Monday 23 February 2015

Beware of Drop-Bears! A Short Story

As Aussie kids we all grew up hearing tales of the mythological creature the “Drop-Bear.” A mysterious and ferocious man-eating koala that would drop from the top of gum trees to attack unsuspecting bushwalkers. We tell the story to overseas tourists as they embark all excited on hikes through our countryside and warn them that their only form of protection is vegemite smeared behind their ears. Vegemite being that all Australian favourite spread that we have on toast for breakfast that only a true Aussie can appreciate the taste of.

With my new book “Alien Shenanigans,”due to be released next month, I wrote a short story with our reluctant hero David Bradberrie and his brothers, Brian and Simon. I put them camping in the bush one night just to see what might happen?

Below is the result. Hope you enjoy. :)

Beware the Drop-Bear!
Drop bear signDavid yawned, reached for the roll of loo paper, the small shovel and torch, turned from the campfire and headed towards the line of gum trees not too far in the distance. He hadn’t walked far when his younger brother Simon, called out.

“Beware the drop-bear!’

David stopped in his tracks. He really needed to go. Was Simon teasing or should he ask what he meant? David chewed a fingernail, inhaled a deep breath and shuffled back towards the warmth and light of the fire. With a huff he sat back down beside his brothers.

“Need some company?” Brian, his older brother sniggered.

“I’m ten Brian, I can go to the loo on my own! I don’t intend to go too far into the bush. Just tell me about the drop-bear before I go anywhere,” David glared at Simon. “Make it quick though, I really need to go.” David squirmed on the log where he sat. Brian handed him a stick with a toasted marshmallow and winked at Simon.

“Haven’t you heard of drop-bears? They’re kind of like giant koalas but scary man eating ones that drop down from the top of gum trees at night and attack when you least expect it.” Simon’s eyes popped as he raised his hands to gnash at the air. “People say they have really sharp fang-like teeth and razor sharp claws.”

“Best to spread some vegemite behind your ears before you go. Drop-bears don’t like vegemite.” Brian added.

Simon and Brian rolled on the ground laughing as David took a deep breath and crept back towards the trees, torchlight shining as wide as he could high into the treetops. He wasn’t prepared to walk quite as far in amongst the gum trees as he would have preferred, nor was he going to give them the satisfaction of needing Brian to go with him. The further in David crept, the darker it became. Privacy was optimal, but then again so was safety.

He chose a spot, left the torch shining upwards against a tree so that he could see above into the branches and began to dig his hole. He whistled a tune to try to calm his nerves.

When David reached to retrieve his torch it was no longer where he had left it. Light still lit the area, so where was the torch? He scanned the ground around the bottom of the tree but then realised the light was coming from above him. The tree branches swayed but there was no wind. He heard a scratching, clawing noise along with a low growl.

David stepped back careful to watch where he trod and slowly raised his eyes to peer high into the branches. Sure enough a furry koala-like monster with pointed fang-like teeth sat huddled near the tree trunk and grasped within its jagged sharp claws was David’s torch.

The monsters beady eyes stared down at David with a ferocious glare. They seemed to glow in the torchlight as the monster shivered and made a loud groan that sounded to David like the noise came from deep within the pit of the monsters stomach.

David reached for the shovel and went to run but something made him stop and turn around for another look. The monster cuddled the torch as it spread a glow around the bush. The growl had changed to more like a hum.

David wasn’t sure, but he thought he could see a hint of a tear trickle out of the corner of one of the monsters eyes.

“You don’t look so scary.” David took a step closer. “You do look a bit bigger than a normal koala and those claws do look awful sharp, but you don’t look like you wanna hurt me. Do you?” David reached out a hand to try to encourage the monster koala to climb down.
There seemed to be an eternal pause while the monster stared at David. It refused to move.

David placed the shovel back on the ground at his feet. “See, I’m not gonna hurt you. It’s ok to come down.” He held his breath and glanced at the shovel to make sure he could grab it if he needed to.
The drop-bear didn’t drop on David’s head, instead it simply climbed down the trunk of the gum tree and stood to stare at David.

