Fossil Hills

A violent bump.

“There, that’s the bitumen. Soon be there now, just try to lie still.”

“Am I…am I…?”

“No dear, just some nasty bruises.”

Bruises? How did she get…”No, please don’t hurt me again…”

“Sssh, no one will hurt you. Just try to relax.”

Now there was a wailing noise and another voice said, “Nearly there, we’re in the town.”

Chapter 5.The Awakening.

She was being moved again and the pain was even worse. Her whole body seemed to be on fire, but now her vision had cleared and she was more aware. She was being lifted again and laid on a bed. People moved around her talking quietly.

A man came to stand beside her and said, “I’m Doctor Symonds, I’ve got to examine you. I’ll be as gentle as I can.”

He went on talking but to someone else. “Very badly sunburnt. Head and chest injuries. Badly bruised round the breasts. There were words she did not understand, then, “Probably raped…test for emissions, then get her to x-ray.”

She was lying on her back watching the ceiling move. Lifted again and laid on another bed…no…not a bed….

Try to lie still like that….click…buzz. Moved again…God the pain…click…buzz.

“Only one more”…click…buzz.

“Okay nurse, she can go to her room now. Dr.Symonds will see her there.”

More movement. More voices. Another bed, then a sting in her buttocks. “A picture on the wall…a beautiful picture…trees…large trees…what are they…ah yes…gum trees by a creek…soft clouds sailing high in the sky and….” The picture faded, the room faded.

“Wake up dear, Dr. Symonds will be here soon.”

A nurse stood smiling at her. Beside the bed sat another woman…a woman in uniform.

“Is it okay if I ask her a few questions, nurse?” asked the woman in uniform.

“Only if Dr. Symonds says it’s all right, officer.”

“Okay,” said the officer resignedly.

“We cleaned you up a bit while you were asleep,” said the nurse; “but we might be able to give you a proper wash after doctor has seen you. How do you feel?”

“Terrible,” Karina mumbled, her mouth not seeming to work properly.

“Hmm, well we can’t give you another injection until after the doctor’s been.”

At that moment a man walked in and looking at Karina asked, “Do you remember me?”

“I’m… not sure.”

He smiled; “I examined you when you came in. How do you feel?”

“Hurt all over.”

“Not surprising. We don’t know your name; can you tell me what it is?”

“Karina Hart.”

“Well Karina, you’ve been very badly sunburnt. You’ve got a nasty bruise on your head, but fortunately no fracture. You do have three fractured ribs though and some bad bruising, some of them look like teeth marks, especially round and on your breasts. Your thighs are also very badly bruised and there is some tissue damage to your vagina, especially around the clitoral area. We also found traces of semen in your vagina. In all it looks as if you were raped and badly beaten. Can you recall it?”

The memory came flooding back…the men…the rape…the beating and abuse. “Yes… I can re…member.”

The doctor turned to the officer. “You can have five minutes, but then she must have another injection.”

The officer nodded.

“I’ll be back later when you’re awake again. There are some more tests I want to have done, and we can talk again.” He smiled and left.

The officer leaned forward in her chair. “I’m Senior Constable Clark; you can call me Joan. I have to ask you some questions.”

“All…right,” said Karina.

“How much can you remember about what happened?”

“Four…”

“Four what, dear?”

“M…m…men.”

“Do you remember their names?”

“D…idn’t say.”

“Did you get the number of their car?”

The nurse entered ready to give an injection. “Sorry officer, but I have to give the injection now.”

“Didn’t see car number.”

A sting in the buttocks.

“Anything…anything at all about the car?”

“Blue… rusty…”

Joan’s face faded; the room faded.

“Blast,” cursed Joan.

When Karina woke again it was to find Joan still sitting beside the bed.

“Can you tell me anymore about what happened – anything you can remember about the men, Karina?”

The pain was still there but a trifle muted. Her mouth still didn’t want to work. “Try.”

“Anything at all about the men or the car, anything.”

As her head began to clear the full horror of the events came surging back. The evil smelling man; the way they spoke; the tattoos; their wet clothes against her naked body, and their grunts and moans as they raped her.

