THE FERALS

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey When Alice knocked on the door, Brodie opened it, peering up at her with a woeful expression. Then the smell of burning wafted out. "Our cake went all black," the little boy stated solemnly. Sophie tried hard not to giggle, but then when she saw Jake holding a burnt, smoking black object, with an an almost identical woeful expression on his face, the laughter bubbled out. Jake saw the funny side and then all four were really laughing. "The mixture was great, though," laughed Brodie. The pizzas were reheated in the microwave oven, and tasted delicious, soon dispelling "burnt cake aroma" and the ice-cream was also welcome.  "At least I can't burn ice-cream," declared Jake. They arranged to go for a walk near the beach on the following day, Saturday. Alice helped clean up and she and Sophie left fairly early so they could all get a good start in the morning.

THE FERALS  By Tessa Harvey That became clear over the next week as doubts and minor troubles assailed him, threatening to overwhelm... Jake stood his ground, but barely. Then one evening Alice rang.  He was so pleased to recognise her number that he struggled to speak. "Are you okay?" she asked, wondering at the long pause. "I, I think so. It's been a hard week. You see, I did read your Creation magazine and some of the Bible, but it's so hard," Jake faltered, "I asked Jesus into my life, but nothing seems to be going well right now." He was aware he sounded petulant, like a child. "Look," Alice said gently, "actually I do understand. Would you mind if Sophie and I came over. It's Friday, in case you've forgotten! We could do tea. I can bring a pizza. Two pizzas!!" "That sounds wonderful!" Jake breathed a sigh of relief. "Brodie and I would like that very much. We have ice cream and..." he opened the...

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey One day he picked up a Bible Alice had given to him some time ago. Opening it at the Gospel of John, he began to read. The words seemed to leap off the page as if illumined in light - how God was there, even in the beginning, that darkness cannot overcome the Light. He saw, wonderingly how Jesus was the actual Word of God, sent by His Father. The words sank into his heart, mind, spirit... As he reached John 3:16, Jake fell on his knees, touched by the immensity of what had been done for him, for the world. "God, I want you. I want Jesus." Bending his dark-blond head, he asked forgiveness for his own darkness and unbelief, and rose a new man, a warrior, a man of vision and purpose. But it would not be easy for him.

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey "Sorry, Alice," this is so heavy for a glorious spring day" - and indeed it was lovely. They could hear the children laughing, and trees held strong buds. When new life surged through them, the last tattered old remnants of leaves, drab and dark, would disappear in a wonderful awakening, an unfolding of new life. Alice looked at Jake, into his grey eyes. "Without God, nothing," she stated firmly. "To quote an old hymn: "My hope is built on nothing less                                     Than Jesus blood and Righteousness.                                     I dare not trust the sweetest frame,                                       But wholly lean on Jesus' name." Jake stared at...

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey Several days later, Jake and Alice met at her home for a play date. The children were radiantly happy seeing their parents becoming real friends again. Sophie hoped the two families could be one, but wisely said nothing this time. She hoped and prayed though. After lunch, Sophie and Brodie went out into Alice's large, rambling garden. Jake turned to Alice, and without preamble asked for her opinion. He told her about the professor who had stated that under communism, there had been over two hundred million innocent lives lost. That figure appalled Jake. Nations were blindly allowing this militant regime to try and wrest control. Only a very small minority would have power over the rest of the people. They were using racism, feminism, any cause to further their radical aims.

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey CHAPTER SIX It was definitely spring, mused Jake, sipping an early coffee and eating a croissant at a local cafe. Plum blossoms, pink and white were already out, showering formerly bare branches, and daffodils seemed to swoop down the path, a golden glory. He had heard birds singing in the pre-dawn darkness and while he missed the galahs and the wattle birds with their discordant gurgle, still the blackbirds sounded the same almost as those back in Tasmania. But how to reconcile this beauty with a darkening world? He had finally read the Creation magazine and even looked online at creation.com.au. What he saw made a lot of sense and was very convincing, shifting his worldview significantly towards God as Creator. It couldn't simply be a question of yin and yang surely. Life had to be deeper than that. The young man turned his attention to the lawyer his colleague John had mentioned. He remembered the name because it was unusual, Professor Augusto Zimmer...

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey Jake approached the play equipment somewhat absent-mindedly, turning over a physics problem in the work set for the leavers' grade. Perhaps it was too difficult for some of the students?  Suddenly he realised he was about to bump into someone. Looking up, he realised it was Alice and halted abruptly. The two adults spoke at the same time. "Sorry, I should..." Both broke off, feeling awkward. Jake said, "Alice, I owe you an apology. I haven't exactly been Mr. Nice Guy lately." That sounded so lame that he blushed, embarrassed. A smile quirked Alice's lips. "I was going to say I should have been more interested, especially when Brodie disappeared for a few hours." Alice looked up at Jake. She felt he was begging her to understand. Their eyes held and locked for a few seconds. Then they became aware of the silence.  Sophie and Brodie were staring at them and holding hands. The adults both felt remorse. "How about ...

