The Phoenix Chronicles Omnibus

MUD GRAVE

Chapter One – Unsinkable Mud

That’s the one! The one with the red sail, Kevin ‘K’ Larson stated firmly.

Tony Davis peered at his best mate from under the old, blue sailor’s cap that he’d pulled low over his eyes.

The red one? Are you nuts? he asked incredulously.

"Alright, if you know so much, which one do you think’ll win?" K shot back.

Tony sat back, tipping his battered cap up as he scratched his ear. His blue eyes looked critically over the fleet of eight small sailing dinghies as they beat up the river. The brown-skinned, black haired boy beside him had thrown down the challenge and there was no way that Tony was going to rush his decision.

He’d always been interested in boats – his grandfather was a sailor after all. Some of his best memories were of years ago when his Grandpa Sam still had the Lady, a small sixteen foot sailing dinghy. They’d spent hours sailing in the bay below his house.

Those days, though, were long gone. The Lady had been sold and now all that was left was his old, blue hat with a ship’s wheel emblazoned on it, a gift from his Grandfather.

Concentrating on the race before him, Tony could see that the red-sailed boat that K liked still had to come about which would put her on a port tack. The rules of the ‘road’ meant that she’d then have to give way to the white-sailed one and that’d put her too far behind.

And while the white one could win, he wasn’t willing to bet on it.

Green sail! he finally declared.

No way! K retorted. Bet you a buck red’ll win.

You’re on, Tony agreed, glad that his pocket-money had gone up last month.

The boats were already close to the finish line and with money now on the line, both boys jumped to their feet. Their voices escalated as the little fleet grew ever closer to the line. Just as he’d predicted, the red-sailed boat came about and immediately got stuck in traffic, having to quickly luff to avoid a collision.

By the time that it’d sorted itself out, both the white and the green-sailed boats had shot past it, crossing the finish line almost simultaneously.

Oh, crud, K huffed, kicking a rock into the water.

Pay up, Tony gloated, hand outstretched.

Oh, ah, could I, ah, pay you tomorrow? K mumbled into his toes.

Yeah, no worries, K, whenever, Tony replied, as he remembered that no-one in Kevin’s family ever seemed to have much money. Told you green’d win, though.

Yeah, yeah, alright, K conceded. Maybe you should be the one out there sailing in those races.

Just one problem. No boat, Tony pointed out. What I wouldn’t give for one, though.

Must be nice being out there, being free like that, Kevin remarked.

You’ve got no idea, Tony replied wistfully.

Hey, guys!

Tony and Kevin turned. Jogging along the path towards them was their best friend, Tom Parker. Ambling along in his wake was his twin sister, Belinda-Jane and her best friend, Dana Johnson.

Tom and Belinda, or BJ as most people called her, were as similar as twins could get, at least in looks. Both were tall and slim. Their light brown hair matched their eyes, although BJ’s hair was long, reaching half-way down her back, whereas Tom’s was short.

In every other way, though, they were as different as chalk and cheese.

Where Tom loved moving about, doing anything sporty, BJ preferred being quiet, reading and doing her schoolwork. You’d most often find BJ in a library; Tom, you’d find out on a field, especially if it was soccer season.

With how different they acted, most people were surprised at how well the two of them got on. It helped that they intrinsically understood each other and occasionally even spent time in each other’s ‘world’.

As strange as it was to see Tom and BJ together, it was stranger still to see BJ and Dana together.

Where BJ could be thought of as a ‘girlie’ girl, Dana was all tomboy. She was almost the same height as Tony, with shoulder-length brown hair, hazel eyes and a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Whatever she did, whether it was playing sports or down the river fishing, she did to win.

Word around the school was that she even learnt karate, but no-one, not even any of the boys, had wanted to test her out. Dana took her desire to be the best with her everywhere, even into the classroom, where only BJ could rival her for the top grades.

From the first moment that Tony had seen her on the soccer field and then later in the classroom, he’d thought that she was perfect. Not that he’d ever tell her that.

Catch anything? Tom asked, nodding at the fishing gear beside Kevin.

Nah, came down too late, Tony answered.

Yeah, and there were a couple of those speed boats around, K put in. Reckon they scared all the fish away.

What time’d you get here? Tom asked.

Not ’til nearly nine, Tony replied.

Way too late, Tom grunted.

Hey, Tony greeted the two girls as they sat down, BJ beside him, Dana beside her.

Hi, Tony, K, BJ greeted. What are you two up to?

Just watching the race, K answered idly.

The five of them sat in silence for a time, watching the life on the river.

