The Post-Humans (Book 1): The League by Thurston Bassett Page A

than happy to talk to Athan. He had learned a great deal about calving, milking, the week’s worth of rain and a little about how to effectively spread super-phosphate on a cropping field, but nothing about Dan Dangerous.
     
    The next day at the local football game, he met a young red haired man who was cheering on the football team.
    “Yeah, I know old Carly!” The man said as he sat on the tray of his ute with his thick arms folded across his broad chest. “Old mate is living in my old man’s parent’s joint ‘cross from the creek. ‘Bout two K’s.” He paused to yell ‘ Come on’ when a player on the field missed a goal. “Yeah me name’s Reg.” He shook Athan’s hand. “Old Carly sometimes gets to the footy, but ya can’t count on him to always turn up. Likes a beer, but not so sweet on all the people. Depends on how he feels I guess.” He uncrossed his arms to pick up his beer for another sip and yelled some encouragement to a player who he knew.
    “Athan, good to meet you. That should be easy enough to find. Thank you.”
    “You family or a mate? He wouldn’t be happy with me sendin’ some stranger around there, if ya know what I mean? My sister lives basically next door. Me niece goes down to old Carly’s a bit. He’s been a bit like a Granddad to her since my old man passed. Ya know?”
    Athan realized that if he saw the sister he could use her as a conduit to get to the house in question.
    A short cut.
    “That must be a comfort to her,” Athan said nodding. “What does she look like? Your sister, in case I bump into her on my way there?”
    “Argh… Yeah, mate. There’s a photo on my phone from Stacy’s birthday a couple of weeks ago. Stacy’s me niece.” He reached into his pocket and drew out his mobile phone and scrolled through the photos while glancing at the game on the field.
    “There ya go,” he announced, holding the phone out for Athan to see. “That’s me and Casey.” Athan took a moment to really look at the woman in the photo. “You from the big smoke? My older brother Evan worked in a warehouse in the west, but it closed down. Jobs are hard to come by mate… Mate?”
    Athan was nowhere to be seen.
    “Rude, prick.”
     
    Athan materialized from the body of a woman who was filling a water trough for her calves.
    “Excuse me?” he asked quietly. People were always jumpy when they didn’t see you coming.
    The red haired woman turned and blinked.
    “I’m looking for Old Carly’s place? Apparently it’s just along here somewhere, near a creek?” Athan gave a friendly smile.
    “Where did you come from?” The woman named Casey narrowed her eyes. “You aren’t trying to push us onto another power company are you? We’re happy with ours. We aren’t changing. You city folk in ya smart suits and ties think you can make a few extra bucks out of the farmers. We struggle out here, we don’t have money to throw away or your bloody useless power scams and ya pay TV…”
    “I’m family,” Athan said to end the zealous speech. They were clearly suspicious of anyone in a suit.
    “Why are ya dressed like you’re goin to a funeral then? Aren’t you cold?” she asked. These people always had too much to say and wanted a life story before they pointed you in the right direction.
    “I’ve been to a funeral, I’m sorry, I just really wanted to see my uncle while I’m here,” Athan lied.
    “Isn’t he at the footy?” she said as she turned off the hose.
    There were two options on a Saturday: football or back to work in the paddock.
    At least, that was what Athan suspected.
    Athan shrugged. “He didn’t feel up to it.”
    “Well, Carly’s stayin’ in Nartook. That’s the name of Dad’s old place. It’s a ‘K’ down the dirt, or you can cross my place, down here.” She pointed to a shabby white house amongst some trees near a creek choked up with reeds. “Just down the hill and cross into Farley’s at the bottom. Only one fence to jump, you’ll