Jackets were tossed aside, ties were loosened or taken off altogether, high heels were kicked off. Everyone was in the party mood! The dance floor was packed. Party lights twinkled. Laughter and happy voices echoed from the hall out into the night.
Eddie and Dot were back at the bar again. She was drunk! She’d been knocking back beer like soft drink and was all over him, brushing her body against his and trying to kiss him. He grabbed her hand to stop her when she attempted to fondle his crotch.
‘What the fuck d’ya think ya doin’?’ he said in a low, angry voice. ‘There’s people all around us!’
‘You like it, I know you do.’ She giggled drunkenly. ‘You’re just as turned on as me! C’mon, Ed, it’s hot in here. Let’s go outside.’
Eddie didn’t really want to go outside with her. In fact, he had been trying his best to avoid her lately. Ever since the afternoon he had spent with Kathy…
lovely Kathy!
Sighing, he gave in, and together they left the hall, Dot staggering slightly as they went.
‘Hey Kath…’ Tammi whispered. ‘There goes our local bike, out for a good time!’
‘Who cares, it’s their business what they do!’ Kathy had seen them leave and felt a pang of jealousy, causing her to snap at Tammi.
‘Well, don’t get bitchy! Good riddance to them, I say.’ Tammi grabbed her partner, dragging him up to dance again.
Kathy noticed Eileen sitting alone and went over to talk to her.
‘Hi Cuz… enjoying the dance?’
‘Sort of. Did you see Dot and Eddie? She was all over him up at the bar, didn’t care who saw either.’
‘Yes, she’s being her usual self.’
‘She’s disgusting!’ Eileen replied heatedly. ‘I was watching Eddie, and by the look on his face, I don’t reckon he was too keen on going with her!’
‘Really…’ Kathy’s interest roused now.
‘Yeah, he looked a bit embarrassed, pushed her away at one stage. She didn’t get the hint though, just kept crawling all over him.’
‘Well, she’ll be doing more than crawling now she’s got him outside!’ Kathy didn’t want to talk about them anymore, she preferred not to think about what was going on outside. ‘Forget about them, come over and sit with us. You can’t be having fun over here on your own.’
***
Ellie was showing how she could do the twist. Stan Jackson partnered her. He had admired Ellie since they were sixteen. His wife had died five years ago and he still admired her. She knew this and was careful not to encourage him, although tonight she was having fun fitting in a dance when she wasn’t entertaining. They gave it everything they had, twisting all the way to the floor then up again, whirling around and shaking their booty all the while laughing at themselves.
Emmie was tiring. She was also concerned about Dave.
He did have Hazel and Ted on hand, and the Hansens were just across the road in case they were needed as well. Yet knowing this still didn’t ease Emmie’s mind; she wanted to be home with him.
She whispered to Karl and waved to Win and Digger who were out on the dance floor twisting to
Twist and Shout
that Francis was belting out on his sax. They acknowledged her with a wave, and Win blew her a kiss. Then she left on Karl’s arm, proud and elegant as always.
As Emmie and Karl walked to the car, he noticed Eddie and Dot standing near Eddie’s car. He knew what they were up to
.
‘Silly little fool,’ Emmie said, noticing them as well. ‘That girl is in for trouble. She needs a good talking to,’ she added.
‘Yeah well, I doubt that’ll ever happen, Mum.’ Karl helped her into the car, smiling at her. He knew she would certainly give young Dot a ‘talking to’ given half a chance.
***
Dot was eager. ‘C’mon Ed, don’t you want a little fun?’ She reached down and fondled him, then slid his zipper down. Despite his lack of interest in her, he was hard!
She squatted in front of him and took his penis in her mouth. Eddie groaned. He couldn’t help himself.
Dot stood up and undid the buttons of her blouse, exposing her bare breasts. She wasn’t wearing a bra. ‘Like what you see?’ she murmured seductively, moving up close to him. ‘I reckon ya do, big boy,’ she slurred.
Eddie reached out and cupped one of her breasts, massaging the nipple with his thumb, then he grabbed her and wrenched open the back door of his car, pushing her backwards onto the seat.
Dot grabbed his shoulders as he climbed on top of her.
‘Now Ed… now.’
***
Inside, Robert had joined his cousins at their table. He was late arriving as he’d been working on the engine of his latest car, an old bomb of a thing he’d got from the wreckers.
Eileen was in the ladies room when Dot sauntered in.
‘Have a good time?’ she asked sarcastically.