The pain was returning but she was sufficiently awake to experience anger and frustration at the violence that had been committed against her. It boiled over and she moaned, “Vicious bastards, they…they…”

“It’s okay,” said Joan, “we’ll get them. We think we know who they are, but at the moment not where they are, but they’ve got to surface some time. We’ve an idea that they’ve done this sort of thing before. Not always raping, but meeting up with people who are isolated and on their own and beating them up and robbing them.”

“We also reckon we’ve worked out why they went to Fossil Downs. That track hadn’t been used for years, but they spotted your fresh wheel marks. They took a chance and followed them. If they’d have found a group of people they’d have cleared off again, but, unfortunately you were on your own.”

The doctor came into the room with a nurse. He asked Joan to leave them on their own, and Joan said, “Its okay, I got all I want for the time being. I’ll drop in and see how you’re going later, Karina. And anything you remember, let us know.”

“You’ve had a very bad time,” Dr. Symonds began, “but I’m pleased to be able to tell you that you’re going to be all right. One thing I can tell you that might put your mind at rest is, that should you be pregnant as a result of the rape, you can have the pregnancy terminated without any legal problems. Of course, it’s up to you to decide, but let me know if you do want termination.”

“On pill,” murmured Karina.

“Well, that’s one blessing. If you haven’t any questions you’d like to ask me, I’ll leave you to the nurse.” He paused for a moment. Karina tried to shake her head but a knife seemed to pierce it, so she whispered, “No.” He smiled and left.”

Chapter 5.The Samaritan.

“We’d like to have the names and contacts of any friends or relatives you’d like to inform about where you are. Is there anyone?” asked the nurse.

Karina gave the address and telephone number of her parents. Haltingly she tried to explain that her parents were old and would have a long way to come to visit her. They should be told that she’d had an accident but was on the mend, and not to mention rape.

The nurse smiled and nodded and then asked, “Do you feel like having a visitor now. He’s been back and forth asking about you. I wish it was me he was visiting,” she said a trifle suggestively.

“Who?” asked Karina, puzzled as to how anyone would know she was in the hospital apart from the staff.

“The young man who found you; his name is Hull Charters. Do you feel like seeing him, he’s been waiting so long?”

Karina felt that men were not her favourite gender at that moment, and might never be again, but since the young man was her rescuer she’d better show some gratitude.

“Yes,” she said.

The nurse left, and after a couple of minutes a young man came into the room. Karina could see why the nurse wished she had him for a visitor. He was tall and slender in a lithe sort of way. His hair was brown and cut in a conservative manner, but it was his eyes that Karina recognised. Those were the eyes that had looked down at her while she lay on the ground; the eyes that had shown such compassion.

He stood a trifle self-consciously at the end of her bed. “I’m Hull Charters,” he said diffidently. “I just thought I’d like to see how you are and…”

“You… found me?”

“Er…yes, it was a bit…I mean…you don’t expect to find…well, it was your camp I noticed first, all smashed up and stuff everywhere. By the way, I found this along the track; they must have chucked it away.” He produced a slim brief case.

The case contained Karina’s research notes and making an effort she managed to whisper, “You’re a…a…angel.”

Hull gave a shy laugh; “Well, hardly that.”

Karina said. “S…S…Samaritan then. How find me?”

“Ah, well, that was almost by chance. You see I belong to what is called the ‘Inland School’.”

Karina looked at him blankly for a moment. “School at Fossil Hills?”

He laughed; “No, not that sort of school. It’s the Inland School of artists; people who paint inland scenes and characters. An old artist told me how he’d once visited Fossil Hills and that he’d always intended to go back there and paint, but somehow he never got around to it. So, I thought I’d take a look. That’s how I found you, it was sheer luck.”

“Could have died.”

The nurse came in to give yet another injection and Hull saw it was time to go.

“I’m told you’re going to mend all right,” he said. “I’m glad I was there to help. Goodbye.”

“Come tomorrow?” asked Karina.

“Well yes, if you’d like me to.”

“Yes.”

He left and the injection was given.

Chapter 6.Joan Triumphant and the Return of the Samaritan.

Next day Karina was feeling better and her mouth had started to work again. The first visitor was not Hull but Joan. “We got them,” she said triumphantly.

“How? When?”