The eight sailing dinghies had split up after the race, most being beached on the far bank, while a couple sailed off around the bend. A speed boat sped up and down in front of them, a skier doing what Tony considered some pretty ordinary tricks behind it. A large houseboat chugged slowly downriver, a couple of small kids dangling fishing lines from its stern.

None of these sights was new to them, not even to Dana, who had only been living here for a year. The town’s whole life seemed to revolve around the river, especially during the Benga River Festival when almost the entire town’s population could be found either in the water or beside it for three days’ straight. Even the school backed right onto the river.

Oh, look, the Dork Patrol! an obnoxiously loud voice bellowed.

Tony was on his feet in a flash, only a split second behind Tom and K. BJ and Dana also stood, facing the three huge boys waddling towards them.

Don’t start, Price, Tony warned the largest.

For his part, Steve Price seemed to take that as permission to do his worst. A sly smile split his chubby face even as he hitched up his jeans.

Why not? What are you going to do about it? he taunted, nudging his cronies, Brad Smythe and Grant Longman in the ribs.

Tony stared back, determinedly not backing down, but not provoking the big thug either. He’d suffered enough beatings over the years to be wary of starting anything.

All of them, except, of course, for Dana, had been in the same class as the three bullies all their lives. These days, Steve, Brad and Grant spent most of their time pushing the younger kids around. But that didn’t mean that they didn’t enjoy provoking their old punching bags whenever they had a chance.

Nothing, huh? Didn’t think so, Steve continued. "Not that you five could do anything even if you wanted to."

Tony clamped his jaw shut; his breathing starting to come deeper and faster. Tom and K shuffled their feet beside him.

It was Dana who took a step forward.

Ooh, maybe the little girlie wants to scare us, Steve said, pretending to quake in his boots.

Brad and Grant burst out laughing, their bellies wobbling with each breath.

Don’t do it, Dana, BJ said quietly.

Yeah, you listen to the nerd, Steve threatened, "unless you want to get hurt."

Tony moved at the same time that Dana did. Grabbing her arms, he pulled her back.

Come on, they’re not worth it, he hissed in her ear.

Slowly, Tony felt Dana give in, allowing him to pull her away.

Let’s get out of here, Tony muttered to the others as he moved down onto the sand. We have to put up with them at school. Not here.

Managing to keep an extra few seconds hold of Dana’s hand longer than he needed to, Tony led the way. Around him, Tom, BJ and Kevin followed him upstream.

Yeah, that’s right. Run away. Babies! Steve Price called after them.

For a while, Steve and his cronies followed them. But outpacing the three big boys was easy and it wasn’t long before they’d been left far behind. The good part of the beach, or at least the part that had sand on it, quickly fizzled out, leaving only mud between the water and the shoreline. But still they pressed on.

We could have taken them, Dana said at last.

Tony peered at her from the corner of his eye.

There’s five of us and only three of them, she continued when no-one seemed willing to support her. And I do know a bit about fighting, you know.

"So, it’s true? You do know karate?" K asked eagerly.

Yep, Dana confirmed. I bet that I could have beaten all three of them by myself.

Yeah, maybe, Tony conceded, but they’d just make life worse for us at school.

The stuff they get away with, said Tom, shaking his head.

I once saw all three of them beating up one of the little grade two-ers just to get his tuckshop, said K.

And they’re forever trying to cheat off me in class, put in BJ.

I reckon even some of the teachers are scared of them, said Tony.

I’d love to see someone put them in their place one day, though, said Tom.

Yeah, give them some of their own medicine back, K agreed.

Tony saw BJ nodding vigorously, although he knew that she’d be the last one to do anything to the three bullies.

Shoulda let me kick their butts, then, Dana observed.

By now they’d worked their way far upstream, much further than any of them had been before. The bush butted right up against the water’s edge. Trees and bushes lined the shore in a mass tangle that made it hard for them to keep going.

They were constantly being forced to choose between either stepping down into the mud or pushing their way inland. For the most part, they chose the mud. At least it wasn’t the foul kind. Tony had seen some stuff that reeked every time the tide went out.

Why they bothered to keep going, Tony couldn’t really say. There was nothing down this way. No houses or shops or roads or anything. Just bush. He knew that if they eventually went far enough, they’d come to the old boat ramp. But that hadn’t even been used in years, not since the new one had been built for the town’s centenary.

And besides, if anyone ever did want to go down there, there was an old dirt track that was much easier going.

Tony found himself brought up short when Tom, who’d taken the lead, suddenly stopped in front of him.

Did you guys know that was there? he asked.

Tony peered past him. The shoreline took a sharp turn inland, leaving a patch of mud about ten or twelve metres across before the bush started back up again. He shrugged. The mouth of a smaller creek or stream, he decided.

