Ahead of them lay the Pilliga forest. They were close to the turn off and had encountered no roadblocks. The two had begun to relax. In the distance they saw a shifting black mass rising over the tops of the forest.
Storm pointed ahead.
“Birds. A lot of them!”
“What do you think they are?”
“All sorts. Looks like they took fright.”
They watched as the sheet of black specks wheeled and spun, spreading out and pulling back. The cloud of birds spread like a vast quantity of oil across the surface of the sea. Darkening as they overlapped and wheeled in the air before breaking into groups to dissipate over the dusty land.
“So what happened to everyone?”
“I thought you knew. Weren't you watching?”
“I drove in around midday. The place was deserted.” …show more content…
I should think to pick up stragglers. I could see it through the ventilation shutters. It was bloody long, dude. Like those super long ore trains they got coming from the coalmines on the coast. Only this one pulled carriages instead of buckets on wheels.”
“They came back?” Storm exhaled.
I was so friggin lucky.
“They came and went all morning. The last time was about eleven o'clock. You were lucky.”
“Are you sure they took them to a camp?”
“What else is up this way? They weren’t gone so long. So they didn’t go far.”
“The camp must be freaking huge!”
“We've been hearing rumors long enough. I heard once they put you in of those places you don't ever get out.”
“I heard that too.”
“Bet they even put out some of those stories themselves. Now the system is layer out across the country. They want us to be afraid so we give up easily and co-operate.”
Storm fell quiet.
Darren is definitely an oddball. He is clever though. It helps me right now that he hardly ever shuts up.
“I've seen photos that are supposed to be of the Grabegar camp. There are fences topped with razor wire, guard towers, and dogs patrolling the perimeter. They have proper hardboard shelters and not tents. That's something. I hear around the cities most camps use tents.”
“So why bother rounding up people all the way out
Storm pointed ahead.
“Birds. A lot of them!”
“What do you think they are?”
“All sorts. Looks like they took fright.”
They watched as the sheet of black specks wheeled and spun, spreading out and pulling back. The cloud of birds spread like a vast quantity of oil across the surface of the sea. Darkening as they overlapped and wheeled in the air before breaking into groups to dissipate over the dusty land.
“So what happened to everyone?”
“I thought you knew. Weren't you watching?”
“I drove in around midday. The place was deserted.” …show more content…
I should think to pick up stragglers. I could see it through the ventilation shutters. It was bloody long, dude. Like those super long ore trains they got coming from the coalmines on the coast. Only this one pulled carriages instead of buckets on wheels.”
“They came back?” Storm exhaled.
I was so friggin lucky.
“They came and went all morning. The last time was about eleven o'clock. You were lucky.”
“Are you sure they took them to a camp?”
“What else is up this way? They weren’t gone so long. So they didn’t go far.”
“The camp must be freaking huge!”
“We've been hearing rumors long enough. I heard once they put you in of those places you don't ever get out.”
“I heard that too.”
“Bet they even put out some of those stories themselves. Now the system is layer out across the country. They want us to be afraid so we give up easily and co-operate.”
Storm fell quiet.
Darren is definitely an oddball. He is clever though. It helps me right now that he hardly ever shuts up.
“I've seen photos that are supposed to be of the Grabegar camp. There are fences topped with razor wire, guard towers, and dogs patrolling the perimeter. They have proper hardboard shelters and not tents. That's something. I hear around the cities most camps use tents.”
“So why bother rounding up people all the way out