A red-eyed Zoe looked at Ruby and sniffed. “How do you cope? I mean, with what happened now and that other stuff. I just don’t know . . . how do you cope?”

“You don’t see what’s going on inside me, Zoe. I could’ve done without what happened to T1 and T2,” She swallowed and felt her chest tightening. “But I know it will be easier as time moves on. It’s a moment by moment thing.” Ruby took a deep breath. “Did you want a cuppa?”

Zoe nodded. “Yes, that would be nice.” She sat on a stool. “A moment by moment thing . . . yep, you’re right, moment by moment.” Zoe closed her eyes as to let her newfound strategy sink in.

Ruby found a cup. This one had a Queensland Police insignia on it with the motto With Honour We Serve.

“We really do need to appreciate our police force, don’t we? What it says on this cup says it all.” Ruby tapped the cup.

Zoe gave a soft smile.

“And mine.” Ruby lifted her cup. “All you need is love.”

“Love . . . you know I’ve heard people say God is love,” Zoe said.

Zoe’s comment surprised Ruby. Since being dug out of the ground she’d felt different. Yes, she’d been traumatised by that event and by the recent deaths of T1 and T2, but there was something going on inside her. There was some kind of peace moving in her. A spiritual thing, but she wasn’t sure what to do with it. 

And the voice that warned her—she believed that was a spiritual thing too, an angel. But her search for spiritual things had put her in the ground in the first place. She was surprised by her thoughts because she expected all this adversity would’ve turned her away from thinking on spiritual things, searching for spiritual things.

Zoe was scrolling through her phone. “Yes, here it is: Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” She looked up at Ruby with her eyebrows raised and soft smile. “My parents made me put a Bible app on my phone.”

Ruby gave Zoe her tea. “That’s right, your parents are Christians,” Ruby said. “So that’s saying we know God then because we ‘love’?”

“I’m not sure about that, Ruby. I love but I wouldn’t say I know who God is, and I grew up in a Christian home.”

Ruby thoughtfully took some sips of her tea. “You know, I think that’s what I’m searching for, why I got involved in the Wicca stuff. Trying to get reconnected to Mother Nature, who might be God.”

Zoe turned to look out the front window. Ruby could see tear streaks on her face.

“Maybe we should be seeking Father God, not Mother Nature,” Zoe said.

Ruby walked over to Zoe and gave her a hug. “But this week, I think you and I have seen what love is not. Evil is out there. It’s the opposite to love. It makes me shudder thinking what must be controlling the evil.”

Zoe looked up at Ruby. “Yes, Ruby, I think I’m going to seek out Father God.”

Ruby thought of the last week. Buried alive, attacked by a drug-crazed madman, and attacked by what else, she wasn’t sure. Maybe a wizard.

She also thought of the man who saved her life. She remembered him saying he hoped in time she would change her mind about visiting the island again.

“Me too.” Ruby felt a surge inside, small, but confirming. “Time to seek out Father God.” She would return to the island soon and tackle her demons.

<°)))><

Toby Watts sat on a bench at the Nambour railway station. A tourist poster informed him the town was named after a red-flowering bottle brush. He was thankful there was a picture of a bush, otherwise he would’ve been confused why a town was named after a brush. The town was situated a good hour’s drive from the city of Brisbane. He might come back here when his deeds were done, as the place had a nice feel about it. 

As he sat in silence waiting for the train, he sensed something strange. A vision of demons came into his mind as if he was near some kind of activity centre—a kind of portal. Some kind of disturbance here had affected the atmospheric vibrations providing a gateway for demons to enter the earthly plane. Or maybe he was way out of line. Maybe he was losing his mind.

He had parked his car a few blocks from the station, in a quiet and secluded street. The car would be found eventually.

The train trip took two hours. Quicker by car, but the car was no longer an option. Departure time was scheduled for 2.43 p.m. and arriving in Brisbane city 4.35 p.m. Plenty of time for rest and planning. He was on a quest. He thought of Ruby. He thought of his high priestess. He thought of his mother. He hated them all. Why? He wasn’t sure.

But he was a hunter and a-hunting he would go. Cartoons. He laughed. They must have brainwashed him. What was that guy’s name? Elmer Fudd. Such a funny name, how could he forget?

A-hunting he could go, but he wouldn’t be letting anyone go. Not this time. And he was going to ‘be berry quiet’.

52 – Home but not for long

IT WAS LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON when Jack finally got home. He sat in his car in the driveway, staring up at his house. He’d been awake since midnight and was exhausted. He needed sleep.

The front door to the house opened and Erica appeared and blew him a kiss.

Thank you, love.

He got out his car and walked up the pathway. The lawn needed mowing. He might do that one morning this week—he’d have a day off soon. He’d put on his headphones to drown out the sound of the mower, and the world.

He reached Erica and gave her a gentle kiss.

She touched his face. “Welcome home, love.”

Some energy returned. “And how’s my darling Erica?”

“Good,” Erica said, hooking her arm into his. “We have visitors.”

“Visitors?”

“Yep, just some friends from church. They were out for a walk and just dropped in. They wanted to meet you, and then they will be off.” She knew he was tired.

They walked into the living room to find a couple in their mid-fifties. The couple stood up, looking fit and healthy in their matching walking clothes. Jack looked forward to the day when he could throw on some suitable attire and just chase after the wind.

The man put out his hand. “Peter Thomas.” Jack shook his hand. “And this is my wife, Cassie.”

Cassie gave Jack a sweet nod.

“Nice to meet you both.”

“We know you’re a busy man, Jack, so we’ll leave you in peace. We just wanted to meet you as your lovely wife speaks so highly of you, and it’s always good to put a picture to a face,” Peter said.

It was good to know Erica was still saying nice things about him after the week he’d had. They’d had.

“No need to rush off. I’m okay at the moment, but if I fall off the sofa then maybe it’s time to leave.” He ushered them back to their seats.

“Anyone want a refill? I’m sure Jack would like a coffee,” Erica said, touching Jack’s shoulder.

“Yes, please.” Jack reached over and grabbed some cheese and crackers from the platter on the coffee table. This room was light, so different from the dark, dark place he came from. He could still feel the dread that had swamped him.

The guests agreed to a top-up of water.

“From what I can gather from the media, you’re having a busy week, Jack,” Peter said.