Strangerland Page #2

Neil McPherson.

Have you tried contacting him?

No.

Is that because of

the restraining order?

I'm told you beat him up pretty bad.

You have kids, Detective?

Well, I'm not really here

to talk about me, Mr Parker.

No.

Why didn't you press charges?

I didn't want our daughter's name

to be dragged through the mud.

Thank you.

Why did Lily run away the first time?

I don't believe they have run away.

Was it because of the teacher?

I've already answered that.

We...

We wouldn't let her see him

anymore, so...

Thank you.

And what about Tom?

Was he involved in any of this?

We were all involved.

Look, my kids are out there somewhere.

- Why are you here?

- Catherine.

What...

- Hello?

- Hello. Is Mr Parker there?

Yes. Yes, he's here.

- Hold on.

- Thank you.

Yes?

- Mr Parker?

- Mm-hm.

Do you think Lily could be

seeing someone in town?

Look, the thing with the schoolteacher,

that wasn't her fault.

Yeah.

- Need to open up the pharmacy.

- Oh, come on.

Oh, please. You're not

going to do that now?

- A kid's had an asthma attack.

- Come on, Matthew. Not now.

I don't have a choice.

Excuse me.

- What are you doing?

- I don't have a choice, Catherine.

I'm sorry. Would I be able

to have a look at their rooms?

If they're out there,

how long would they last?

Oh, it's hard to say.

How long?

If they're out there in this

heat, two or three days.

But longer if they have access to water.

You got your work cut out there, Al.

Oh, mate, it is a real sh*t fight.

Have you heard about

those kids gone missing?

Yeah. Going to go out looking

after we deal with this.

You two guys know Tom and Lily?

Yeah, we've seen 'em about.

It's hard to miss her.

How well do you know her?

He knows her.

What?

You any idea what's going on?

Like, when was the last time

you saw her?

- Yesterday at the skate park.

- Yeah?

What time would that have been?

In the arvo.

You know she's only 15?

Hang on, Rae.

Are you about to accuse

my son of something?

I'm just doing my job, Alan.

Why don't you talk to Burtie, Rae?

Isn't he working up at the house?

I'll see you boys out there.

Do you think maybe one of us

should have stayed at home?

In case they come back?

I thought this is what you wanted to do.

What's this? A f***ing search party?

Great. That's just great.

Oh, come on, Matthew. These

people are trying to help us.

Well, they're not

going to find her here.

They'll find her shacked up

with some guy again,

and she'll probably have

dragged Tom with her too.

Wait, what are you doing?

Stop the car. Stop the car.

Stop the f***ing car!

This is exactly what she wants.

Look, Uncle! Muni muni!

Sweet.

- Hey, Rae.

- Hey, Burtie.

Hey, Jarrah.

Hey, Rae.

Coreen's inside.

Yeah, no, I'm not here

to see your sister, Burtie.

You know the Parkers?

Are they... they good people?

Yeah.

You heard what's happened?

I mean, you've been working there.

Yeah.

But I don't know anything.

Touch in the dark.

No-one can see.

Touch in the dark.

You touch me.

Only light and dark.

Me.

Strange.

Unfamiliar.

Dizzy...

from beer.

Spit on your hand.

Hold hard.

Skin scrapes.

Back burns.

Close my eyes.

Hold hard.

You inside me

inside you.

Uh, Rae, yeah,

I've just passed over

Cunningham Gully now,

and, uh... just looking down there,

there's more searchers out here as well.

We're going to head back

to the fire station now,

where the command post

is setting up. Over.

Hey, mate, what's the mother doing here?

She wants to be involved.

I think we ought to get you home now.

Someone should be there

in case they call.

Matthew's at work, right?

Yeah. Yeah.

Do you want some water?

Hey, Floyd.

Come here.

I've been talking to a number

of people in town, and, uh...

I can't ignore...

You know, there's talk that...

Lily had relations

with some of the young men.

I'm sorry. I'm not saying it's true.

Around here, some of the blokes

can't even look a woman in the eye.

But can you remember anyone

she might have mentioned?

Catherine?

I found this...

last night.

Matthew can't know anything about it.

OK.

Hi.

Hi.

Coreen. Burtie's sister.

Oh. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

We thought you may need some supplies.

Oh, right. Thanks for that.

Just some sandwiches.

This is my son, Jarrah.

- Hey.

- Hi.

Is there anything else you need?

No. No, no.

Maybe Ngatyi

swallowed your kids, missus.

You should sing to him.

That's how they rescued the women.

Who's Ngatyi?

The Rainbow Serpent.

The...?

His nan's been telling him the old ways.

The old stories.

I think we should leave

Ms Parker now, yeah?

You've got Burtie's number.

If you need anything,

just give us a call, yeah?

Yeah.

Stevie. Stevie!

You say nothing to this prick,

you hear me?!

Al, come on. Take it easy.

- It's a f***in' joke, Pete.

- Alright.

- And you know it!

- Just calm down. Take it easy.

Rae! Rae!

You know it's bullshit.

It's f***in' bullshit.

Are you Steve?

Nuh.

Which one of you's Steve?

Slug?

Is anyone Slug?

I wouldn't have minded

a ride on her daughter.

This is my boy. This is Tom. He's...

He's missing. You know him?

And this is Lily. You know where she is?

You check The Box?

Heard she spent a lot of time in there.

The what?

Box.

If any of you see my kids,

you let me know. You got it?

Please?

Yeah... just a sec.

Thought you might want a beer.

Yeah.

Sorry, Catherine. You were saying?

Yeah, well, the problem is

if her phone's switched off

or out of battery,

then there's just no way

we can locate it.

OK. Yep. I'll be in touch

if I hear anything.

Thank you.

And, Catherine,

try and get a bit of sleep, OK?

Yeah.

I will, thanks.

Goodnight.

- Sorry about that.

- No worries.

We went over there today.

Where?

The Parker place.

What for?

Just being neighbourly.

Jesus, Coreen.

I'm the investigating officer.

We just took some food over there.

God. Keep your shirt on, dude. Far out.

She's kind of pretty, isn't she?

Who, Lily?

No, the mother.

Yeah.

So, what do you reckon happened?

I can't talk about it.

What?

It's not like I've told anybody

anything you've told me before.

You hungry?

I've got some leftover Chinese.

I like, um... eating.

And I like swimming.

And I like annoying my little brother...

Oh...

who sometimes walks

into my room without knocking.

He sounds like a very handsome fellow.

No, he's not.

And I like hanging out

at the skate park...

Hello?

Hello?

Tom? Hello? Wh-who is this? Tom?

Lily?

- You... can't be here.

- Lily!

Stay.

Neil? What the f***'s he doing here?

- I don't know.

- Get away from my family!

I'm calling the police.

Have you seen my daughter?

No. I haven't seen your daughter.

Where is she?! Where is she?!

I haven't seen your daughter.

Shhh.

Mummy!

Don't you ever come back here!

You hear me?

You hear me?!

Burtie. What the f***?

I have to tell you something.

What? Come inside.

It's about the Parkers.

I know about you and Lily.

Do you know something

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