Leaving Home
Ren stood with his back to his friend’s packed Ute and waited for his father to stop ranting. The hot, humid day didn't help anyone's mood. At the end of the long path leading to the farmhouse, his younger brother, Theo, leaned against the front door.
Ren remembered seeing his father’s fingers tremble as he pressed the enter button to transfer his share of the estate from his mother’s Will and felt a pang of regret.
‘This farm’s been in our family for five generations, and you walk out as though it means nothing to you.’ His father said, defeated. You are the eldest. The farm should be yours. It’s what your mother would have wanted.’
‘Rubbish, Dad, don’t ever talk to me about what Mum wanted. She wouldn’t have become so sick if you had treated her better. On her deathbed, she said to follow my own path regardless of what you might think should happen, and that is what I intend to do. Theo wants to take over so, give it to him. I never wanted to be a farmer.’
‘Theo!’ his dad yelled. ‘All he can do is the accounts. The animals respond to you!
Ren turned when he heard the door of the farmhouse slam shut. ‘You don’t give Theo enough credit. I can’t stand the thought of farming animals! Never have and never will.’ Ren turned his back on his father who turned to walk away. ‘All you’ve done is put a wedge between Theo and me. One day it will come back and bite you on the arse, Dad. Let’s go, I really don’t want to be here anymore.’
‘Forget it! You’re on your own. Don’t come crawling back.’
Ren had heard that before, too. ‘Damn fool,’ his father continued. ‘Damn fool you lot, too,’ he said as he stormed past Jayden and Lia who had been pretending to have an enormous interest in the horizon.
‘You two could have talked some sense into him. Damn all of you.’
Jayden went to say something, and Ren gestured for him to stop. ‘Forget it, Jay. He won’t listen.’
Ren watched his father walk up the long gravel path that led to the homestead. He waited for the door to slam, and when it did, he turned to his two friends ‘That’s it,’ he said. ‘Coming?’
They squashed into the front seat of the Ute, Lia sat in the middle. ‘He’ll come around,’ she said squeezing Ren’s hand.
‘Maybe. Still—I worry about him here with Theo. He’s right, Theo is useless with animals, but I can’t be a farmer. I couldn’t stand it.’ Ren had expected to be more excited about moving out of home. He had his own place! Right on the edge of the forest, close to nature, like he had always wanted.
‘And you don’t have to,’ Jayden said. ‘Lucky ol’ you. Getting a house of your own. He could have disowned you.’
‘He didn’t have a choice; it was in Mum’s will. He is sad and angry but not vindictive,’ Ren said.
‘How about we start this new chapter with a housewarming party, Ren?’ Lia said, changing the subject. ‘I’ll do the food.’
‘Yes!’ Jayden agreed with fervour.
‘Not really in the mood for a party. Maybe later.’
‘Too much moping, Ren,’ Jayden said, thumping the wheel. ‘House-warming party next weekend. You must move into this new place as you mean to go on. Party time!’
‘We’ll see.’
Jayden sighed. ‘Fine. At least pick up a pizza on the way home.’
Ren didn’t say much more during the trip. The later it got, the darker it became. He stared out the window. The streetlights became fewer and the roads more isolated as they drove deeper into the country. The trees became a green blur as his thoughts drifted back to his mother and the happy times he’d spent on the farm.
‘You still sulking, mate? Come on, I’d be rapt if I had my place. Partying every night if it were me.’
‘Shut up! Jayden, it’s a big step moving out of home,’ Lia chastised.
‘It’s okay, Lia. Jay’s right, I should be celebrating. A lot of memories back there, I guess. Growing up with mum and dad. Huh! Even Theo had his moments.’
Lia turned to Ren ‘Yes, but he’s always been jealous of you, Ren.’
‘But now I’m gone, he can have the farm, it is what he wants.’
‘You think? Partly perhaps, but it is more like a desperate attempt to get approval from your dad. Even as kids at school, it was obvious’ Lia said.