‘Yeah, Eddie’s a real goer!’ She hiccupped, plonking her shoulder bag on the vanity.
‘I’ll bet!’ Eileen sneered.
Dot finished refreshing her lipstick and turned unsteadily to face Eileen.
‘Bit jealous are we, Eileen snotty nose Mason?’
‘Of you Dot…? You’ve gotta be kiddin’!’
‘Come off it, Eileen. I know you’ve got the hots for Eddie. Hon, he’s not interested in you. Eddie needs a real woman, believe me! Now piss off and leave me alone.’
Eileen reddened and fought the desire to slap the smug look right off Dot’s face. Instead, she turned and walked out as tears stung her eyes. ‘
Why the hell do I let that tart upset me?
Stupid bitch,’
she thought, deciding to go back to the dance and have fun
.
Checking that she was alone, Dot sat on the chair and allowed the tears she had been holding back to trickle down her face. She had expected Eddie to spend the rest of the night with her. Instead, after he’d screwed her, he’d told her he had things to do and sent her back inside, not mentioning a thing about seeing her again.
***
Francis was in need of a drink. He’d had the hall rocking for nearly an hour with his saxophone. He was well overdue for a break.
‘What a great night!’ Ellie said, handing her son a beer and taking a sip of her own.
Win and Dig were having a beer with Dawn and Jeff. Karl came up to them and let them know Emmie had settled in ok, that Dave was fine, and also that Walter reported that there was nothing to worry about. He had done the rounds and found nothing suspicious. He would do another round in about an hour.
Karl bought himself a beer and went off to find the redhead.
Arthur came over with Daisy, looking for Robert.
‘Maybe he’s outside. He came in late and was with the girls for a while but that’s the last I saw of him. Des isn’t around either. They might’ve gone outside together; neither of them like to dance and Des’ more than likely havin’ a smoke,’ Digger suggested, then added, ‘Look at Eric over there, will ya? He’s speechless and with good reason too… ouch!’ Win had kicked his ankle.
A blonde girl in an extremely low cut dress was chatting up Eric. He was red in the face and, from a distance, it looked like he was talking to her well-endowed chest rather than her face!
Poor Eric, he was so shy around women.
Jeff, Digger, Arthur and Sam, who had just joined the group, doubled over with laughter. Connie looked at Daisy, Win and Dawn and they too burst out laughing.
Eventually, Eric came across, still slightly flushed in the face. The blonde had gone off to talk to someone else. He also was looking for Des. As he asked where he was, he noticed him coming through the stage door so he went across to speak to him.
‘Hey, Des, where’ve you been?’
‘Went out for a smoke and fresh air… Got a little hot in here,’ he replied absently.
‘What’s that on your trousers, mate?
Des looked down at his trouser legs. There was a smear of red dust down the side of one of his legs. ‘Shit, I must’ve got that off one of the cars in the car park.’ He bent to brush the dust away. ‘Night’s gone really well, don’t you reckon, mate?’ he continued, changing the subject.
Ellie and Francis went back on stage and resumed playing slow, romantic waltzes this time, plus Win’s favorite, Jimmy Little’s
Your Cheatin’ Heart.
She joined them on stage to sing. She then went on to sing a few more old favourites for the older ones and some Christmas carols. Everyone joined in and sang along.
They were halfway through the second verse of
Silent Night
when Nat Willis, who was at the back of the hall near the open doors, shouted he could hear sirens.
A hush fell over the crowd as the sound of sirens grew louder and the flashing lights of the fire engines reflected on the walls of the hall as the engines roared past.
Smelly Smart, a volunteer fireman came rushing in…
(He was nicknamed Smelly because, while drunk a few years back at one of Nat’s parties, he had somehow found himself in the pen with Nat’s cranky old pig, Mavis. She was a nasty old sow and, highly offended by the intrusion, had chased poor Smelly, who tripped and landed head-first in the pig’s trough. So the name was born, and stuck ever since!)
‘Fire!’ he bellowed. ‘Fire at the Mason’s… Dave Mason’s! Where’s Frank?’ he shouted, pushing through the crowd of people, his eyes searching the hall for Frank.
‘On me way mate. You can come with me in the ute.’ Although he never missed the Christmas dance, Frank was never off duty. He was already out the door and running across the car park to his ute.
Sam grabbed Smelly’s arm. ‘What’s on fire up there?’