“Can I have my torch back?” David asked as he tried to reach for the torch. The drop-bear shook its head and held the torch high and tight away from David.

“Are you afraid of the dark? Is that it?” David crouched and tried to reach for the bears paw. It nodded and cradled the torch close to its chest.“Would you like to come and sit by our fire where there’s more light?” David continued to hold out his hand and took another deep breath. The creature blinked but refused to move. “You don’t want to hurt me,” David crossed his fingers behind his back. “And I promise not to hurt you. We’re all afraid of the dark sometimes, in fact I admit I don’t like it much myself. That’s why it’s good to have family and friends to keep you company.” David gave the monster a hesitant smile. He hoped the creature felt safe to join him. Again it didn’t answer, or move.

“Ok then. “ David stretched and slowly turned away. “Tell you what, I’m going to walk back to camp now. If you like you can follow.” David took a few cautious steps forward.

He smiled as the torchlight began to follow all the way back behind him.

When David made it back to the campfire he sat on the log without a word. A little monster sat beside him and snuggled close.

Brian and Simon’s jaws both dropped. They jumped up and moved to the other side of the fire.

“Who’s afraid of drop-bears now? Have you got your jar of vegemite?” David laughed. “He’s just a bit scared of the dark that’s all.” David reached for the stick he had used earlier and placed two marshmallows on the end of it. Happy to have made friends with a creature just as scared of the dark as himself he leaned forward to point the stick into the fire until they were both toasted nicely. He smiled at the drop bear beside him and handed him a toasted marshmallow.

Tuesday 10 February 2015

Are you close to your neighbours?

Are you close to your nieghbours? The question could be answered in two completely different ways, socially or geographically?

Do you live in an inner city apartment where the walls are so thin you can hear everything your neighbours say and do? Are you in the suburbs where the houses are so close the neighbour’s gutters almost touch your own?

In relation to distance my neighbours are not exactly a hop, skip and jump over the side fence. I can’t yell through an open window and hope they might hear me, in fact to even see if my neighbours are home I need either a pair of binoculars or a telescope.

But would I say we are close? Yes, definitely. :) We might all live some distance apart, (in fact to visit each other we become inventive and use any manor of transport, horse, bush buggy, quad bike or ride on lawn mower), but somehow that brings our community all the closer together. We not only get together for social events like major milestones of birthdays, (any excuse for a bonfire and a party), neighbours drop by to simply say hello, share vegies and plants from their gardens and generally keep an eye out for one another. We share life’s joys and successes and support each other whenever someone is in need.

Many city people don’t understand the lifestyle choice that comes with living in the country, they believe you isolate yourself. In our neighbourhood nothing could be further from the truth. I have felt far more isolated living with neighbours right next door who you never saw or would never speak to you. People who would come and go and keep totally to themselves.

I’ve also lived in a quiet little street where all the kids came out to play of an afternoon while the mums watched on over a cuppa and a chat. The neighbourhood was a safe and friendly place for the kids to grow and learn.

Throughout all the places I have lived I have made some wonderful lifelong friends. From my time in the gated community compound in Thailand, to the quiet cul-de-sac on the Central Coast NSW, to our rural community that I love so much now.

Since writing “Gingerbread Aliens” I have had many kids and parents ask if my character Mrs Witherbottom, stems from any of my past or present neighbours? My initial reaction is usually no, not really, however if I dig deep into my sub conscience I find her hidden there as an amalgamation of quite a few neighbours I have known over the years. Alien_Page18
Mrs Witherbottom reflects the kindly neighbour next door we all know and love. The neighbour we all go to for all the gossip as we know she will know it all! If there is something happening in the neighbourhood Mrs Witherbottom represents the neighbour to snoop and find out all the juicy details. It is with great delight that Mrs Witherbottom returns once again in “Alien Shenanigans” to meddle and generally find herself in circumstances she has no control over.

So how close are you to your neighbours? Have you taken the time to get to know them? Leave a reply below and tell me about your neighbours. I hope you get along with them as much as we do with ours.
Alien Shenanigans should be released March 2015.