‘It got worse once mum became sick. When we were younger, Mum tried to compensate for the high hopes he had for me. Dad made it so obvious. He virtually wiped Theo off in a lot of ways, and after Mum died everything changed.’
A few minutes of silence passed between the friends.
‘Jayden, stop!’ Lia screamed and grabbed Jayden’s wrist.
‘What the hell?’ Jayden hit the brakes, and the car swerved, skidding to a halt on gravel at the side of the road.
‘Yes, Lia! I see it too.’ Ren jumped out of the car and walked toward a shadowy mound on the opposite side of the road. He turned on the torch in his phone and saw a grey kangaroo lying still.
As he reached the other side, a speeding car with its headlights on high beam, sped past blaring its horn. ‘It’s idiots like that, who cause this!’
Jayden turned on his hazard lights.
‘Are you sure it’s even dead, Ren?’ Lia asked.
‘I don’t know yet.’ Ren reached the body and touched it gently. The body was still warm and blood pooled around its head. ‘It’s dead but not that long ago. I must check and see if it has a joey.’ Ren moved around to the front of the body.
‘Do you still have the number of the Wildlife hotline, Jayden?’
‘Already ringing,’ Jayden said.
‘Lia, I threw my towel and pillow from this morning in the back, can you grab them please.’ Lia brought the things to Ren who peeled off the pillow slip throwing the pillow aside. ‘Help, could you? I’m going to need two hands.’
‘Ooh…do I have to?’ Lia screwed up her nose.
‘Come on, Lia, please, I can’t do this alone.’
Lia squatted and hesitantly touched the pouch opening. Ren guided her hands toward the pouch. She shuddered as her fingers found the opening. ‘It feels squishy.’
‘It’s just thin skin, Lia. Please, ease it out—that’s it.’
‘Won’t removing it hurt the joey?’
Jayden had moved around with his phone torch on to add to the light. ‘They are pretty safe curled up in there, Lia.’
The light showed a joey, but it barely moved. ‘It has detached from the teat, which means we can safely remove it.’ He carefully supported its back, legs, tail, and head, which he covered immediately with the towel, and brought the pillowcase up around the joey. ‘It has some fur, so it might survive.’ The joey began struggling, and its strong back legs pushed into Ren’s stomach. ‘It’s a fighter, perhaps it’ll be alright after all.’
Jayden turned to see a van pull up. He squinted in the headlights but could make out a Fauna Rescue logo on the door. ‘They’re here, Ren.’
A middle-aged balding man stepped into the light wearing a fawn-coloured shirt and trousers. The same logo as the car showed on his sleeve. His kind hazel eyes matched a gentle voice. ‘Thanks, kids,’ the volunteer worker said. ‘I wish more youngsters had the smarts to do what you kids did. We’ll take it from here.’
Ren would never leave any animal here to die, Mr. er…’ Jayden shined the torch on the volunteer’s name tag.
‘Just call me Al,’ the rescue officer said.
‘I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?’ Ren interjected.
‘Yes, and I recognise your name, too, young man. You’ve saved quite a few orphaned animals, haven’t you?
‘He’s always saving animals, even butterflies from spider webs.’ Lia laughed.
‘…and birds from cats,’ Jayden added.
‘Shut up, you two! We need to get going.’
His face reddened in the shadow.
The other volunteer was a younger woman with thick, fiery red hair, pulled back in an untidy ponytail. Her large, green eyes, even in shadow, twinkled brightly. She grinned with a protruding overbite and took the joey from Ren.
‘Do you need your linen back?’
‘No, keep it for warmth, I have more.’
She nodded and winked at Ren. ‘Not too many youngsters even think about anyone else, but you’re different.’
Ren raised his eyebrows. Youngsters? She looks no older than me.
‘Here, you must be thirsty after that little ordeal.’ Al handed Ren a clean skin bottle of liquid. ‘It’s iced tea. My brew, hope you like it.’
