Hanging off the tree is one of those floppy rope ladders like in a trapeze act, except that here there is no net. Raffaela grabs hold of it.
How do you know its secure? I ask.
She tugs at it and shrugs. I just do. Santangelos anal about things like this.
She begins climbing and the ladder swings around. One at a time, though, she yells down.
I look at Ben. Youre next.
Its not like Im scared of heights. Theres been many a night that Ive climbed out of my window and swung off the tree just outside it. But this thing is massive and I think Id rather be climbing branches than a flimsy ladder thats attached to nothing I can see.
By the time its my turn, Ben has already freaked me out with his dramatics. I begin the ascent, concentrating hard on each step, making sure that my foot is on the next rung before I step off the previous one.
When I reach the top, Raffaela and Ben help me up.
Close your eyes, Raffaela instructs.
Are you insane?
Youre on solid timber, she reassures me. Its very sound and were holding on to you, anyway. Youve got to close your eyes.
Im convinced that if I hear something about being able to see tomorrow and its bloody beautiful Ill throw myself off. I stand up straight, however, and close my eyes.
Open.
Im standing on a landing, the wall of the tree house behind me. Directly across my torso is a piece of wood, preventing me from falling over the side.
Raffaela points in front of me. The town. She turns me to the left. Cadets. Then she turns me to the right. Us.
The tree house has the most amazing and comprehensive view I have ever seen. Hills and valleys and houses and steeples, symmetrically cut farm blocks and vineyards. It is lush and hazy in the morning glow and I feel a rush of something inside me. I turn to the right and look in the direction of our Houses. I can see the six of them, looking closer than they actually are to each other. I see the little cottages in between that belong to the House co-ordinators and beyond that I see Hannahs unfinished house by the river.
They can see everything, I say.
With a good pair of binoculars theyd be able to see inside our rooms, Raffaela says.
I turn to look at the Cadets, already out of their tents and preparing for the day.
Who needs satellites? Ben says.
Thats what interests them the most, Raffaela says pointing. The Jellicoe Road.
They have a birds-eye view of every single part of this area. If they are up to no good, they know exactly when someones coming up or coming closer.
So theyre spying on us.
I actually dont think so. I think they love the view and its a pretty good space for just hanging out, she says, walking inside the tree house. Surprisingly it is solidly built and we follow her in, sitting on the floor, taking in the space and possibilities. I think the eighties mob named it and built a makeshift something up here. I dont think its ever been as solid as it is now, but thats a Santangelo thing. I think he even wants to tile it. Thats the wog in him.
So you used to come up here when we owned it?
She nods and smiles. Anyone who was at the school and came from the town did. Come on. Look at the view. Its awesome. Gods country.
You can take the girl out of the town but you cant take the clichéd Townie out of the girl, Ben says.
Well, it is!
Bet youve been up here with Santangelo, Ben says.
She goes red and walks out onto the landing. We follow her and breathe in the freshness.
They want to meet again. Tomorrow night. This time in the Club House, she says.
Have the Cadets agreed?
They think so. They reckon youre never too sure with Jonah Griggs.
On the Jellicoe Road a car appears in the distance.
Townies, Raffaela says. Weve got about ten minutes to get out of here.
I go down last, taking a closer look at Hannahs unfinished house by the river. Except I realise that its almost finished. Its only the stuff inside that needs to be done, and the idea of its near-completion frightens me beyond comprehension.
Later on that night, Im awakened by a sound. I stay still for a moment, my ears alert, heart racing, wondering if it was just one of those loud bumps in dreams that dont actually
exist. When I cant get back to sleep, I get out of bed and quietly make my way down the stairs. I hear the breathing of those in the dorms and stand at their door for a while, watching them. I notice Chloe P. in someone elses bed, clutching onto her for dear life, and theres Jessa in the corner, snoring quietly and contently. The music of it all brings a smile to my face. A candle burns in the corner and I go over and blow it out.
I open the front door and step outside and the cool wind brushes my face, almost caressingly. As I stand looking out into the darkness, its like I can hear the pulse of everything out there. I remember the Prayer Tree and all those names and scratchings, every one of them with their own story, and I wonder where they all are now. Is Bronnie still in love with any of those boys? Does Jason still have so much hate? Do any of them still think of their time on the Jellicoe Road?