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey But Jill was staring out of one of the windows. The view was of the primary play equipment. Brodie was playing on the climbing frame with Sophie and a few other children. As she watched, Jake strolled up, followed by Alice. Seeing Jake, Jill felt a sudden sense of loss. It had been a game, but she realised she did like him. She also realised something else and her face paled. "You saw Brodie run away that day and why!" It was a statement. "Yes," agreed the senior woman. "But I did not think he could get through the fence. It has been reinforced since. As Brodie was found safely, I thought it unnecessary to stir up enmity against you." Jill blushed and looked down. Raising her eyes again, she looked directly at Judy. "Thank you," she said softly and turned to leave.

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey Jill tapped on the principal's door and was called inside. Judy moved from behind her desk , motioned for Jill to take one of the easy chairs and sat near her with a smile. "I'm here to give notice," Jill stated without preamble, and waited for a response. Despite her bravado, she was wondering if she was doing the right thing. Too late now, she thought. The principal regarded her, thoughtfully. "You know, Jill, I really value you, and have sensed your restlessness. I want you to do what you feel is best for your life. If you decide to return, we can discuss that. Sometimes you can be abrupt," Judy added gently, "but you have a real gift. It isn't easy dealing with children. They can be difficult at any age."

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey There was ragged purring, and Shadow had found a new home with a family who loved him. He waited patiently for Brodie to return from school. After a week, he had become a sleek well-groomed likeable animal, and intensely loyal. There was no identity chip, no name on the jagged collar which the vet had carefully removed. The vet believed he had been deliberately abandoned. But John was talking again, had been for some time. Jake struggled to focus. "They killed her," John was saying. "All she did was stand up at a 'Black Lives Matter' march and say 'All Lives Matter.' Well, obviously not. Only fools and evil people go on marches like that. Doesn't anyone look at history or remember Mussolini's Black Shirts..."  John's voice tapered off and then he said, "One of your Aussie top lawyers, Professor Augusto Zimmerman... Anyway, if you Google him, there are answers." "Well, I must go and supervise som...

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey CHAPTER FIVE The senior science teacher, John Ransome, suddenly strode into the almost empty science room. "The ferals are rising," he stated abruptly and paused near a window. He leaned on the sill, staring at the snow whirling from the grey sky. It had been unseasonably cold. Jake looked up, startled. He had been immersed in a computer science program, preparing for his classes. For a moment he thought the older man was referring to Brodie's recent experience. His son had soon recovered after sleeping long and late and the next day had pleaded with his dad to find "Shadow." It appeared "Shadow" had saved him from two feral cats fighting over Brodie's crackers. One of them had slashed the little boy's hand in the skirmish. They had found Shadow not far away from the small clearing. It was obvious he had been in considerable discomfort for a while with the collar biting into his skin. The cat had allowed them near, ...

THE FERALS  By Tessa Harvey Judy reached over and felt the boy. He was very cold, but warmer than he should have been, out in this weather. She looked thoughtful. Unlike Jake, understandably absorbed in his son, Judy had seen the cat and his torn collar. She looked around as Jake tried to understand what Brodie was saying. It had rained recently, and near the hollow log cat footprints etched the mud with signs of a struggle- bits of fur, crushed grass, were quite clear. Saying nothing, she led the way back to her vehicle. Night was here now, but the flashing car lights were a welcome beacon in the darkness. Jake helped his child in, and sat with him close. Judy carefully drove back onto the track and the way opened before her, clearly lit by the headlights. The car heater was on, warming all three. Jake directed her to his own car in the school yard. He placed his son in the back seat and fastened him in, thanked Judy warmly, and drove home. The principal went to tidy her papers an...

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey Shadow yawned, stretching carefully his long body over the dozing child. The cat's collar, ragged, too small, was cutting painfully into his flesh. So much pain made it hard to eat - had there been much food. Still he managed to make the ferals flee, and after licking carefully the wounds he could reach, he, too, had slept a little, comforted by the child. Long ago, he had spread himself over a new, tiny baby to protect it and keep it warm. But then his action had been interpreted badly and he had been chased away by yells and screams. So now, when he heard faint approaching human voices, calling, he first stiffened, then held himself ready to flee. Jake burst into the clearing. Judy's torch flashed on the small boy. At the same time, the father noticed the scratch on his son's hand and seeing the big cat, raced towards it, angry and upset. The cat vanished, flicking its tail. Brodie woke, startled by the cat's violent movement. He was cold ...

