Sister Heart (4 page)

She grabs my hand

I'm Janey!

Fingers press a message

into my palm – friend

I don't know her

She's not my family

How can she be my friend?

You hungry, new girl?

Janey yanks my arm

pulls me with her

We gotta run!

Eating place is quiet

Janey whispers

No talkin', just eatin'

Bread looks horrible

smells horrible

My Granny makes good damper

Wish I had some now

Tears sting my eyes

I push the bread away

Other girls at the table

stare hungrily at my bread

Don't want it, new girl?

asks Janey

I slide my bread to her

she gobbles it down

When eating is finished

Janey says

Thanks for the bread

Me guts are always hungry!

If I catch a fish

I'll share with you

Honest!

I'm not lyin'!

I'm a good catcher for fish!

Janey giggles

Sometimes I say words

like fish

cake

potatoes

and pretend it makes me fat

Got a lotta tricks like that

Why can't she be quiet?

Why can't she leave me alone?

A grumpy lady gives me clothes

same as the other kids

It's nearly lock-up

she says

I don't have time

to check your hair for nits

Go with Janey

she knows how things work here

Janey takes me to the sleeping place

Beds in rows

girls everywhere

Janey shouts

Bed next to me is for the new girl!

Other girls ignore her

Janey yells

Hey, you mob hear me?

I'm claimin' this bed!

Bigger girl yells back

Aw, shut up, Janey

No one wants the stinky bed!

Janey tugs the blanket

This your bed now, new girl

Margy used to sleep here

but she got sent out to work

I look at the bed

Did Margy like this place?

Another girl joins us

Taller

wider

older

She says

You nor'wester or sou'wester?

Janey steps closer

New girl's not talkin', Nancy

but I reckon she's nor'wester

Nancy frowns

pokes out her bottom lip

looks me up and down

Yeah, nor'wester!

Nancy clenches her fist

shoves it close to my nose

I don't back away

Will she hit me?

Any trouble, see me, new girl

She pokes Janey's arm

Janey's sou'wester

but she's alright

'cept she talks too much!

Nancy returns to her bed

Janey whispers

Most kids cry

when Nancy does that

She can hit hard

You got guts!

I sit on Margy's bed

Janey sits on her bed

leans forward

Nancy fights new kids

if they big like her

specially sou'westers

But she's good with kids our size

Some sou'westers like fightin' too

but not me!

Nancy'll be going out to work soon

'cause she's nearly fourteen

Poor old Nancy

she wants to be a film star

Girls at the end of the room

shout at each other

Janey looks at them

shrugs

You get used to the noise

If it's a bad bust-up

big girls will thump 'em both

I slide under the blanket

Around me

girls I don't know

who aren't sisters

cousins

aunties

fight

yell

giggle

cry

cough

I pull the blanket higher

Janey slips off her bed

leans over me

You okay?

Her mouth is smiley

but her eyes are sad

What your name?

I dip my head under the blanket

Shut Janey out

Shut the shouting girls out

It's okay

Janey says

It's okay to be scared, new girl

My fingers cover my mouth

I cry quiet beneath the blanket

Someone shakes me

Wake up, wake up!

Come on, it's mornin'

I open my eyes

wrinkle my nose

Pooh this place stinks

Toilet's full

Janey says

Gets right up ya nose, huh?

But boys' place stinks worse!

Glad I'm not a boy

I squeeze my hands

round my toes

So cold

it's like there's no blood in them

Janey pinches my shoulder

I fling out a slap

but she ducks away

giggling

Not allowed to sleep in

Freezin' cold

but ya gotta get up!

Itchy bites dot my arm

Another girl teases

Ha, ha!

Mattress bugs got you good, new girl!

Janey warns

Scratch

and ya bleed

Worry for the cold

and ya freeze

Sleep in

and ya get trouble

Janey raises her eyebrows

You want trouble?

Course I don't want trouble!

I throw off the blanket

Cold air hits me all over

I wrap my arms round my body

shiver my way outside

Ship was cold

Here is cold too

And nowhere to hide

Janey shoves a broom at me

Sweepin' gets ya blood pumpin'

Runnin' round is good as well

But not till you finish sweepin'

Who does she think she is

bossing me?

She lowers her voice

You wet your bed?

No!

I am mad at her for asking

She makes me feel shame

It's okay, new girl

first night lotsa girls wet the bed

or if they have a bad dream

or if they hurtin' inside

or if they sick

I wish she would shut up

Listen, we all got mornin' jobs

I'll make our beds

You sweep hard

warm up your insides

Okay?

I put my head down

and sweep the verandah

I think of Aunty Adie

I helped her clean the Big House

on the station

Sweep the corners good

she'd say

or Boss will complain

Sweep the corners real good

Too sick to eat breakfast

Not seasick

Heartsick

Janey elbows me

If your guts growl in school

Teacher will think you farted

Teacher hates fartin'

snortin'

and laughin'

So you better eat somethin'

Girl on the other side

of the table hisses

Shut up, Janey!

Get us in trouble

with your talkin'!

Gotta tell her stuff

Janey hisses back

She new here

How she gunna know?

Is Janey trying to help me?

Janey whispers

Teacher hates laughin'

the worst

If she thinks kids are laughin' at her

she explodes!

I nibble horrible bread

Bits drop on the table

Janey licks her finger

presses it to my crumbs

The crumbs stick

She licks them off

I'm a good catcher for fish

and a good catcher for bread, too!

Outside again

Janey says

Hey — you ever been to school?

School's where kids learn stuff

Maybe you'll learn to talk!

I turn away

Aw, sorry, new girl

Don't talk

I don't care

School's borin'

'cept for stories and singin'

We sing for important visitors

when they come here

Everythin' gets cleaned up then

Get better food, too

My family sings

All my aunties sing

Mum sings the best

She taught me lots of songs

Nancy comes up

spins me around

Ay, new girl!