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Academic Overview
prose by Emily Hunter
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| artwork by Sephie Newsholme |
As the sun cast its orange glow over the Argentine plain, Maria wandered across the pampa, taking in the familiar smell of eucalyptus. She walked past the polo fields and stables, waving to Javier the gaucho as she passed. She was aware that she should have been home hours ago. It was usual for her to go off for hours after dark so her mother wouldn’t be worried, just angry.
This was her favourite time. The long summer holidays meant a break from school in Buenos Aires and a freedom. She came back to the estancia and could roam for hours across the estate, taking in everything she loved. The air, full of dry grass and eucalyptus and the stamping and snorting of the polo ponies. The smell of lomo cooking for dinner and the crickets starting their nightly chorus, the sound echoing for miles. Everything Argentine. Everything is still. The sun was setting and as it disappeared slowly behind the horizon, it dragged the lengthening shadows with it turning the orange glow into a dark haze.
Maria could see the tiny lights in the windows of her house in the distance. As she looked, she laughed to herself and imagined her mother’s reaction when she returned, “Por Dios Maria, where have you been? Why do you always go wandering off after dark?” She would be sent to her room without supper but she didn’t care. This was what she lived for, evenings like these when she could be free. She came to her favourite tree and she went and sat against its trunk, her back against the rough bark. She felt her T-shirt sticking to her. The heat was still thick despite it being so late but it was comforting, as it was familiar. Maria sighed with contentment. A gecko ran down the trunk. She stayed very still, watching it as it ran around the base of the tree. Finally, when it settled, she reached out and caught it. Its skin felt rubbery and slightly wet and in the fading light, seemed to change colour with every little movement, green one minute, yellow or slightly purple the next. Its bulging eyes were bright and alert and surveyed Maria quizzically. The lumps on its skin pulsed with its heartbeat as it scrabbled and kicked in her grasp. She became so absorbed in examining its eyes and the way its tail twitched that she was oblivious to the gentle rustling in the grass. One cricket stopped singing and the snake slid nearer and nearer until it stopped a few inches from Maria’s side. The gecko sensed the movement and jumped onto the tree, startling her and the snake raised itself up and attacked. That pain mingled with numbness started to spread through her like fire through a dry forest. She tried to scream out for help but her throat was constricted and hot. She had spent the whole evening not wanting to be found and now she had to be found and there was no one there. Panic gripped her. The pain was now spreading right across her stomach and chest and she could feel it eating into her bit by bit. Unconsciousness started to drift over her but she fought it. If only she could reach the stables, Javier would be there. Her limbs were stiff and a wave of nausea swept over her as she tried to move. Slowly she dragged herself away from the tree, gasping, fixing her sights on the lights beyond. She couldn’t do it. She gave in and fell to the ground, all went dark.
“Por Dios, where is that girl?” fumed Ana. She stormed out of the house towards the polo fields in search of Javier, he was likely to know where she was. But he did not. Ana started to grow worried. Maria had never been gone this long before. Javier set off with a lamp into the distance and she made her way back to the house in search of her husband. It was a nervous wait. For once, she hardly noticed the mosquitoes settling and buzzing, buzzing and settling around the veranda. She wrung her hands in desperation and she started to feel sick. Her stomach was churning as she scanned the darkness for any sign of Javier and Maria. Surely nothing could have happened, could it? At last she looked up and cried out as she saw Javier approach with Maria over his shoulder, her face almost yellow from the poison. He ran inside and set her down on the couch. Ana flew to her daughter, tears streaming down her face as she looked at her. Javier disappeared in a flash to send for the doctor. She would never forgive herself. She tried to convince herself that it was not happening, that Maria would wake up and all would be fine. She could not believe it, would not believe it. She prayed feverishly for a miracle, for Maria to get well. Maria’s whole body went from hot to cold and back again. Sweat poured from her brow and although she would not answer when Ana spoke, her body stayed tense. Ana stayed with Maria all night stroking her hand, pleading, praying and willing her to wake.
The sun rose again, the familiar glow creeping in at the windows. But that morning the warmth did not reach the house. Inside it was cold and silent. Ana got up and closed the curtains.
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