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the television. ‘What are you watching?’
    ‘The footie.’
    My day is steadily going downhill.
    ‘Did you have a good time last night?’ I try to make conversation.
    He shrugs. ‘It was okay.’
    ‘Where did you go?’
    ‘Stirling.’
    ‘Where’s Stirling?’
    ‘Five Ks that way.’ He points towards the front door, but doesn’t take his eyes off the telly, so I give up. He hasn’t bothered to ask me how my day went and I don’t want to talk about it to him, my mum or anyone, so as soon as I’ve eaten dinner, I make my excuses and go to bed.

Chapter 3
     
    I’m showered and dressed and have my camera bag at the ready when Michael appears for breakfast. The question bursts out of my mouth before his bum even hits his seat.
    ‘Could I come with you again today?’
    ‘Well, of course,’ he replies, surprise written all over his face. ‘I didn’t think you’d want to so soon, but—’
    ‘Are you sure it’s okay?’ I chip in, desperate for him to say yes.
    ‘Absolutely, darl, but have you checked with your mum?’
    ‘She won’t care.’
    ‘She might want to spend some time with you.’
    ‘She won’t. Honest,’ I plead.
    ‘It’s fine by me if it’s fine by her.’
    ‘Wicked!’ I jump up.
    My mum knows better than to pour water over my protected-species-rare enthusiasm, so she’s practically pushing me out of the door an hour later. I join Michael in the staffroom for the requisite cuppa, then head off in the direction of the kangaroos. I never got a chance to feed them the pellets Ben gave to me yesterday.
    I find Roy lying in the shade of the same tree.
    ‘Hey you,’ I say softly as I approach him. ‘I brought some food for you today.’
    At the sound of the rustling paper bag, he lazily gets to his feet. The tiny whiskers around his mouth tickle my outstretched palm as he gently eats the pellets one by one until they’re all gone. I wipe my hands on my jeans and, on a whim, settle down on the crisp, dry grass. Now towering above me, but not menacingly, Roy puts one paw on my forearm so I open up the bag and feed him another handful from my sitting position. After a while he loses interest, but doesn’t hop away. I put my arm around his soft, furry back and pat him, contentment washing over me. This is nice. I could stay here all day in the shade of this tree.
    I glance up. Those hefty branches could hold a good-sized tree-house. I could stay here for weeks, in fact. I wouldn’t mind this, living here with the roos. Just then, I see something move out of the corner of my eye and spy two emus stalking the boundary fence. I couldn’t live with them though. Roy turns to me and sniffs at my nose before looking away again. I giggle. I hear the grass rustling behind me and warily turn around, praying it isn’t the feathered fiends. I sigh with relief as I see Ben approaching.
    ‘You look pretty cosy there,’ he calls as he gets nearer. Roy slowly hops towards him. Traitor. ‘Hello, Freddie,’ Ben says affectionately, rubbing the kangaroo’s neck.
    ‘Freddie?’ I say. ‘I thought he was called Roy.’
    ‘Roy?’ Ben looks confused as he reaches me. ‘Who told you that?’
    ‘I kind of named him that myself,’ I admit.
    He chuckles and sits down on the grass next to me. ‘Roy suits him better.’
    ‘Who was Freddie? That is, assuming he was named after someone.’
    ‘Yep, you’re right. Freddie was a German exchange student doing work experience here a few years ago. Before my time.’
    ‘Oh, right. How long have you worked here?’
    ‘Two years in January.’
    ‘And before that?’
    ‘Sydney Zoo.’
    ‘You lived in Sydney?’
    ‘No, I commuted from Adelaide. It’s only a two-and-a-half-hour flight.’
    I stare at him in confusion.
    ‘I’m joking.’ He playfully punches my arm. ‘Yes, I used to live in Sydney.’
    I tut. ‘Okay, so that was a stupid question. What’s Sydney like?’
    ‘It’s great.’
    ‘Better than Adelaide?’
    ‘Just different. It’s got