"I am not crossing that!" Belinda stated flatly.

Well, I’m not going back yet, Tom told his sister. The ‘obscene threesome’ will probably still be back there.

Guess we could find a way around, Tony suggested, trying to ward off one of the twin’s famous arguments.

"I bet we could get across there," K said, eyeing the patch of mud.

Tony took a second look. The tide was a fair way out, well past the mouth of the tiny inlet. The mud was wet and bound to be sticky. He’d been out in that type of mud before. By the time that he’d managed to free himself, he’d lost a shoe, nearly lost his hat and had been completely covered in mud.

A sly, evil smile crept across his face.

Alright, K, he said, "bet you a buck that you can’t get across there."

Kevin’s eyes lit up. Deal!

Tony grinned. He’d known K all his life. If he set his mind to something, then he did it and nothing could stop him. Certainly not a bit of mud. Or a chance to win back the money that he’d lost that morning.

K’s fishing rod and bag went flying onto the shore. Then he hopped about, tugging off first one shoe, then the other. They too went flying up the bank.

See you on the other side, he said lightly as he took his first steps out into the mud.

Tony, Dana, BJ and Tom lined up to watch as their friend waded out.

At first, it didn’t look so bad. The mud was only coming half-way up his shins. Suddenly, K stepped out and sunk almost to his waist. He floundered around, splashing mud everywhere in his attempt to get back.

You alright? Tom called, his voice echoing the grin on his face.

Yeah, no worries, K replied.

He’d managed to turn around and clamoured back up to the shallow part on his hands and knees. He looked up, grinning, the whites of his eyes and teeth standing out against the black mud that covered his face. He stood up, flicking big globs of mud from his hands.

Ready to call it quits, yet? Tony asked.

No way! he answered defiantly.

Leaving a massive hole in the mud where he’d just been wallowing, K walked sideways up the inlet a few metres. He struck out again, this time prodding the mud with a thick branch that he’d pulled out the mud. Prodding away, he advanced slowly until the mud came up to his knees.

Again and again he probed the mud in a great arc in front of him. Suddenly, he looked back and grinned at them. Holding his stick out, K stepped out, sinking further for a few steps before climbing up to stand on top of the mud!

He stood there, waving back at them. Tony’s mind blanked. K was nearly half-way across now and by all rights, should be up to his armpits in mud, not doing the impossible and standing on top of it.

Chapter Two – It’s Not . . . Is It?

Tony watched, amazed, as K took slow careful steps towards the other bank on top of the mud.

How are you doing that? Tom called.

K looked over his shoulder, a grin his only answer.

There’s obviously something buried there and he’s standing on it, BJ stated.

K took nearly a dozen steps before his prodding stick plunged down into the mud. Leaning over, he pushed his stick in until the whole thing was completely covered. A soft slurping sound carried to them as he pulled it back up. He flicked it and globs of mud flew everywhere.

This is great! You guys should come out here, too! K yelled back to them.

That was all that Tony needed. Sharing a grin with Tom, he quickly kicked off his shoes and socks, sending them flying into the bushes. Tony struck out for the middle of the mud, following the holes that K had left.

Come on, BJ, Dana insisted.

Uh uh, no way! BJ stated flatly,

Tony paused and looked back. BJ remained on the bank, arms crossed defiantly in front of her. Even after all the times that they’d been forced down onto the mud, she still looked perfectly clean. Not a speck of mud or dirt of any kind marred her blue shorts or yellow shirt.

Shrugging, Tony turned back to follow Tom. He trudged on, each step an effort. The mud sucked at him as he lifted each foot. A wet, slurping sound accompanied each step up, a squelching plop with each down-step. A misstep sent him plunging up to his hips. Scrambling back, he retreated to ‘higher’ ground.

Mud now covered his shorts and the bottom of his shirt, not to mention both of his arms up to his elbows.

AHHH!

Tony tried to spin at the scream. By the time that he’d managed it, a loud SLAP had sounded behind him. Dana was lying face down in the mud. He struggled back and helped her regain her feet. Seeing her face and hair, black with mud, he burst out laughing. After a second, she joined in.

As Tony chased after her big straw hat, Dana squelched on, punching him on the arm as she passed.

A few minutes later, he too climbed up to stand on top of the mud. Mud oozed between his toes but under that, it felt firm, secure.

Almost like walking on a really squishy carpet, he decided.

Come on, BJ, Tom called to his sister.

On the bank, Tony saw her shake her head, brown hair flying around her shoulders.

"What’s wrong, Be-lin-da? Is the