stop checking," I muttered under my breath, my gaze drifting towards the vacant gateway again. Despite my internal scolding, the truth was I couldn't help myself. The anticipation of Beatrix bringing another caravan, coupled with her impending journey to Broken Hill, had me on edge, a mix of excitement and nervous energy coursing through me.
I found myself aimlessly rummaging through the various items scattered around the Drop Zone. It had become my default location, not out of preference, but necessity. With two Guardians now regularly bringing supplies, the area was increasingly cluttered with random objects. I rolled my eyes, recalling my recent disagreement with Luke about his habit of collecting odd items. I wasn't sure if he and Beatrix had discussed this peculiar Guardian trait, but their sporadic contributions, no matter how impractical, like Glenda's violin, did provide some sense of normalcy in our bizarre new world.
My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the roar of an engine and the screech of brakes. A ute skidded to a halt, kicking up clouds of orange dust as the Portal’s colours dissipated behind it. In my hands, I fiddled with a small bag of white and orange golf balls – a find that seemed amusingly out of place in our dust-laden world. I smirked at the thought of hurling the balls at Luke as a playful reprimand for his random collections.
Watching Luke and an unfamiliar man exit the ute, I observed them in a heated exchange that seemed to end in a standoff. The new arrival caught my attention, and I pondered whether to introduce myself or wait for the situation to unfold further. As the man began to hesitantly approach the Portal, I felt a sense of déjà vu, imagining the confusion and bewilderment swirling through his mind.
I sighed, knowing all too well the overwhelming sensations he was likely experiencing. If he lingered too close to the Portal for an extended period, he'd probably hear the eerie whispers that had unnerved so many of us upon arrival. And in the worst-case scenario, well, I preferred not to dwell on that.
With a sense of responsibility weighing on me, I decided it was time to intervene. I made my way towards the man, ready to offer some semblance of guidance and support in this strange new reality. As I approached, I prepared myself for the barrage of questions and the inevitable shock that accompanied every new arrival to Clivilius. It was a routine I had become all too familiar with, yet each new face reminded me of the gravity of our situation and the role I had inadvertently taken on as a sort of ambassador in this strangely familiar world.
As the Portal erupted into a dazzling display of swirling colours, my heart raced with a mix of fear and urgency. The golf balls I had been toying with fell from my hands as I yelled a warning, "Get out of the way!" My legs propelled me forward, arms flailing in a frantic effort to prevent what I feared was inevitable.
The man's contact with the Portal's charged energy sent him flying through the air, a helpless puppet to the Portal's violent whims. He landed heavily, his body skidding across the dust, leaving a trail in his wake. While the physical pain from the Portal's zap might have been bearable, the real danger loomed as a motorhome burst through the Portal, its brakes screeching in a futile attempt to halt the momentum.
"Shit!" I gasped, my voice choked with dread as I sprinted towards the scene. The motorhome's bulk loomed over the man, ominously named Adrian by Luke, who was now trapped beneath it.
Together with Luke, we hastily lifted Adrian's shoulders, pulling him clear from under the motorhome. Beatrix, appearing visibly shaken, rushed to our side, her voice laced with concern, "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"
I quickly scanned Adrian for injuries, but it was Luke who first noted the absence of blood. Holding up three fingers in front of Adrian's face, I asked, "How many fingers am I holding up?" His response was nothing but a croaky sound, his eyes glazed and unfocused. Concussion, I diagnosed silently.
Luke's next words caught me off guard. "He's high. And most likely dehydrated." A pang of frustration hit me. Luke knows I despise drugs, yet here we were, dealing with a drug-addled newcomer.
"Everything okay?" asked Nial, as he and Kain arrived at the scene.
"Can you two take him back to camp?" I requested, my mind still reeling from the incident and Luke's revelation.
"Shit! Adrian. What the hell are you doing here?" asked Nial, stepping in front of Adrian and slapping his drowsy face several times.
Nial's recognition of Adrian and his subsequent reaction only deepened my concern. "You know him?" I asked, a mix of relief and worry colouring my tone. Would the two of them get high together? I wondered, a tight know twisting my stomach like a pretzel.
Luke's casual remark about Hobart's smallness did little to ease my anxiety. As Nial and Kain assisted Adrian, I silently nodded, my thoughts preoccupied with the camp's safety and the necessity of the fences we so desperately needed.
I watched them leave, a sinking feeling in my chest. The absence of delivered fence supplies only added to my growing unease. With each passing day without adequate defences, the danger lurking outside our camp felt more ominous, more pressing.
I turned to face Luke, my expression a mixture of disbelief and frustration. We needed to talk, and it needed to be now. The safety and well-being of our community depended on it, and with each new arrival and complication, the stakes only seemed to get higher.
The chaos unfolding around us was like a scene from a frenzied dream, but it was all too real. Beatrix's fiery interrogation of Luke captured my full attention. "What's going on, Luke? Why the hell is Gladys in a bloody car chase with the police!?" she demanded, her eyes blazing with a wild intensity that matched the severity of her words.
