Witi Ihimaera - Sky Dancer

“Leave me, child,” she said. “It’s time you got dressed for tonight anyway.”

She kissed Skylark on the forehead, but held back her tears until the girl had left. Then, taking the blame on herself, she wept for the past, for the present and for the future. And she waited for her sister’s return.

“We’re in big trouble, Sister,” Hoki said to Bella. “I thought that having told Skylark all I know, she’d know what she’s supposed to do. She doesn’t. In fact, she doesn’t even believe me.”

“Can’t you tell her what to do?” Bella asked.

“No. I don’t know either.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? You’re supposed to know everything!”

“All I know is what is in the Great Book of Birds and what we’re supposed to do. All it tells us to do is prepare the chick so that she can prevent the seabirds re-litigating the battle of the birds. But the Great Book of Birds doesn’t say how.”

“You mean there’s no set of magic words, no ‘open sesame’ that she has to say? Or a magic wand that she can wave?”

“If there is, I don’t know what the words are or where to find the wand.”

“Skylark is the one, isn’t she?”

“I don’t know that either!” Hoki wailed. “She doesn’t think she is.”

“But she must be,” Bella answered. “You must be doing something wrong, Sister.”

“What can it be?” Hoki asked. “I’ve done everything in my power to open her mind so that she can walk into it and find the answers to her and our questions. But she is still on the threshold, the paepae, hesitating, and she doesn’t even want to go in.”

Bella was silent for a moment. “Well, there’s only twelve hours to sunrise,” she said finally. “All I can say is you’d better give Skylark a big push — and quick. ”

The day had been bad enough with its criss-cross currents of frayed tempers and wrong signals; the night was worse. With countdown already begun to dawn — not to mention the Bye Bye Birdie opening — everybody was on edge. So it was only to be expected that when Skylark went to Hoki and Bella’s for dinner, wires were still fizzing and crackling like electric circuits looking for connection. One look at Hoki’s face was enough to tell Skylark that the stubborn old woman hadn’t taken any notice of what she’d said earlier.

“I’m telling you,” Skylark said, “don’t even think about it. I’m not the girl you’re looking for, and that’s final.”

“If I were you,” Hoki answered, the glint of battle in her eyes, “I wouldn’t speak too soon, Miss Skylark O’Shea.”

“What she means,” Bella translated, “is that your conversation went in one ear and out the other.”

“What I mean,” Hoki corrected, glaring at Bella, “is that you may know you aren’t the chick, I may think you are, but it’s not up to us.”

“What she really means,” Bella translated again, “is that you shouldn’t tempt fate, because you could end up with mud in your eye.”

“Who is it up to!” Skylark asked.

Hoki drew herself up to her highest height. “It’s up to the Lord Tane,” she answered. “And do you,” she said to Bella, kicking her, “always have to be my echo?”

Hoki’s attitude left Skylark floundering for a response. In the end she just gave up. After all, how could you argue with a god? “Oh, suit yourself then,” she said.

When Arnie arrived he found himself caught in the cross-currents. He’d poured himself into slimcut jeans and black leather jacket, and, man, his boots must have cost him a month’s wages. Skylark had to admit he was an awesome looking dude.

“Hey,” she said, “you scrub up well.” Unfortunately she laughed, and Arnie assumed she was being sarcastic.

“Yeah?” he said. “Well, now that I’m closer up, my view isn’t so hot either.”

“Quit it, you two,” Bella reproved. “And you, Arnie, you should be more of a gentleman. Can’t you see how pretty Skylark is?”

Skylark was looking more presentable than usual. She had taken a serious look at herself and against her better judgement had decided it was time to renovate. She had put on her best jeans and a nice top, and she’d even added a plum-coloured vest. Not only that, but she had managed to get some curl into her hair — and was that just the hint of lippy? Not for long.

“I’d be a gentleman if Skylark was a lady,” Arnie said.

Skylark stormed back to the bach and into her bedroom. Off came the vest and back on went the favourite jersey. Next, splash, and the curls disappeared, and while she was at it, wipe, and gone was the lippy too. Just to make sure that nobody messed with her, jab, on went a badge: I’m Against Animal Testing (Stick Your Hypodermics Into Humans).

There, that should do it. Enter the harpie from Hell.

“I didn’t know it was Halloween,” Arnie said as Skylark got into his ute. “Who’s your date tonight? Festus Munster or Frankie Stein?”

“Get a life,” Skylark answered.

Tuapa College was ablaze with lights. The street in front of the auditorium was packed with cars. “Goodness me,” Hoki said, “the whole of Tuapa must be here. I’ve never seen so many people.”

“Well what else is there to do on a Saturday night?” Bella answered. “At least coming here will mean two hours of enforced birth control for everybody.” People were hurrying up the drive and past the sign announcing that Bye Bye Birdie was Sold Out.

“It’s because your mother’s in the show,” Hoki said to Skylark. She was trying to thaw the frozen continent that had lurched out of the sea between Skylark and Arnie by making happee happee talkee.

“Yep,” Skylark answered. “Star power. Mum was always big in the burbs. Pity that quality is wasted on some of the dumb ass locals, right Arnie?”

“What are you saying here?” Arnie asked, angry.

“Oh,” Skylark answered in mock innocence. “You didn’t wents to this college?”

“Quit it, you two,” Hoki interrupted. “I don’t know what’s got into you, Skylark, nor you Arnie. Behave, both of you.”

Further along from the auditorium the football field had been turned into a carpark for the evening. Arnie, hunched back in the driver’s seat, looked like he was tempted to score a few of the squeaky-clean attendants with the ute. “Don’t you dare,” Hoki said.

“Why not?” Arnie growled. He parked the ute, leapt out and slammed the door. “I’ll go and join my mates. I’ll see you all later.”

That was it. Hoki’s eyes narrowed and she compressed her lips. “You just come back here, nephew,” she ordered. “And don’t think you’re getting away so easily, Skylark.” She pointed one of her walking sticks at her. “You two are not children. You’re supposed to be two thinking adults, so act like adults. You, Skylark, you started it. Apologise to Arnie. Say you’re sorry.”

Skylark gave an incredulous laugh. “I will not say I’m sorry.”

Did Hoki give a toss? No. As far as she was concerned, legally speaking, Skylark had said the word required. She lifted her other walking stick and waved it at Arnie. “Skylark said sorry, so now it’s your turn. Say sorry.”

“It didn’t sound like sorry to me,” Arnie mumbled.

“Perfect!” Hoki barked. “Now let’s try to enjoy the rest of the evening, shall we?”

She marched off as quickly as her sticks would allow, leaving Skylark and Arnie gaping.

“I wouldn’t argue with her if I was you,” Bella whispered.

Reluctantly, Skylark nodded. Even so, as she watched Hoki negotiate the stairs to the auditorium she felt a mean idea enter into her head.

“Oh, topple over, Hoki,” she whispered.