“In the pub at Wingalapoo last night; do you know the fools were actually trying to sell some of the stuff they’d stolen, including your’s. What they didn’t know was that the local police sergeant was there in civvies having a drink. He recognised them from the description we’d circulated. He used his mobile and got half a dozen of the boys along and they arrested them.”

“Good,” said Karina, feeling a wave of relief pass over her. “Will I have to go to court?”

“That’ll be up to the prosecutor. He may need you as a witness, but where rape is involved they try to avoid bringing the victim to court.”

Joan laughed and said, “They warbled like magpies when we started to question them, trying to put the blame on each other. We’ve got them on grievous bodily harm, robbery with violence, rape, drug offences and a few other nasties. I expect their lawyers will tell them to plead guilty, and then take the poor misguided boys line. You know, from bad homes, abused as children, never had a chance, approach.”

“Thanks for coming to tell me,” said Karina.

“That’s okay. “Must go, I’m on duty.”

She left and Karina once more felt a little bereft.

A lady arrived pushing a trolley with magazines and newspapers. Karina had no money since the four men had stolen all the cash she had with her. She explained this to the lady who said that they could include the purchases on the hospital bill. Karina bought a newspaper and magazine.

The magazine proved to be somewhat light weight, focusing as it did on the shenanigans of the British Royal Family and the sexual activities of sit-com actors. It was cast aside and the newspaper taken up. It was the sort of tabloid that, if the third world war broke out, it would appear somewhere on the back page in very small type. This too was set aside.

A nurse entered the room and Karina said, “If only I had some books to read.”

“We’ve got a hospital library,” said the nurse, “I could get you something from it if you like.”

Karina said she would like, and named some authors. The nurse commented, “I don’t think we’ve got any of those. I’ll bring you something though. There’s a young man waiting to see you; says his name is Hull. Okay if he comes in.”

“By all means,” said Karina, suddenly brightening up. “He’s my good Samaritan – the one who found me.”

“Ah, I wish he’d find me.”

She left and shortly after Hull, all smiles and a bunch of flowers entered.

“Thought these might brighten up the room.”

“Thanks, they’re lovely. Is there something to put them in?”

“I’ll see the nurse when I leave and find out if they’ve got any vases.”

Karina wanted to avoid talking about herself since that might lead to more talk about Fossil Hills; a subject she wanted to steer clear of. She said, “Tell me about this school of yours.”

Hull became very enthusiastic, telling of how while studying at Art School one of the painters from the Inland School had come to talk to his class. Hull had gone on from that to attend exhibitions of the School’s work, and then his decision to paint in that genre.

They had talked for an hour when the nurse came in and said to Hull, “I think you’d better go now, Karina needs to rest.”

Hull rose and said, “Well, goodbye Karina. I’m sorry about the way we met, but I’m glad I turned up when I did.”

“I’m glad you did,” said Karina softly. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

Hull looked embarrassed. “I can’t,” he said, “I’ve got to get back to the city. My first exhibition opens in a few days. I’m leaving tomorrow.”

Karina felt a pang of regret, but asked, “Samaritan, will you do something for me?”

“Of course, if I can.”

“Kiss me goodbye – but carefully, my face still hurts.”

Hull bent and kissed her gently on the lips; he stood looking at her for a moment, then saying, “Goodbye,” he left.

Karina felt as if something important had gone out of her life.

“I’ve got a book for you,” the nurse said, “the library lady brought it up.”

“Thank you,” said Karina wearily. Her ribs were hurting and there was a nasty soreness in her vagina.

The nurse put Hull’s flowers in a vase and left. Karina lay looking at the flowers as she drifted off into sleep.

Chapter 7.Descent into the Pit.

In the days that followed Karina had to telephone the university to let them know she had had an accident and was in hospital. She said nothing about the rape. Joan dropped in to see her and let her know what was happening about the four men. There was a telephone call from the prosecutor who told her she might not be called as a witness since it seemed that the men were going to plead guilty to a number of charges including their rape of her. If the full force of the law was applied they would get about twenty years each in prison.

The police were holding her vehicle and what was left of her other belongings, and there was much backing and forthing with the local agent for the insurance company. Arrangements with the bank gave her access to money, but all the petty annoyances of bureaucracy, both government and private, and the physical pain and discomfort, were as nothing compared to the psychological anguish Karina began to experience.