‘Thanks. I hope the joey comes through.’ Ren picked up his pillow and brushed off the dirt. All three piled back into the Ute and continued to Ren’s place.
The home Ren chose had a charming country-cottage appearance, but it was larger and nestled among a forest of gum trees and wattles. It was set back a short distance from the banks of a creek. As they walked to Ren's front door, only the sound of crickets could be heard, while the three friends made several trips carrying boxes and smaller pieces of furniture inside.
The friends plonked several packed boxes randomly around the large kitchen-family area. Lia plugged in the microwave and reheated the pizza. They sat around eating pizza and chatting.
‘So, Lia, how do you think your interview went the other day?’ Jayden asked.
‘I got the position; didn’t Ren tell you?’
‘No, he didn’t.’ Jayden turned to Ren and frowned.
‘Sorry, Jay, I have a lot of things on my mind right now. Jayden, Lia got the position of assistant chef at Aurora Lounge, in Avondale,’ Ren laughed. ‘You could have rung Lia yourself, Jay.’
‘Real funny. Ren. You know me and phone calls. So, when do you start, Lia?’
‘Full-time on Monday. I’m on the late shift for the rest of this week. After that, I have a couple of days off. I’ve given Ren the number if you want to contact me.’
After pizza and coffee, Jayden offered to take Lia home.
‘You can stay here if you want and sleep in my room. I can sleep on the couch, and there’s one spare room for you, Jayden,’ Ren offered.
‘We should go, but thanks, Ren.’ Lia looked at Jayden. ‘Ready to go? Ren has had a busy few days.’
Jayden nodded. ‘It’s on the way home for me anyway.’
Ren said goodbye to his friends, then went inside. He looked around at the boxes waiting to be unpacked and sighed, shaking his head. That night, he flopped into bed, exhausted.
In the early morning, he jolted awake, drenched in sweat and suffering from a throbbing headache. Not this damn dream again, he thought feeling the weight of frustration wash over him. Vivid images filled his mind—animals fleeing in fear, their eyes filled with desperation, echoing the ominous sounds pounding in his head. Why is it always animals? he wondered, grappling with the emotional turmoil. Then, a gentle white stag appeared, illuminating the dark scene with its ethereal presence. Through its eyes, he glimpsed a dark figure hiding in the shadows, a presence that felt heavy and unsettling.
Through the slats of his vertical blinds, the moonlight cast a silvery glow over his black and white striped quilt, making it ripple like gentle waves. After a restless night, Ren gave up on sleep and shuffled down the dim hallway to the bathroom. Under the hot shower, the water washed away his tension. He wrapped a plush towel around his waist and cleared a foggy circle on the mirror, revealing the deep shadows under his eyes—clear signs of fatigue. I need more sleep. Dressed in his tracksuit pants, he entered the kitchen, grabbing the chilled bottle of iced tea. After taking several swigs, he pressed the icy bottle against his temple, relishing the cool relief. As he returned it to the fridge, the golden light inside illuminated the contents, casting a warm glow in the dim room.
Dampening a flannel and placing it on his forehead, he sank into his leather-look sofa and booted up his tablet, bringing up the news. Ren inclined back, closing his eyes as he listened to the usual muggings, murders and celebrity hype that filled the headlines.
A news flash interrupted the bulletins. The head ranger from the Forgotten Valley Reserve reported; That’s the Conservation Park I applied for work a few weeks ago. Ren opened his eyes and sat up to focus on the story. The flannel fell into his hand. He caught some of what the park ranger read in his notes.
‘Some strange things are happening here in Forgotten Valley Reserve. Some are even saying that they are connected to mystical forces around the protection of nature.' The ranger paused and took a deep breath. He discussed strange skirmishes between animals that normally co-existed and how others became entangled in fences, appearing to vanish or injure themselves as they struggled to enter the reserve.
‘I don’t believe this. Am I going mad? My dreams, these stories, there must be some connection.’ Ren said aloud to no one in particular.
Completely changed some of this story
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