Page 47 of The Vanishing Place
She rolled her eyes. “It was that crazy dog.”
“Rex.” Lewis nodded as he sat up. “Last month he climbed the tree in Mrs.Bennett’s garden. Stayed up there the whole day, thinking he was a bird or something.”
Effie’s eyes widened.
“Honest to god.” Lewis touched a hand to his chest. “You can’t make this crap up.”
She frowned.
“Come on, bush girl.” Lewis jumped up and took her hand. “I’ll teach you to throw proper.”
Heat rushed through Effie’s face. Friendship rules were strange and tricky. Lewis was sort of like Tia and Aiden, just older—like a bigger brother. He said silly things that made her laugh and he made her mad sometimes too, like when Tia took her stuff. Except Effie wanted Lewis just for her, and she didn’t mind sharing things with him.
“Dad says I’m going to school tomorrow,” she said as they walked toward the grass pitch. “Will you be there?”
“Yeah. But you’ll probably be in the younger class. There’s only two teachers.”
“Is school good?”
“I like it.” Lewis shrugged. “Although it’s very uncool to say that.”
“Are you cool?”
He laughed. “I live in a caravan with my nan. And my best friend’s a nine-year-old girl who plays with possums.”
Best friend.
“I don’t play with possums.” Effie stuck her tongue out.
“Who skins them, then?” Lewis’s smile grew, filling his face.
“Have you ever killed a possum?”
“Nah. Killing things makes me want to vomit.”
“You’re weird.”
He shrugged again. “I guess so.”
“I thought all boys liked hunting.”
“I thought all girls wore dresses.” Lewis grinned. “And shoes.”
Effie punched his arm, and he laughed.
“I’ve had sandfly bites that hurt more than that.”
She frowned. “You’re an idiot.”
“Tell you what, you learn to throw this ball straight, then I’ll go hunting with you.”
“That’s a stupid deal.” She scowled. “That ball isn’t even round.”
Lewis laughed, and a tingling sensation spread through Effie’s stomach as they walked toward the field. The tall rugby posts appeared up ahead and she started to run toward them—determined to be first—but her body was jolted to a violent stop. A sharp pain shot through her shoulder as she was tugged backward, her arm almost wrenched from its socket.
“Ow.”
For a moment she thought it was Lewis mucking about. But as Effie turned, fear kicked in and she tried to wriggle free. It was a man, a stranger. His fingers dug into her wrist as he pulled her toward him.