The more her physical pain diminished the more she felt the mental pain.

The nightmares she experienced made her fearful to go to sleep. Her waking hours were plagued with flash backs to her rape. She might be reading a book and a single word would give rise to an image of herself helpless in the hands of pitiless men.

The hospital counsellor came to see her, letting her relate what had happened. She repeated the story over and over again as if she could never let it go.

A psychiatrist was called in. He too listened, and then prescribed tranquillisers. These dulled the mental anguish, but did not take it away.

Her bruised swollen face returned to its normal shape and size. The bruises on her breasts and thighs faded, and one day the doctor declared her ribs mended. Her body had healed but her mind had not.

The doctor decided she was ready to be discharged from hospital, there being nothing physically wrong with her. Her vehicle had been made road worthy, and she drove it, together with the remains of her other gear, back to the city.

Her psychological torment was brought to a climax when her lover, Robert, came to see her in her flat. She had told him nothing of the assault and the resultant injuries, and as far as Robert knew she had been at Fossil Hills all the time.

Karina thought Robert would understand her pain and so as they lay in bed together and before they had made love, she told her story.

Her mother had put her in the pill when she was sixteen; “Just in case,” she had said, and apart from the fumbling loss of her virginity at high school Karina had only experienced two lovers.

The first had been a shy and anxious young theological student. They had first met when Karina, in the first year at university, was doing philosophy as a minor subject. Michael had sat down beside her in the lecture theatre, and when at the end of the lecture he had timidly asked her about one of the notes he had taken down, they got talking.

He was a nice looking boy, and thereafter he made sure he always sat next to Karina in lectures. Karina was at the time looking around for someone to share her sexuality with, and this diffident young man appealed to her. She had her own flat near the university and she asked him to come over so they could discuss some philosophical topic.

It was Karina who had to make all the running in this relationship since the religious youth had been brought up to believe that sex should only take place within the bonds of marriage. But Karina was a very attractive and sensuous young woman and with her gentle persuasion nature eventually took its course.

At first Michael had insisted that they remain fully clothed while copulating, apart from Karina’s panties. “If ever we get found out,” he had said, “we can always say we were never undressed in each other’s presence.”

Karina won this battle eventually and nudity prevailed.

Michael had been brought up in a home where sexual feelings were supposed to be “controlled,” by which was really meant, “repressed.” Like many people who have repressed their sexuality, especially those of the religious type, once this ravenously hungry tiger was let out of the cage there was no holding it back.

In the early stages of their relationship the poor boy had often ejaculated almost as soon as he entered Karina, but time modified this and the patient Karina began to get her rewards. Michael was a very gentle lover and together they had explored many sexual possibilities, and since Karina was not the promiscuous type she stayed with Michael as her sole lover for three years.

It was when they were both due to graduate that the separation came. Michael’s aim was to go out on the mission field. He was to undertake a course run by the Church that was supposed to prepare intending missionaries on how to “convert the heathen.” Wives and fiancées of these potential missionaries were pressed to attend this course with their partners, and Michael asked Karina to attend with him.

“After all,” he had said, “We may not be officially engaged, but since we shall be getting married I think you ought to go along with me.”

Karina was thunderstruck. Marriage to Michael, or any other man, was the furthest thing from her mind at that time. She was committed to the field work of palaeontology and not the Church mission field.

She tried as gently as possible to point this out to Michael, but he was adamant. His view was that once you had entered a sexual relationship with someone, marriage was the only possible outcome.

In the end Karina found she had to put it bluntly. “Michael,” she had said, “I’m an agnostic and I don’t believe in what the Church does in its missionary work. If you want a wife you’d better find someone else.

That ended their relationship, but Michael took her advice. Three months after his separation from Karina he married a nurse called Prudence, homely of face but voluptuous of figure, especially in the area of her bosom. They departed for the mission field together and the Church shut its collective eyes to the fact that Prudence gave birth to a very healthy boy seven months after marriage. “Premature birth,” was the generally accepted reason, despite the robustness of the child.

Karina’s next lover, Robert, she met at a university social gathering. He was a very different type from Michael. A tutor in the History Department he was lively and attractive. He was one of those people of whom it is said, “They’re up and coming.”