‘Dunno, the blokes slowed down outside and yelled for me to get Frank. Didn’t say what it was, just said where.’ He pulled free of Sam’s grip and ran and jumped in Frank’s ute as he pulled out onto Urana Road and sped off towards Centaur Road.
‘Where’s Karl?’ Digger shouted to Win, looking around for him.
‘I’ll get him. He was with Gloria,’ Arthur said. ‘You get Win home to Mum and Dad. We dunno what’s happenin’ up there!’
The crowd was rapidly thinning as locals hurriedly vacated the hall.
Most of the local men would go to the Mason’s to help fight the fire. That was how it was in the valley: if one person was in trouble, everyone rallied to help.
The flashing red lights of the fire brigade were visible as they turned into Centaur Road.
‘My God…’ Win cried, a note of panic in her voice. ‘Mum and Dad… Hurry, Dig…’
‘Francis, you bring the girls with you. They can help you grab your music and stuff. I’ll take Ellie with us,’ Digger yelled, hurrying out the door.
‘You okay to drive?’ Win asked. Digger had knocked back quite a few beers during the night.
‘Yeah, just get in. I’m fine!’ The shock of this news had sobered him up very quickly.
Most of the men had got stuck into the booze during the evening.
Several of the women had enjoyed a few as well!
Within half an hour, the hall was empty. The night was ruined.
Francis pressed the accelerator flat to the floor and shot the Volkswagen along Centaur Road flat out. When they came over the crest of the hill before Kia-Ora, they could see the glow of the fire.
It was huge!
Kathy felt her heart miss a beat. ‘My God… please,
not the house
!’ Her voice held real fear as she prayed it wasn’t Kia-Ora.
As they drew closer, Francis let out the breath he had been holding. ‘No, Cuz, it’s not the house. It’s the packing shed near the orchard, by the looks of things!’
Kathy breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Yes, Kath, it’s the shed. I can see!’ Tammi reached over and patted her shoulder.
Francis stopped the car in the driveway and they all got out and bolted around the back. Their grandparents were out on the back veranda.
Poor old Dave was sitting in his cane chair. He saw the girls come around the corner. ‘What an end to a lovely evening, eh poppets?’ he said unsteadily.
‘Grandad, are you alright?’ Tammie asked, concerned.
‘I’m alright, loves. Really, we’re getting’ used to this aren’t we?’ They stood watching the fire, listening to the continuous sounds of the water pumps and shouted instructions of the firefighters.
The packing boxes were fuel for the fire and the shed was well alight. It wouldn’t have taken much for the firebug to get this one going.
The men were stricken, once again fearing a spark might reach the other sheds, cottage or house. Digger and Karl left the blaze to the capable hands of the firemen, grabbed two garden hoses and began to soak the other sheds, hoping to save them.
‘Bastard’s done it again!’ Karl yelled to Digger.
‘Yeah, it’s someone who knows us, that’s for sure. The arsehole knows our every bloody move! How else can he get in, light the friggin’ fires, and get out again without us seein’ him?’
‘The cops’ll be out to this one just like the rest, but I’ll bet me boots they’ll still have nothin’ to go on!’ muttered Karl.
‘Curse the bastard, I say!’ He snarled, his face red from exertion.
‘What’s this vindictive mongrel want from us, to suck the life out of us or what?’ Digger was seething, fury etched on his face.
There were no words for it,
none
. Their fate seemed to lie in the hands of a crazed arsonist and no one had any idea why.
Eventually, the men had the fire under control. As with the other shed, there was nothing worth salvaging. The packing shed was reduced to a pile of ashes.
Wearily, the men stood, cursing the person who obviously wanted some kind of revenge. Nothing or no one could stop him. Swearing at their frustration at not being able to identify him or get any kind of clue, it was plain to see they were at their wits’ end. Most of them were still in the suits they had worn to the dance and they were now filthy.
Up at the house, instead of the usual hype everyone used to feel after the dance, it was replaced with a feeling of despair.
‘Who saw it first?’ Ellie asked.
‘Em spotted it,’ said Dave. ‘She had a nasty headache and got up to get a bex powder. That’s when she noticed it. Real brave she was, didn’t panic a bit. Calm as you, she rang the brigade, then came and told me.’ He took Emmie’s hand and smiled up at her lovingly.
By now, most of the people had gone home. Those remaining gathered on the veranda. As they stood around discussing the night, a figure emerged from the shadows of the walnut tree. The man stood hesitantly for a minute then walked up to the group on the veranda. Karl saw him first.