Car chase with the police? The words echoed in my mind, a mixture of disbelief and frustration swirling within. This was beyond anything I could have imagined.
"Things didn't go quite according to plan with Adrian," Luke admitted, his usual calm demeanour faltering under Beatrix's fierce gaze.
"Clearly," I retorted, my thoughts racing to the implications for our safety and the delayed fence order. The situation was spiralling out of control.
"We chased after him when he took off," Luke explained, but his words did little to quell the rising tension.
"You couldn't just let him go?" Beatrix's voice was sharp, her disapproval evident. I shared her sentiment, questioning the necessity of their reckless pursuit.
Our attention was momentarily diverted by a commotion near Adrian's ute. "I'm just getting the rest of my gear," Adrian snapped, pushing Nial away aggressively. My anger flared, a scorching heat rising to my cheeks. A drug addict causing trouble in our camp – this is the last thing we need.
"He'd already seen the Portal," Luke tried to justify his actions. "I know he's high, but didn't think it was wise to let him go. Who knows-"
"Wise?" Beatrix cut him off, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You didn't think it was wise to let him go yet you had no qualms with racing through the streets and attracting the attention of the police?" Her words were like a verbal slap to Luke, and I silently commended her for calling him out.
"And how did you get him here?" I asked, my curiosity piqued about how they managed to escape the police, especially with Luke's notorious lack of driving skills.
"We came through a wall of the toilet block at Myrtle Forest," Luke revealed.
Beatrix’s concern quickly shifted to her sister. "And my sister?" she asked, her lips pressed into a tight line.
Luke's response only heightened the tension. "I told her to run," he said, his face contorting with anxiety.
Beatrix’s reaction was swift and scathing. "Fuck's sake, Luke!" she scolded, striding towards the Portal, which flared back to life.
"Where are you going?" Luke tried to intervene, but Beatrix was already gone, her exit marked by a defiant gesture and the sudden dimming of the Portal.
"You're not going after her?" I asked Luke, surprised by his lack of action.
He shook his head, seemingly unfazed. "She'll be back pretty quick," he assured me, but his calmness did little to ease my concerns.
The argument near Adrian's ute escalated, the sound of a door slamming and the engine revving filling the air. Nial stood resolutely in front of the vehicle, trying to contain the situation.
"Ridiculous," I muttered under my breath, my frustration with Luke nearly boiling over. The urge to confront him physically was strong, but I restrained myself. This was not the time or place.
As I made to leave the chaotic scene, Luke's sudden grip on my shoulder stopped me in my tracks. His fingers dug in uncomfortably, a physical manifestation of the tension that was building up between us. I stared him down, my eyes conveying a mix of shock and frustration.
"They'll be fine," Luke insisted, but his words did little to soothe my growing concern for Beatrix and the unfolding situation.
A heavy frown settled on my face, my enthusiasm dampened further by the recent events.
"Wait here for her, won't you?" Luke’s request felt more like a command than a suggestion. "And you?" I asked, acknowledging his request with a reluctant nod.
Luke's expression grew troubled. "I need to go back to the Owens'. The first delivery of that fence order you and Nial made yesterday is supposed to be delivered today."
"Is that safe?" I couldn't help but ask, even though I was relieved to hear the fence order was still a priority.
"I don't have a choice. You need that delivery." Luke’s words were a stark reminder of the precarious balance we were trying to maintain in Clivilius.
I let out a resigned sigh. While I understood the necessity, the thought of Luke putting himself in danger, especially with the police involved, didn't sit well with me. "Be careful, Luke," I said, my concern evident.
"Always," he replied, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.
Watching him vanish through the Portal, I felt a pang of helplessness. The idea that I couldn't protect my younger brother from the consequences of police involvement was a bitter pill to swallow.
Climbing into the driver's seat of the motorhome, the new leather scent provided a brief moment of solace. I allowed myself a moment of calm, putting aside the thought of another long drive back to camp. Where Beatrix got the funds for such a luxurious vehicle was a mystery best left unexplored, I mused, given the morning's dramatic turn of events.
My mind then wandered to a new idea, one that seemed both foolish and selfish. Bringing our parents and siblings to Bixbus appeared increasingly appealing. With several portal locations now registered in Adelaide, it would be easier for Luke to make contact. "And dad is so wise," I whispered to myself, envisioning the positive impact he could have on our settlement. If he managed the Drop Zone, it would free me up to focus on Bixbus's growth.
The thought of bringing my children, Mack and Rose, to Clivilius followed. If my parents were here, the idea seemed more feasible. A chuckle escaped me at the thought of leaving Claire behind. Our marriage was far from ideal, and perhaps Clivilius offered an unexpected escape from a difficult situation.
My reverie was interrupted by the ongoing commotion at Adrian's ute. In a moment of frustration, I blurted out, "no more bloody drugs!" The words echoed in the empty motorhome, a stark reminder of the complex challenges we faced in our new world. As leader, I realised the gravity of my responsibilities, not just in managing supplies and logistics, but also in maintaining the well-being and safety of our small community. The weight of these responsibilities settled heavily on my shoulders as I prepared to rejoin the unfolding drama outside.
