Skyquakers Read Online Free PDF Page B

driving, sand boarding and quad-biking
here. He had no time for those pleasures, so to him, the sands were a bleak
reminder of the dead void he was walking into. It was frightening, being unsure
of where he would wind up, if he ’ d make it through before dying
of thirst or succumbing to some horrible accident. What if he sprained an ankle
or broke a leg? What if he was bitten by a snake? Never mind the Skyquakers : this place was deadly enough on its own and the
number of dangers ahead was innumerable.  
    Shortly after noon, after a can of tuna and half a Mars bar,
he found the turnoff to the national park. He had been here a few times before
for picnics, and once for a school trip to learn about wildlife, but not in
years. The winding paths and hiking trails took him through a welcomingly cool
wetlands, dense with tall – albeit, dead-like – trees, enormous lakes, and
green pastures. It was a hidden Eden in the country’s red centre, and upon
arrival Ned was very tempted to simply set up camp and spend the rest of his
days here, fishing from the pier, reclining under the shade and taking in the
magnificent, uninterrupted serenity.
    There was a body of water across the wetlands called Parry ’ s
Lagoon. It was incredibly picturesque, dotted with floating lilies and
surrounded by long grasses and some sort of pink desert flower. The lagoon
dried up from time to time, but for now there was adequate water in it, and it
glistened under the sun so invitingly. There was a trail marked out for
tourists, but to hell with that! Ned marched through the scrub towards the
water without the need to abide by those rules anymore. Grass whipped against
his legs as he skipped through the bushes towards the green slither of
vegetation that ran like a vein through the heart of the desert. He expected to
see wildlife here; Parry ’ s Lagoon was initially a bird
habitat, but of course, there were no birds anymore. There were frogs though,
as well as lots of bugs, and he bet he would find small fish here too. The
lagoon was a popular camping ground, giving Ned the fleeting idea that perhaps
he may find friends here. Perhaps little campers in tents had been missed by
the scanning beams, failing to recognise them as the same intelligent beings
who lived in towns and cities.
    He came to the edge of the lagoon to a typical campsite by
the water. A tent was set up, and around it was an eski ,
three deck chairs, a barbeque, and other junk. Their 4WD was still there,
parked nearby. He did not see people yet.
    ‘Hello! ’ he called out. ‘ Anyone
here? My name is Ned! ’
    No one replied. They could all be fishing, he thought, or
doing their business in a far-off bush.
    He stepped closer and examined the setup. Two of the deck
chairs were tipped over. The tent had collapsed at one end. The ground looked
as though there had been a big scuffle.
    ‘Hello? ’ he asked again. He saw
sausages in the eski . They were very off, with
hatched maggots writhing through the meat. Nope, they were beamed; if they had
left on their own accord, they would have gone by car. Their clothes were still
here, hanging by a line, as were their torches and beer, which had boiled to
such a high temperature that it had begun to foam and leak out of the can.
    Ned saw a fishing rod by the water. Useful, he thought. He
was not sure what he could catch in the lagoon, let alone if it was edible, but
he decided it may be a handy addition to his survival pack. He also saw
something else by the water: someone ’ s shoe was stuck in the scrub
on the other side of the lagoon, floating sideways amongst the overhanging
grass and shrubbery. Curious, he moved towards it. He went ankle-deep into the
water and felt the cool sensation run up his legs. The lagoon was calm, not too
grotty-looking, and fresh too. The cool water was too much to resist, so he
ditched his backpack at the bank and walked in gently. The water quickly went
up to his waist, then shoulders, and then he was