Sister Heart (12 page)

They hidin' under there

Gilgies?

She nods

I'll lift that branch

you catch 'em

Nancy heaves

Splash!

I jump in

throw gilgies on the bank

Four gilgies!

Get Janey

says Nancy

Get Emmy and Dot too?

Nancy shakes her head

Nuh, I'm dodgin' 'em

They like gilgie too much!

I rush back

Find Janey sitting with Tim

in the crying tree

You got medicine?

I ask Janey

Yeah

Nurse made me swallow oily stuff

Just gotta bad cold

I'll be okay

Janey doesn't look okay

I bend down

speak soft

Nancy got better medicine

Janey and Tim

follow me through the bush

I walk slow

so Janey doesn't hurry

Hey, prickly little sou'wester

Nancy calls

Want some fat gilgie?

Janey sits near the fire

We all eat gilgie

This a good place for gilgies

Nancy says

You fellas catch lotsa gilgies here

Okay?

Janey looks up

Why you tellin' us?

They sendin' you out to work

Nancy pokes out her bottom lip

Been told I'm the next girl to go

but I'm makin' me own plans

I'm takin' off

You fellas won't see me for dust!

Janey was right

Nancy is running

Tim gets up

Hugs Nancy

Gunna miss ya

Cut it out, little fella

She pushes him away

You make me blubber!

Nancy leans forward

Listen, Janey

you gotta get well

Before I go

I need some stealin' done!

Nancy belly-laughs

gets us all giggling

Janey told me

her most secret secret

Her real name

I told her

my most secret secret

My real name

We promised each other

to keep our secret secrets safe

Me and Janey are good

at keeping special things safe

Sun is burning

brighter and brighter

Days are getting

warmer and warmer

Birds are calling

louder and louder

feeding their hungry babies

But sun's heat

can't fix Janey

Gilgie meat

can't fix Janey

Janey shakes

chokes

spits

sweats

her head hurts

her skin burns

her ears ache

Tonight

Janey's bed is empty

Last night and night before

Janey's bed was empty too

Nurse put her in the hospital ward

Tonight

I am squeezing my laughing stone

sometimes it helps to hold something

sometimes it makes me smile

but not tonight

I am just too lonely for Janey

If I was home

Mum would help Janey

If I was home

my aunties would help too

Rub her chest

Give her bush medicine

I gaze at Janey's empty bed

Imagine helping Janey

Imagine telling her

what my mum tells me

when I am sick

Ssh, ssh

you'll feel good by sunrise

Nurse is mad at me

Annie

you were wrong

to bring Tim here

Neither of you can see Janey

Tim wipes his eyes

with the back of his hand

But I ain't seen her for three days!

I can't let you see her

Janey's caught influenza

like some of the other children

You must stay away

We don't want more sick children

in the hospital ward

Do you understand, Annie?

I suck my cheeks in

give a liar's nod

Timothy, do you understand?

Tim glances at me

gives a liar's nod

Run along

both of you

Don't come here again

Tim runs ahead

chucking stones

yelling

She's my sister, Annie!

He rushes back to me

We'll see Janey, huh?

Yeah, Tim!

Next day

when school is over

and jobs are done

me and Tim

sneak back

to the hospital ward

We peer through a side window

Inside kids are coughing

crying

sleeping

Where is Janey?

Tim

taps

a secret brother–sister beat

Someone moves

A head pokes up

Janey!

She spots us

Holds up her hand

Me and Tim grin

Janey's got her laughing stone!

Behind us

a voice growls

What do you children

think you're doing?

Nurse!

We spin around

Her face is red with madness

Annie, you are old enough

to know better!

Do you want

to get sick?

Do you want

Tim to get sick?

Anyone can catch this illness

You could catch it!

shouts Tim

Nurse waves her arm

GO!

Nurse told on us

Me and Tim

are being punished

Jobs

jobs

jobs

Sweep

mop

wash dishes

scrub pots

Nancy says

Stop worryin', Annie

Janey's strong

she be back soon

but if you keep helpin' Tim

with his jobs

they'll give him more work

He'll be down on his hands and knees

scrubbin' the floor

Poor kid'll be worn out!

Tim is already worn out

I am too

But I've got to help him

I glare at Nancy

Nancy frowns

When you first come here

Janey was strong for you, ay?

That why you helpin' Tim?

'cause he's her little brother?

you bein' strong for Janey?

I nod

Nancy shrugs

I ain't gunna argue with that, Annie!

Sometimes

ya just gotta do

what feels right inside

Every night

I am strong for Janey

Every night

I send her moonlit messages

Stop coughing

Eat

Laugh

Be brave

Come back!

Every night

I sing for Janey

in my language

Nancy creeps to my bed in the dark

Annie, you singin' too loud

Teacher only likes English

You forgot or what?

Didn't forget

Just don't care!

Listen

some girls got sharp ears

Some girls tell on you for a sweet!

Like Janey got told on

when she stole them glasses

Teacher got a bag of sweets

that's why some kids tell her stuff

You sing like a bird, Annie

Reckon your songs fly to Janey

You keep singin'

but sing real soft, ay?

Don't want you to find trouble

you get what I'm sayin'?