Once again she roved the rooms, looking for options. Near the back door was a crate of empty bottles and tins ready for the tip. She piled the rubbish on the floor, then cut four long pieces of string and tied one to each corner of the crate. Holding the strings like a puppeteer, she lowered the crate to the ground; she would use it as a step to re-enter. She had to be able to lift it back inside when she came home, so she knotted the strings loosely and hooked them over the kitchen tap. Finally, she crawled over the sink and onto the sill, squatting like a crab before leaping to the ground and landing in a puddle.

The air felt clean, the sky large. It had started to drizzle and she’d left her coat behind, but she didn’t care; if it rained she would embrace it. Wet and cold and outside would always be better than warm and safe and locked in.

She tramped out of town, heading towards the forest. This was a risk, she supposed—there was a slight chance Kurt might come by. But it was already late morning, and she figured he would have already gone on to Hobart. As she marched along the verge, she drew in the chill air and felt free. Smoke hung like a veil and she could smell hay, rolled out for cows. She paused at a fence to watch gangly calves playing in a paddock. They stopped to look at her, and the bravest crept closer, ogling her through long dark lashes, extending its wet nose to sniff her fingers before swiping her hand with its rough tongue. Miki smiled and wiped the saliva on her overalls, then continued along the road. Pale sunlight bled through the clouds and lit the land with a misty glow.

She passed Toby’s house with its mountain of firewood in the front yard, the paddock behind raking steeply up to the forest. Most houses in town had neat walls of wood along their fences, but not Toby’s—his woodpile was a mess, dumped by a truck straight from the mill. He didn’t seem to mind the disorder. He and Steph lived a life of chaos with their tribe of four children. But the children were happy; at least, they always were in the shop.

Miki was beyond Toby’s and climbing the hill when she heard a car coming behind. Leon drew alongside in the Toyota. She was surprised to see him—usually he left for the park much earlier than this. ‘Hey,’ he called through the window. ‘How’s it going?’

‘Okay. How’s Bonnie?’

‘She’s home now. A bit sore and sorry for herself, but she’s fine.’

‘That’s a relief. Does Max know? He was very upset when she was hit.’

‘Yeah. He’s been over to visit … Do you want a lift?’