Page 71 of Stockman's Sandstorm

‘I’d do the same with a shoe in one hand and can of bug spray in the other, while calling for security.’

They both lay back, laughing.

‘Are you okay now?’ Ash was so close, lying on the grass beside her.

‘Yeah, I am.’ She stared up at the sky taking a deep breath. ‘Thanks for that.’

‘You panicked.’

‘I did.’ She hid her face. ‘And you rugby tackled me.’

‘You were scaring the cattle, and Mason. I was worried.’

She could see it. ‘I’m sorry. In all fairness, this is new to me.’

‘I get it. But the good thing is with all your screaming and running around like that, I’m sure you’ve scared off all the snakes.’

‘Snakes?’ She scrambled to her feet.

Ash rolled around laughing at her, a perfect imitation of what Mason did when he was laughing hysterically.

‘Come on. Let’s go set up your tent.’ He tenderly held her hand and helped her past the assorted grasses. ‘Hey, at least you have your own scary spider story to share.’

‘You could have warned me.’

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. ‘Why would I do that? You wouldn’t have come then.’

Twenty-nine

Crickets chirped in her ear. Another insect of some sort buzzed nearby. Something crunched on the grass. A bat screamed as if it was being murdered. And a dingo howled like a werewolf. Even though she was inside a tent, it was impossible for Harper to sleep.

Meanwhile, Mason slept soundly beside her.

Frustrated, she bashed at her pillow.

‘Can’t sleep?’ Ash’s deep voice was close.

‘You know, I can sleep in some hotel beside a busy highway, or I can nap near the runway of an airport, but this …’ She waved at the darkness without a simple streetlight anywhere, but a silvery moonlight gently pushed back the darkest shadows, with their campfire on the other side casting a warm glow. ‘I never realised it’d be this noisy.’ Especially the brothers and Charlie, who were snoring heavily in their sleep. No wonder Bree was camped over on the far side.

Something cracked a twig, followed by a thump thump thump.

‘What’s that?’ Her heart hammered in her throat as she sat up, holding the sheet to her chest.

‘A wallaby.’ Ash unzipped the tent’s flynet door. ‘Move over.’

‘What are you doing?’

‘Climbing inside. Don’t worry, we’ll keep Mason in the middle.’

‘Why?’

‘Because you’re keeping me awake, jumping at every noise, when there is nothing out here.’

‘Wallabies are out there. And dingoes are out there. Oh, let’s not forget about the spiders.’

‘Harper, we have almost a dozen well-trained cattle dogs that will do their best to protect this camp. And I’m pretty sure Bree’s not afraid to shoot at things that go bump in the night. Now, sit up so I can slide your swag over, and let’s hope the boy doesn’t wake.’

She scooted to the far side, helping Ash slide her thick mattress across the floor of the tent. Mason didn’t stir.

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