LEITH AND THE LURKING EVIL

I FROZE.

Here was my would-be attacker holding out his hand, apparently in friendship. His lips went up at the corners, forming a smile, but I didn’t buy it. Before I knew how to react, or how to act, I felt his powerful grip around my bony fingers. It felt like my hand was being squeezed in a vice.

“Sorry about before,” he said lightly, as if apologising for having broken wind. “I ... lost it a bit. It’s just that ... well, you were hanging back in the bushes about the time Mut arrived, and I thought you might have been ... fraternising with one of the girls. Camp is meant to be fun, Leith, and we want our young people to be safe. You told me you were talking to Leigh Nichols, and I happen to know we have no such person here. I’m willing to let that go. But just so you know, fraternising is very strongly frowned upon here. In fact, it’s forbidden. By order of Dr Grieg.”

“Who is this Dr Grieg?” I asked, retrieving my hand and shaking it till it regained circulation.

“You’ll meet him tonight. At the campfire. If we survive the hike back. Come on. We’d better get started.”

Ant walked in front. That was fine with me. I didn’t want this psycho at my back. Not while there was a chance that he might pick up a rock or a log, or just wrap those powerful fingers round my neck. I watched him closely as we plunged through the undergrowth. He was like a tracking device, never missing a step, as if he’d been brainwashed by Dr Grieg to be sure he could find his way back to camp from any point on the compass. Like a homing pigeon, I thought. At that, I couldn’t help but giggle.

“Something funny back there, bush-buddy?” he asked without turning around.

Oh no. I hated when he asked me things, especially if the word buddy was involved. “No,” I said, hoping he would not cross-examine me.

Suddenly, he turned around and knelt down in front of me. “You know, Leith, no matter how it may have looked, I wasn’t going to hurt you back there. I only wanted to talk to you. I would never have hit you with that oar, not in a million years. I was just testing you.”

Not believing a word, I nodded. This was neither the time nor the place to tell him I thought he was unhinged.

“I know you don’t believe me. That’s why you lashed out. Knocked me overboard. We lost our boat because of you. But I want you to know that ... I understand. You were afraid, no matter how wrong it was of you to feel that way.”

How wrong? This guy had threatened to bash my skull in, and would have, if I hadn’t saved myself. Somehow, I kept nodding.

“But to show there are no hard feelings, I’m going to pay to replace the canoe out of my own salary. And I’ll cover for you with Dr Grieg.”

Cover for me? Whoever this Dr Grieg was, I felt sure he wouldn’t approve of one of his head counsellors trying to mangle one of his new campers. If fraternising was forbidden, attempted murder must be at least a sackable offence.

“Thank you, Ant,” I heard myself saying. It was only my first day at camp, and I’d already learned something about survival.

He started to stand. “You’re welcome, bush-buddy,” he said, grabbing my shoulder in a friendly gesture. Again, I felt his power. This man could take me apart like a baked chicken if he wanted to. He could strip the flesh off the bones and throw them away like garbage. I strengthened my resolve not to make him angry. We were still a long way from camp. “So let’s agree not to mention this to anyone. I’ll square it with Dr Grieg, and no one else need know. Agreed?”

“Sure,” I said, throwing in a smile for good measure. “Thanks, Ant.” I could be just as phoney as he was. At the first opportunity, I was going to write all this down in a long letter to my parents. The Grouper Islands might be a long way away, but somehow I’d get the news out.

Ant turned back around, straightened up and took one step---

---as the shadow under his foot came alive---

---reared up and went for him, sinking its fangs right up to the gumline in the back of his right hand---

---as the flash of red on its belly caught my eye---

---and I recognised it as one of the world’s most venomous snakes. These things could kill just by spitting on you!

Ant caught the serpent in his left hand, snapped its neck with a crisp crack, and threw it into the undergrowth like a used Kleenex.

“Damn things! They’re everywhere this time of year.”

“Ant, that was - wasn’t it? - a red-bellied---”

The terrified sound of my voice was cut short by his hearty laugh. “A red-bellied black? No, my young friend - thanks for your concern - but that was a harmless tree-snake.”

“I’m sure I saw the red diamond shape when it jumped at you.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Well, I do - I saw it---get a knife, suck the poison out! Here - you can use my shirt for a tourniquet---”

“Leith, stop your fussing. There really is no need. It wasn’t a venomous snake. Dr Grieg teaches us what the dangerous ones look like. Besides, it hardly even broke the skin.” He held out his hand.

There wasn’t much of a mark, just the faintest suggestion of puncture holes. Yet I was sure I’d seen it get its teeth into him like my dad attacking a steak. My dad. A great, goofy guy who made plenty of mistakes, but put the wellbeing of his family first. Unlike Ant, who didn’t seem to have a family, or to care about anyone, even himself. Was it possible the snake was harmless? Could I have been wrong?

Ant was showing no symptoms. A red-bellied black would have had him in convulsions by now. He should be sweating and screaming, not trying to calm my fears. Maybe I’d mistaken a glint of sunlight for a diamond-shaped marking as it sprang. It had all happened so fast.

“Tell you what, bush-buddy - if I don’t make it back to camp alive, I want you to take my watch to Dr Grieg and tell him it was my dying wish that you be allowed to fraternise with as many girls as you like for the rest of the summer!”

I forced a smile. I hoped no harm would come to him. I really did, in spite of my unkind thoughts. Like most people, I can think about getting revenge, but I wouldn’t really do it. At least, not that day. It was only later that I was to return to my earlier opinion that Ant ought to be stepped on ... or at least left out for the creatures to gnaw upon.

It was half-past four by the time we got back to camp. As promised, Ant had not dropped dead due to snakebite, poison ivy, or even an encounter with the legendary Henry. I’d kept my eyes peeled the whole time, on the lookout for many things, but most of all hoping for another glimpse of Adam. It didn’t happen.

Ant was still powering along at an even clip, showing no signs of fatigue. Exhausted and starving, I dragged myself behind him like a worn-out puppet. All I wanted was a cold shower and a hot meal.

“See you at seven for the barbecue,” Ant called cheerily as I hauled myself into my cabin and he went marching tirelessly onward.

“What happened to you?” drawled Ray, looking up from a Mensa paperback.

“Went swimming,” I said, stripping down to my underpants and climbing into my bunk, where I fell asleep, face-down, and dreamt about strangers.

The hot smell of sausages and burgers tickled my nostrils awake. I cried out, rolled over and groaned. My watch said seven twenty-five. Man, was I hungry - I wanted to eat until I burst!

I quickly dressed in the empty cabin and headed out to the campfire. There must have been over a hundred kids. Lots of noise and excitement amid the crackle of the campfire. And best of all ... lots of grub!

I’d shovelled down two hamburgers, four rissoles, a side of coleslaw and a large Pepsi before I started to slow down and take in what was happening around me. I saw Mut talking to a group of boys, Broody talking to a group of girls, and Ray delivering a speech to anyone who would listen about how spies crack codes by rearranging the letters in words according to certain patterns. Ray could be quite interesting, I thought as I listened in, but he had no clue when to stop. Even the best speech needed a conclusion. Ray seemed to think endings just naturally came about ... when there was nobody left within earshot. Though there was one short, nervous-looking kid who seemed to be hanging on every cryptic word. Maybe Ray had found a friend.

With a shrill blast of her (no-longer-waterlogged) whistle, Mut strode forward into the glare of the campfire. “Listen up, please!” she barked in her usual nasal twang. “I have news - something that concerns us all ... something wonderful has happened!”