All Im after is something that makes sense to me.
In between setting up a bilateral agreement with the enemy, banning rumours about serial killers, and fobbing off an attempted coup détat by Richard and the other House leaders, I go to see our Principal about Hannah and realise that in the whole time I have been at the school, Ive been in this office only once. John Palmer moves from behind his desk and sits me down in one of his guest seats like hes promoting the notion of some kind of warmth and familiarity. Its not that I dont like the adults around here; its just that they dont stick around long enough. The Jellicoe School is their stepping stone to some other place and there have been three Principals since Ive arrived. Thats what makes Hannah different. Rumour has it that Hannah went to school here and just never left. Thats another of what I call the Hannah mysteries. Why would a woman whos not even in her mid-thirties
hide herself away from the world out here? Worse still, why would she choose to leave out of the blue and not tell me?
Youre not privy to that type of information, Taylor, Mr. Palmer says gently but firmly.
Shes been my House co-ordinator for five years, sir. She brought me to this school. I think that entitles me to be privy to something. Added to that, I have a House of kids who need her.
Hes nodding, like its all occurred to him already. Ms. Morris will be staying at the cottage just outside Lachlan House, so anything you need, you just call her.
Do you know whether Hannahs coming back? Did she put in notice or warn you? Anything? I am desperate for something.
Lets just say that she was in a rush. She left a letter saying that she had something to attend to in Sydney and that shed contact us when she knew her plans. She apologised for any inconvenience and signed it.
Can she just do that? Walk out on her job without an explanation? Has she been picking up her salary?
Taylor, he says, a perplexed look on his face. Hannahs not an employee. She doesnt work for the school. She owns the property by the river and has helped out around here for as long as anyone can remember. She can come and go as she pleases, something she hasnt elected to do in the past, so Im certainly not going to turn around and demand that she return here, even if I did have her number. You know Hannah better than I do; it would have had to be something important for her to have left. Shell ring you at your House any day now. Youre panicking for nothing.
Did she mail the letter?
It was hand-delivered by a friend of hers.
Who? Whos her friend? I know all her friends. I promise. Ask me any question about her and Ill be able to answer. Just let me speak to this friend of hers.
He leans forward in his seat. I am humiliated by the pity in his eyes. I promise you that if she contacts me I will tell her that you want to speak to her.
I nod again, swallowing. Can I just see the letter? Theres a pleading tone in my voice and suddenly I am every pathetic kid who has ever been dumped in this place. Im the pining in Jessa McKenzies face and the desperation in those poor kids who would hang off every one of Hannahs words just because she took notice of them. I always felt that I was above that. Im not sure why until this moment. From the day Hannah picked me up from that 7-Eleven I knew I meant more to her. That we were somehow connected.
Mr. Palmer walks away for a moment and retrieves something from a filing cabinet. He returns with an envelope in his hands, which he shows me and I take in every detail. On the envelope, in writing not belonging to Hannah, are the words TO BE GIVEN TO JOHN PALMER. The writing is amazingly neat and precise. Mr. Palmer sees the look of doubt on my face and takes the letter out of the envelope and I recognise the handwriting instantly. Hannahs.
I stand up, nodding again. Im sorry.
Whats there to be sorry about Taylor? That you miss a friend?
Theres been too much sentimentality for me already, so I walk to the door. If you hear from her
You have my promise.
When I get back to the House the juniors are doing their homework.
If Hannah rings, I say from the door, you make sure you call me.
Jessa McKenzie looks up and, like every single time she looks at me, I get a sense of familiarity. She holds up her hand and gives a small wave. Unexpectedly, a fierce sense of protectiveness comes over me. Except I fight it back because I can hardly look after myself these days.
I lie in bed and words silently tumble out of my mouth. Some people say their prayers at night. I dont. What I say is always the same. My name is Taylor Markham. I live on the Jellicoe Road .
In the tree hanging over the ridge, Webb made his plans to build a house. Hed make it out of gopherwood, like Noahs ark, two storeys high, with a view he could look out on every day with wonder. His father had built their home on the farm. It was one of the things Webb had loved about him and the times he missed him most were when he remembered the sounds of hammering and the humming of a saw and his fathers voice joining in the harmony of some song that seemed to play in all their minds. Webb remembered how he and Narnie would hold nails between their teeth just to be like him, tapping away with their hammers, knowing they were part of something big.