Revenge
Copyright© 2021 by Peter H. Salus
Chapter 36
That night, Sam had another visit. “You have been teaching well. Tomorrow or the next day Boobook will bring you another problem. A new resident who was of Mirima but has been away for many years. Oh, Lily’s girl is healthy. Tell her that.”
It was two days, but Boobook arrived with a man who looked to be in his thirties.
“I see you Sam.”
“And I you, Boobook.”
“This is Elly.”
“Elly?”
“Short for Eleasar,” said the stranger.
“Ah. He who stood his ground against the Philistines. Welcome. I am Sam, short for Samuel.”
“Also Bunjil,” said Boobook.”
“So. I was born here. When I was 17, I joined the army. The Forces taught me to drill an’ sent me to school. I served briefly on Diego Garcia an’ then was sent to Kandahar.”
“Afghanistan,” said Sam.
“Yes. I served there for several years and stood in the path of some shrapnel. I spent six months or so at Garden Island and then they shipped me to First Health in Darwin. They let me go a few days ago.”
“Were you hurt badly?”
“Left arm an’ left leg. Get a twinge now an’ then. Really OK.”
“How did you get to the ADF?”
“I got into trouble. Lady with ALS got the judge to agree to my enlistin’. Training camp straightened me out. After camp, I got ‘selected’ an’ got sent to Duntroon in the ACT. I was the RMC nigger. But they treated me well an’ trotted me out whenever there was a visitor. I was there for 18 months when they flew me to Diego as a paramedic. Then they flew me to Kandahar. I was a medic in a mixed Brit an’ Aussie hospital support group until spring 2021, when the Brits went home. I was attached to a Yank group that was being sent home – ‘extracted’ – when I was in an unlucky place. An’ here I am, coupla years later.”
“We’ve an Afghan family here. Might that be a problem?”
“Don’ see why. Where were they from?”
“Spin something.”
“Spin Buldak. About two hours from Kandahar, when the road’s OK. Do you see any others?”
“No drinking.”
“Not a problem for me.”
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