‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
37
The following day Zac looked up to see Taylor returning from his training session minus the gag and with his broken finger bandaged up into a splint. Once he’d been returned to his usual position, the man who’d brought him in pulled something from a pocket.
“Here,” he threw it to Zac.
Zac’s eyes widened when he realised what it was.
“Thanks,” he frowned slightly, more than a little curious.
Taylor turned to him as the man walked out, and Zac held up the bottle so that he could see. Once they were clear of earshot Taylor shook his head.
“I wasn’t expecting that.”
“You and me both,” Zac opened it to check the contents, “how’s the jaw?”
“Still hurts,” Taylor rubbed it absently, “it cramped up so many times last night.”
“So I heard.”
Taylor gave him an embarrassed glance.
“Sorry.”
“I’ll live.”
Taylor bit his lip at Zac’s choice of words.
“Zac…” he began cautiously, “I think we need to…”
“Need to what?” Zac frowned as Taylor couldn’t finish what he was about to say.
Taylor took a deep breath as he gathered his thoughts.
“There’s a distinct possibility – almost a certainty in fact – that one day one of us is going to leave this room and not come back.”
“Preferably both of us at the same time, on our way home,” Zac interjected.
“You know what I mean,” Taylor shook his head, “I think we should at least think about… you know, saying something?”
Zac paused as he caught onto where his brother was going.
“I’m not saying goodbye to you Tay,” he frowned, “not now, not ever.”
“Zac…”
“No,” he said forcefully, “look, I was bleeding to death in the middle of the woods and you didn’t say it to me then. So I’m not going to accept it now. I’m the first to admit that our current situation isn’t exactly all that reassuring, but it’s not exactly life threatening either. At least not immediately.”
“But for how much longer?” Taylor said with genuine concern.
“You don’t think Ike’s on the case?” Zac’s eyebrows rose.
“Of course I do, and I know he is,” Taylor assured, “but Zac, look at where we are. This isn’t exactly a spur of the moment operation. We aren’t just lost in the middle of nowhere somewhere, this is something that has obviously been established for a long time. I mean, over three hundred people have been through here? And no one found any of them?”
“They also didn’t have Isaac Hanson looking for them,” Zac offered him a smile.
*
Isaac was pacing in Rick’s kitchen when his phone rang again.
“Davison? Give me some good news.”
“Your wish is my command,” his voice came down the line, “we’ve finally finished viewing the alley footage. Details are sketchy, and it was definitely dark, but we found their van. We’re hitting the traffic cam trail tonight.”
“Here,” he threw it to Zac.
Zac’s eyes widened when he realised what it was.
“Thanks,” he frowned slightly, more than a little curious.
Taylor turned to him as the man walked out, and Zac held up the bottle so that he could see. Once they were clear of earshot Taylor shook his head.
“I wasn’t expecting that.”
“You and me both,” Zac opened it to check the contents, “how’s the jaw?”
“Still hurts,” Taylor rubbed it absently, “it cramped up so many times last night.”
“So I heard.”
Taylor gave him an embarrassed glance.
“Sorry.”
“I’ll live.”
Taylor bit his lip at Zac’s choice of words.
“Zac…” he began cautiously, “I think we need to…”
“Need to what?” Zac frowned as Taylor couldn’t finish what he was about to say.
Taylor took a deep breath as he gathered his thoughts.
“There’s a distinct possibility – almost a certainty in fact – that one day one of us is going to leave this room and not come back.”
“Preferably both of us at the same time, on our way home,” Zac interjected.
“You know what I mean,” Taylor shook his head, “I think we should at least think about… you know, saying something?”
Zac paused as he caught onto where his brother was going.
“I’m not saying goodbye to you Tay,” he frowned, “not now, not ever.”
“Zac…”
“No,” he said forcefully, “look, I was bleeding to death in the middle of the woods and you didn’t say it to me then. So I’m not going to accept it now. I’m the first to admit that our current situation isn’t exactly all that reassuring, but it’s not exactly life threatening either. At least not immediately.”
“But for how much longer?” Taylor said with genuine concern.
“You don’t think Ike’s on the case?” Zac’s eyebrows rose.
“Of course I do, and I know he is,” Taylor assured, “but Zac, look at where we are. This isn’t exactly a spur of the moment operation. We aren’t just lost in the middle of nowhere somewhere, this is something that has obviously been established for a long time. I mean, over three hundred people have been through here? And no one found any of them?”
“They also didn’t have Isaac Hanson looking for them,” Zac offered him a smile.
*
Isaac was pacing in Rick’s kitchen when his phone rang again.
“Davison? Give me some good news.”
“Your wish is my command,” his voice came down the line, “we’ve finally finished viewing the alley footage. Details are sketchy, and it was definitely dark, but we found their van. We’re hitting the traffic cam trail tonight.”