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey As the two staff members reached the ground floor and headed to the outside doors, Judy spoke again. "If we take my car, there is an access road to the trees a mile or so back beyond the trees. It will be much quicker."  "Can't we get the police now?" Jake was rapidly catching up, his anxiety almost making him panic. "Brodie is all I have!" They were at the staff carpark. The principal unlocked her white vehicle, and motioned to Jake to get in, which he did, grateful to be doing something. He wanted to be out there now and willed the car to move faster as the driver adroitly turned and drove left away from the school. The headlights cut a path in the wavering gloom. A few minutes later, Judy parked on the edge of the trees, leaving her hazard lights on. Then she produced a torch from a side pocket. "How did she know to have a torch?" Jake wondered to himself, moving swiftly to catch up, stumbling over the uneven g...

THE FERALS   By Tessa Harvey Still no answer. Jake called at the office, then the child's classroom. His search was fruitless. He returned to the staffroom and found only Jill, still there sitting very close to a handsome young man. Her eyes were turned flirtatiously to his face. Jake stumbled back. Realising he had been a fool and fighting down his feelings, he headed for Judy's office. As he expected, she was still there seated behind her desk.  "Good," Judy said, rising. "Come on, Jake. I think I know where your son has gone. If we go now, there is enough light to find him. If not, we can call the police. We both have mobiles?" Jake nodded, surprised the principal seemed so aware of the situation, and followed her down the stairs. Judy spoke over her shoulder. "You would be surprised how much I can see from my window. One of the girls called it my control tower." My window was open and I overheard. "Anyway Brodie was on the play equipment, ...

THE FERALS By Tessa Harvey CHAPTER FOUR Brodie awoke in the dark. Eyes twinkled in pairs near him, low to the ground. Craving company, he whispered soothingly to them and remembered some leftover crackers in his pocket. He emptied them out, then had two and offered the rest, broken into crumbs to the animals. Hungry, they moved closer, nearer and nearer to the boy. Jake approached the primary area playground, whistling softly to himself. As he saw no-one was there, he smiled. Dear Jill, he thought, how wonderful she is taking Brodie for an ice-cream. He took out his mobile and texted her. "Hi Jill, where is best to meet you and the small guy?" There was a somewhat lengthy pause, then his phone buzzed with the reply: Not seen Brodie, sorry. Got caught up in work. Bye.  Jake frowned. The curt reply was not what he had expected. He texted back and forth for a few minutes, but the answers from Jill were very brief and finally clearly dismissive. Putting the phone away, Jake tried...

THE FERALS By Tessa Harvey Horrified, Brodie backed away, pulling his arm free and running away, dropped the stick. Realising her mistake, Jill called after him in a placatory way but he was gone into some nearby trees.  Compounding her error, Jill told Jake Brodie had not showed up, and moved away without a backward glance, already absorbed in thoughts of the new member of staff. While Jake searched the school fruitlessly, checking the office and classrooms, Brodie had kept running. When he finally stumbled to a halt, nothing looked familiar. He remembered climbing through a fence around the school, and was afraid, knowing he wasn't allowed to do that. The little boy felt cheerless and alone and very tired. It was cold. He curled up in a small ball and cried for his mother. He could still remember her and called aloud for her to come. "I want you mum!" Sucking his thumb, an old habit, he at last slept, small face tear-stained. Trees towered all around him. He found himse...

THE FERALS By Tessa Harvey Brodie was even angrier than Sophie. "I wanted your mum to be my mum," he told Sophie. "But Ms. Heslop is kind to you." Brodie looked doubtful.  "Yes, she comes," he admitted, "but your mum loves me and Ms. Heslop doesn't." He paused, thinking. "She keeps looking for dad to come, and doesn't hear me." The boy was puzzled. When he talked to his dad about it, Jake became defensive. Deep down, he felt his son was right, but did not want to admit that even to himself. He was "like a lamb to the slaughter" as it says in the Bible. Jill filled his thoughts. One day Jake was later than usual. Judy, the principal had paused to talk encouragingly to him. Jill had been fed up. She had pandered enough to Jake's ego and was getting bored. A younger, good-looking man had joined the staff recently and seemed more her type. Then Brodie would not come when Jill called. He was fixing a stick with some str...

THE FERALS By Tessa Harvey Alice saw what was happening and stepped back sadly. Sophie was very upset and none of Alice's explanations satisfied her. "I thought we were all going to be a family," the child lamented. Secretly Alice had hoped for that one day and had been resolving to reveal more serious interest in Jake. Now she felt it was too late. No more "Alice in Wonderland". Her dad had often teased her about her "romantic" dreams and ideals. But she had never wanted a casual relationship and then she had met Gareth, who had shared her ideals. Alice had never regretted her marriage to Gareth. Perhaps she had been dreaming again, thinking of someone else. Yet she had talked once with Gareth about the possibility of one of them dying early. He had asked her to consider re-marrying if anything happened to him. Thinking it just a joke, Alice had laughed, but promised all the same. He was so fit, so healthy. He had gone to China, to a place called Wuha...