Witi Ihimaera - Sky Dancer

“Boy,” Hoki said, “you sure go straight to the point.”

“You know me, I don’t do subtle. It’s better that you go.”

“Because of my crippled leg you mean?”

“You know as well as I do,” Bella said, “that I’m stronger, I know more about shotguns than you do and it will be better if I stay here to stop the birds getting through.”

“But I’ve never set foot outside Tuapa. You and me, we’ve never spent a night away from each other.”

“This is no time to be sentimental,” Bella said. She pointed to the seabirds, giant waves coming in and over the top of them. “Their momentum is picking up. You’ve got to go with Skylark. It’ll make it safer and easier if there’s two to share the driving.”

Hoki bit her lip. “I feel as if I’m being bulldozed into this. Besides, you don’t even sound as if you’ll miss me.”

“I’ll miss you,” Bella insisted. “Anyhow, this was your own idea, wasn’t it? Who knows what problems might crop up on your way to Birdy’s. So there’s no option.” She was talking quickly. “Do you think you two can start tonight? Travelling fast, you could just catch the ferry tomorrow morning.”

“Will you really be able to manage?”

“I’ll be fine,” Bella said. “I’ll keep one of the shotguns. If things get worse, Arnie can help me. You’d better take the other shotgun with you. Just in case.”

By evening Skylark and Hoki were ready. Skylark was having an attack of the nerves and went around muttering to herself, “I can do this, I really can do this.”

As for Hoki, she was still reluctant. She had packed some food, drink and blankets into the car and stashed the shotgun and ammunition in the boot. But what really rankled was hearing Bella ring up Arnie and tell him to come to help her in the morning. “You can’t wait to get rid of me, can you,” Hoki said.

Just as they were ready to leave, Bella saw that Karoro and Toroa were still on patrol.

“How are you going to get out of Tuapa without being seen?” she asked.

“We’ve got it all worked out,” Skylark answered. “I need to say goodbye to Mum before I go, so the seabirds will think me and Hoki are just visiting her. By the time visiting hours are over, it’ll be pitch black. That’s when we’ll make our getaway. Our main problem will be when morning comes. We’ll be on the coast highway. It borders the sea and is in the seabirds’ territory. That’s when we’ll be most at risk. If the seabirds see us —”

“They won’t,” Bella assured her. “Now go, both of you, before I —” Her face was streaming with tears. She was trying to act tough, trying not to show Hoki that she really would miss her. She kissed Hoki and traced her face as if she would never see her again.

Hoki saw through it all. On the way down the valley, she found herself being troubled by Bella’s tears. The further she drove, the more worried she became. “My sister’s never been able to survive without me,” she muttered to Skylark. “She depends on me to make the breakfast. How’s she going to get on without me? I should never have agreed to leave her to deal with the seabirds by herself.”

“Then you should stay,” Skylark said. “I’ll go by myself. I’ll be okay.”

“With the seabirds trailing you?” Hoki answered. “I doubt it.” She pointed to Toroa and Karoro still shadowing them on their way to Tuapa. “Like you, Skylark, I’m also between the rock and the hard place.”

But not for nothing was Hoki the brains of the outfit. By the time she and Skylark had reached the town she had an idea:

“You go on in and see your mother. I need to fill up the car and then I have to see somebody. I’ll be back for you at closing time.”

Skylark followed the scent of roses along the corridor and up the lifts and, sure enough, at the end of the trail was Cora, surrounded by more flowers. Even Daddy darling had managed to remember to send something from him and Rhonda. And Lucas too.

Cora looked like Snow White lying on her funeral bier in the middle of the forest. Zac had given her a toxic apple; she had taken a bite. Now she lay waiting for the handsome prince to kiss her so that she could cough it up.

Skylark felt like crying. “Oh, Mum, why does there always have to be a handsome prince?” Then she heard somebody behind her, and turned to see Dr Goodwin. “How’s she doing, doctor?”

“We’re just going to have to wait and see. Her body and her mind need time to sort out what they need to do. Sometimes it’s better to let nature run its course.”

“When will you bring her out of her coma?”

“Once she stabilises and her life signs are out of the red, we’ll do it then.”

“When will that be?”

“Perhaps next week,” Dr Goodwin answered.

“I’m relying on you to do it,” Skylark said. “If you don’t, I’ll put you in a coma and, believe me, you won’t want to come back, because I’ll take that stethoscope around your neck and strangle you with it!”

Dr Goodwin took a step back, startled at Skylark’s outburst. Then he steadied himself and accepted Skylark’s challenge. “It should be successful. But just in case it isn’t, I’d better not wear my stethoscope, right?”

Skylark nodded. Next week. Time enough for her to do what she had to do and get back.

An hour later, a bell began to ring throughout the hospital to announce that visiting time was over. Hoki returned — and with her was Arnie.

“There’s been a change of plan,” Hoki said. “Arnie’s going with you as your sidekick, not me.”

“Oh no,” Skylark answered. “If you can’t come with me, I’ll go alone.”

“No you won’t, “Hoki said. “Arnie’s going with you and that’s that. As for me, I’ll return to Manu Valley to help my sister. It’s better this way.”

“You think I’m happy?” Arnie asked. He frowned, but Skylark could tell that Hoki had been priming him to expect a great adventure. From the glazed look on his face, Arnie had already entered action movie heaven.

“We’re going to deploy the old decoy trick,” Arnie said.

“What did I tell you?” Skylark asked Hoki. “We haven’t even left yet and already Arnie’s testosterone’s pumping.”

Arnie bristled but decided to let it pass.

“Hoki will go out the front to her car and the seabirds will think you’re both going back to the valley. As for you and me, we’ll sneak out the back way, hop into my wagon, and we’ll be away before they know it.”

“I saw that movie,” Skylark said. “But there’s one thing wrong with your plan.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my plan!”

“The seabirds will see that I’m not in the car with Hoki.”

Arnie coloured. Take that, pimple-brain, Skylark thought. “Arnie’s already thought that one through,” Hoki said. “For some strange reason, he has one of those life-sized girlie dolls in the garage.”

“It belongs to Lucas,” Arnie said quickly.

“Skylark, dear,” Hoki raised her voice. “You’re just going to have to grow up. You’re going to have to trust that other people know better than you do about what to do. You’re going to have to trust me, and Arnie. And you’re going to have to help me out. Just the thought of leaving Bella is making me feel bad. I’m not going to leave her in the lurch. Is that clear?”

“As a bell,” Skylark snapped, “but I still don’t like it.”

Hoki turned to Arnie. “Wait half an hour after I’m gone. When you think the coast is clear, move on out. Don’t put on your headlights until you reach the coast road. When you reach Picton, call me. Shall we synchronise our watches? Check our coordinates?” Hoki knew how to push all Arnie’s buttons.