The Chopper
Storm clouds hung in a rusty dark mess close to the Dunbogan cliff face. There was no wind. Thunder cracked against the rocks at the cliff edge and she sensed that more rain would hit her place soon.
The sky blackened and the wind picked up then the rain came in sheets from the east. Then she heard it, from the north, loud as hell and clattering in sweeps, whooshing circular motions as the blades seared through the air above the house. The room was emblazoned in light and roar, round and round, windows rumbling and she felt they would shatter if the thing didn’t move off soon.
Scout reacted quickly to the noise, his rump curved underneath, tail tucked in under his bottom and he scampered into his hut which the woman had moved to the living room in the wake of the storm’s first wave. She could see the terror in the dog.
The great thing moved back over the house, the walls rumbled and huge torch-like lights scanned her kitchen as it made its sweeps, back and forth. They were looking for something or someone.
Whoosh, whoosh as the chopper moved across again and made its final sweep of her place.
As if on cue there was a loud knock on her front door. A man in a yellow vest stood there dripping wet, a peeved look on his face.
‘Get your wellies on love, we have to get you out of here, the water’s rising and we haven’t got long’.
‘What about my dog?’
‘Bring it, unless it floats’.
She grabbed the plastic bag she’d packed, insurance details, photos. Her climate pack. She dragged Scout out of the hut, it was difficult to put on his harness with his sturdy body wound up in a ball.
She pulled on a pair of tough leather gardening boots and met the man at the front door.
‘Hurry love, truck’s in front.’ A bolt of lightning crashed.
They made their way in the semi-dark along the path to the front gate in water up to her thighs, and she saw a snake slither past her – a red bellied black trying to find higher ground. The rain came down so hard it stung her back and arms through her shirt.
She knew they wouldn’t make it to the town so she asked him where they would go.
‘The chopper’ll pick us up on the beach.’
The sand lifted in huge clouds in the fading light and the chopper lowered itself, it’s lights sweeping the area. The truck parked. She jumped out and pulled open the back door to get her dog, but Scout bolted and ran down the beach. The man in the vest was trying to rush her into the open doors of the dragonfly-like beast.
‘My dog has run off; I have to find him.’
She followed paw prints in the wet sand and there was the dog heading into the dunes at the back of the beach. She was searching for the dog’s lead on the ground, but he’d scampered off as far away as he could get. Her fingers rummaged around in the long sedge grass until she found the lead. Little robins and wrens surfaced in a rush as the dog dug in. Then there it was, the neon band of the lead and she lunged for the end of it and held on tight as the dog pulled in the opposite direction. She pulled the lead towards her and lifted the dog’s weight up against her body, its front paws hung over her shoulders and she stood unsteadily, the yellow vested man behind her.
‘Unless you want to sleep on this beach you better come with me now,’ he said.
‘Sorry, I’ve got him.’ She followed him to the chopper.
'How much does the dog weigh?’ said the pilot.
‘He’s only ten kilos,’ she lied.
‘I really shouldn’t take him,’ he turned to his panel of switches.
Before she was ready the chopper lifted into the air and she could see her house, now an island in a sea of water. She could make out small vessels scooting along the edges of the lagoon at the back of her house. These were the selfless townies who’d come to navigate their boats to pick up stranded people, her neighbours. She knew for the first time she could leave here for good, that was a possibility but where safety was, she didn’t know.
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Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work and the places in which we live. We pay respect to Ancestors and Elders past and present. We recognise the unique cultural and spiritual relationship and celebrate the contributions of First Nations peoples to Australia.
