The monster in the bush
Back when I was 8, which must’ve been sometime in 1975, I was at a small school in outback Sth Australia. It served as the primary and high school for the region, with kids from railway camps, farms and stations coming to it from miles around.
The perimeter of the school was fenced, and immediately beyond the fence was the Aussie outback. Trees and bushes that was like a forest, but ‘forest’ isn’t the right word – it sounds too nice and pleasant.
The forest of the Aussie outback is a harsh, unforgiving place. The trees are twisted, reaching out for any water or moisture they can get. The dirt is red, and the undergrowth, like the trees, is rugged. It’s hot out there, and there’s a lot of flies, snakes, and lizards. You wouldn’t want to get lost in it.
