True North

Chapter one

"Oh! You're Aussie, good." I held onto the door, gripping the cold metal, ready to flee if he came too close. "Are you alright, mate? You were crawling across the middle of the road."

Impossible to tell for sure, but I believed he was young, maybe only my age. He looked around, confused. "I don't seem to know where I am."

"You're on the outskirts of Marysville," I filled him in.

"Where's that?"

"Um... about an hour from Melbourne? We're up in the mountains. Where did you think you were?"

He wiped a grimy hand across his brow, leaving a clean streak behind. "I'm not sure."

"Well, alright then." I tried to pretend that forgetting where you were or where you'd come from was perfectly fine, just a little snafu. "What's your name?"

"I... I don't think I know that either." He shook his head, and began to sway, dangerously dizzy.

I moved towards him, worried he might fall and smack his head. "When's the last time you ate anything?"

"A week... maybe more..." He leaned forward, hands on his knees. As I drew closer, I could see how emaciated he was; his cheek bones stood out sharply and his clothing hung off his lean frame.

My self-preservation fought with my sense of human decency. The thought of inviting an amnesiac stranger into my vehicle seemed like the start of a slasher flick, and I'd already experienced enough horror in my twenty-three years. But how could I leave him there? I couldn't even call for an ambulance until I made it to town; they'd take at least an hour to arrive and God only knew if they would find him lying in the dark.

Listening to his rattly breath, looking at his wasted form, I made my choice. "Right-o, get in." I walked to the passenger door and opened it.

He looked up, tragic. "I'm... I don't think I can manage it." He took one staggering step, pitching forward.

"Crap! Hang on," I raced to his side and grabbed his hands. They were like skeleton fingers, gripping me weakly. Those weak hands cracked the wall around my heart and compassion seeped out. Lowering my voice, I encouraged him, "Lean forward. It's only five steps. Come on, we'll do it together."

Shuddering, he made a supreme effort to stay on his feet and allowed me to lead him to the car. When he collapsed inside, I pulled the seatbelt across his lap, wincing at the earthy smell emanating from his pores.

His blanket lay on the ground, but the fuzzy material was so encrusted with dirt, I didn't think he'd want it anymore. Walking around the back of the ute, I pulled an old picnic rug out from under the spilled groceries. It smelled like honey, probably from the plastic tub which had popped its lid and lay drooling all over the place, but it was mostly clean.

I tucked the rug over him as he lay breathing shallowly. Silver eyes connected with mine. "Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome. I'll get you to the clinic in town, but don't try anything stupid, okay? I'm not as delicate as I look." People always assumed because I was five foot nothing, built like a pixie and sported an adorable bob that I couldn't defend myself. They were right.

His eyes widened. "Of course not. You've saved me. I owe you."

He squeezed my hand in gentle gratitude and my stupid heart fluttered. Freaked, I pulled away and slammed the door. What the hell, I hissed at myself. I must be getting desperate if Bigfoot can make me quiver.

Jumping in the driver's side, I slammed the stick in gear and roared away. Night had well and truly descended on the mountain as the rusty ute chugged up and over the Black Spur. I concentrated on the bendy road with its soft edges; one wrong turn and we'd be flipping hopelessly down the rugged cliff sides.