Pete(10)‘Intervention Plan’ (Young adult; adventure/sci-fi) — Peter S.Wall
February 18th 2008 08:19
SEVEN
'Let the games begin'
"Bluey, let's go!" Tomas stood outside his dog’s kennel rubbing his hands together for warmth. It was 6:05am, and the sun hid behind a ridge of cloud that hugged the horizon.
Bluey roused in an instant, and scrambled out to join his master.
"G'day mate, " said Tomas, "how you going this morning?" He ruffled the fur on Bluey’s head.
Bluey wagged his tail and stretched. He felt good.
Then they were off, running down the shortcut path.
Overtaking Tomas in two bounds, Bluey reached old Ma's a few seconds later and jumped the wire fence. He was eager to see how his little terrier mate was faring after the 'rabbit incident'.
Bluey stopped before the basket, panting. He could see where the rabbit bit Scruffy on the head by the missing patch of fur and red welt. The injury didn't look too bad. Bluey barked twice, which in dog language meant: "Are you ok?"
Scruffy groaned.
"Come on Blue!" Tomas called, leaning against the rusted fence. He didn’t want to be late for footy practice.
"Arf, woof woof," Bluey barked, which meant: I'll check on you later. Then bounded down the steps and jumped the fence, racing ahead of his master.
As Bluey ran into the mine grounds, he slowed down to a nervous trot and began sniffing the ground around the spot where the rabbit had attacked Scruffy. Not knowing what he expected to find, the strange map-thing activated in response, this time showing a green-line 3D layout of the mineshafts directly below him. There was no flashing red-dot and feeling of fear like before, just a shining blue-thing directly beneath him.
"What's up now, Bluey?" Tomas said, stopping to watch his dog. "Come on, the guys will be waiting." He shook his head and started to jog down the path.
"Woof Woof!" Bluey barked, which didn't mean anything really except maybe what the! He then trotted after his master with the uneasy feeling that there'd be more to do with that strange blue-thing, stirring inside. He had an idea it is somehow linked to the rabbit that took a bite out of Scruffy. But that thought would have to wait.
As the sun poked its head above the clouds and bathed Jim Allen Oval in golden light, eight boys and a dog rolled-up to the change-sheds. It was a poor turn out, considering there’s sixteen in the team and the Finals are only three games away. In attendance was Toby and four others from the forward pack, the rest, including Tomas, were backrowers. Even the captain was missing.
The best playmaker in the team after Pete is Tomas. He quickly took charge, deciding they would side-off in a game of touch. He then split them into two teams: two forwards and two backs a side. Of course, Tomas picked Toby for his team, and his friend jogged over to him with a smile creasing his fleshy face.
"Bluey seems to be alright this mornin', Tomo," Toby said, and tried to cuff Tomas over the left ear, only his little mate was too quick, easily ducking under.
"Yeah, suppose so," answered Tomas, delivering a light kick to Toby's rear end.
Before play started, Tomas scanned the oval for Bluey, and started to worry when he couldn't locate him. Then he spotted the white tail, over behind the change-sheds. Bluey was sniffing around, as usual. “Don’t you go off anywhere, Bluey,” Tomas yelled. Then the football came flying at him from the kick-off.
Bluey was onto the scent of another dog. He is sure it's Libby the white Labrador from Haig Street, only there was something strange about her smell, unnatural. It was enough to send him into a mad frenzy.
Bluey followed the scent trail along past the change-sheds, and across the oval to Monash Street, then down into the creek-bed, and up. One of many small streams dissecting the steep slope of the escarpment, the creek ran under the road and rail-line up to its source, a ravine one mile up and into the rugged rock-face. So engrossed in following the strange scent, Bluey didn't realise where he was until the pipe-culvert running beneath the road enveloped him in darkness.
At 8.15am, Tomas called an end to practice. He stood at the change-shed looking around for Bluey, when Toby came out shouldering his bag. "Come on, we'll miss the bus,” Toby said. The two boys, along with four others, caught the bus to school—and it was due in five minutes.
"Did you see Bluey heading home?" Tomas asked his friend. His dog usually waited for the two boys to board the bus, then wandered on home.
"Yeah, I seen him heading across the end of the oval, but that was a while ago,” Toby answered.
"Hmm, that's strange," said Tomas.
"That dog of yours is strange," Toby said, slapping Tomas lightly on the back. "Come on."
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