Through the Cracks by Honey Brown

He also seemed unable to stop talking.
    ‘I said to him once – what have you got stashed down there? And you know what he said to me, you wanna know? He said some joke about having a little something put aside for later. He said that. See? It’s always right in front of your face. It’s always looking you right in the eye.’ Billy knocked his knuckles on his chest. ‘In there too, a feeling. You feel like shit when shit comes out, because you knew it was always going to be shit.’ Billy put his hand on Adam’s head, gave Adam’s skull a squeeze. ‘So what’s your name?’
    ‘Adam.’
    ‘Billy. I’ll look after you, don’t worry. It’s good I found you.’
    Jerry barked, once, high and piercing. Billy began feeling around in the grass. He picked up a stick and snapped it into smaller pieces. He threw the bits at Jerry.
    ‘Fuck off, ferret.’
    Jerry dodged the bits of stick and barked again. Billy gave up throwing things at him.
    ‘We gotta go.’
    He took hold of Adam’s arm above the elbow again, pulled him close to his side. His grip was strong, but there was no curl to his fingers, no biting pressure that might have made Adam’s heart stall. They began to edge along beneath the trees, the fence at their backs. They passed by the rubbish trailer. The smell of rotting chickens had Billy groaning.
    ‘Why are sickos always grots? I mean, fuck me, ever think of taking your rubbish to the tip, arsehole? It’s pretty weird to think he’s dead, yeah? It was like that fucker was never gonna die.’
    Monty and Jerry followed. Near the gates, with the stretch of concrete to cross, Billy and Adam squatted behind a mound of gravel. Monty and Jerry stopped too. The dogs sat in the grass.
    ‘How will we stop these rats following us out the gates? They can’t trot along behind us. I suppose we could leg it and outrun them?’
    Billy let go of Adam. He looked at his watch, pushed a button on the side of it. The watch face glowed green. Over at the house one of the ambulance officers walked out. Billy grabbed Adam and yanked him lower. The man came down the steps and opened the driver’s side door of the ambulance. He coughed, took out a hanky and blew his nose. He fiddled around, unwrapping a packet of lollies. He popped a lolly in his mouth then put the packet on the dash. He stood there, sucking and rolling the sweet on his tongue, staring up at the stars.
    Billy sighed. ‘Have a fucking moment, why don’t you? Don’t mind us.’
    Monty came closer and wagged her tail. She lowered her chest to the ground.
    ‘Monty’s about to bark,’ Adam whispered.
    ‘Hey?’
    ‘Monty’s about to bark.’
    ‘Well, stop her.’
    ‘Can you let go of me?’
    Billy thought about it a moment. He released Adam’s arm.
    ‘Monty, here.’ Adam spoke as quietly as he could. He patted his leg. ‘Here.’
    Both dogs rushed up. They licked his face, excited about not being growled at anymore. Adam picked them up, one under each arm. Monty didn’t mind being held. Jerry didn’t like it as much. He didn’t fight it, though.
    ‘They won’t bark now.’
    ‘You better bloody hope not.’
    Billy peered over the top of the gravel. The ambulance driver had gone inside. Billy straightened and listened for sounds in the street. He beckoned Adam with his hand.
    ‘Walk, don’t run, keep it cool.’
    They crossed the concrete. Billy strolled as though there was no problem, nothing at all to be afraid of. The lights in the front rooms of the house were on – lounge room, kitchen, short hallway, Adam’s father’s bedroom. Lace dimmed the brightness. The awnings blocked it further. It was possible to see the shapes of the men inside, though. They were standing in the lounge room. One stretched his arms above his head, yawned. Adam realised that anyone walking past the open gates would be able to see the men’s outlines. Adam came to a standstill. Looking at the men made him wonder what people would have thought had they ever been