I whistled quietly under my breath, the signal I’d worked out with my tracker, Gollo. As promised, he somehow heard it through the heavy night air, and came rushing to my side.
‘Yes, boss?’ he asked, just as quietly.
‘There,’ I pointed at a dark shape in the dunes ahead of us. ‘That’s what we’re after.’
‘How can you tell?’ he squinted, struggling to make out any details in the darkness.
‘Trust me,’ I whispered, smile crinkling the corners of my eyes. ‘That’s the one.’
We crept down the dune in that peculiar way Gollo had taught me, sliding on our knees to create as little noise as possible. Our prey didn’t seem to hear us, or react at all.
Good, I thought. It’s better this way.
Gollo’s fear got the best of him and he slowed his approach. It didn’t matter. I didn’t need him for this part.
Mere feet away, I lunged forward like a man possessed, reaching for the tarp I knew had ensnared the beast and flinging it away.
Gollo dropped to his knees at the sight, gesturing with his fingers and mumbling a prayer in his native tongue.
‘What is it?’ he finally asked, aghast.
‘That, my dear Gollo,’ I said with a triumphant grin. ‘Is a ute.’
‘A ute,’ he mouthed, then trailed off into prayer again.
‘And she’s a beauty,’ I breathed, stepping closer. ‘Look at that – the best ute canopy installers around Melbourne couldn’t touch that kind of craftsmanship.’
‘Melbourne, sir?’
‘Melbourne, aye,’ I nodded. ‘A far away place, too rich for the likes of us.’
Gollo nodded, eyes wide with fascination.
‘Hang on a second,’ I muttered to myself, as a small glint caught my eye.
‘What is it, sir?’ Gollo whispered, gasping as I took a step forward.
‘Just a hunch…’ my eyes narrowed. ‘I’ve seen something like this before – one of those under tray tool boxes for utes. But nothing like—’
My heart pounded in my chest as the great ute’s lights flicked on and the engine roared to life.
‘Gollo,’ I whispered past dry lips. ‘Run.’
I still haven’t finished my school project. I’m so exhausted. It is stressing me out a lot that I haven’t done the assignment yet. I don’t have much longer before I have to submit it and if I don’t get it done my parents are going to be really angry. They just don’t understand how hard it is to be young these days. I’m actually exhausted. I’m heartbroken. I’m numb. I can’t be bothered with anything and I just want to lie down for the next twenty-four hours straight. Unfortunately, I can’t do that but I really wish I could.