Vigil Page #3

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and me to pack everything.

I'll take the old man's place this afternoon.

Sure you can manage?

Every year of my married life.

You don't forget the knack

from one year to the next.

- I meant...

- Yes, I know what you meant.

I know what you meant.

Those lambs have to be docked

before they're sold.

We should make a good team.

Oh...

Oh, sorry.

Ugh!

The old feller's getting worse.

It's taking it out of me, Lizzie.

You know, I reckon there are some things

that are beyond me now.

I don't think I'll manage the docking

this afternoon.

Why did you hire that man?

I can't run the place by myself.

But you might have to,

because I just want to be rid of it.

We can look after things, Elizabeth.

We can't stop the hills caving in on us.

Come on, Ethan, I haven't got all day.

Take it further up.

If you cut there, you double the work load

when it comes to crutching.

- You want to take over on this side?

- Why, can't you cope?

I wouldn't get too settled here

if I was you.

- You giving me notice?

- Yeah.

You'll be finished

at the end of the month.

Don't worry, missus.

I'll be long gone.

- Are you afraid of work?

- Depends more on the boss than the work.

- Oh, you would have had a lot of those.

- A few.

None of them women, eh?

You'd be surprised.

Listen poacher, you're here to do a job,

and just that job.

Now I don't care if you have

to chase up the odd goat.

That's your business,

and in your own time.

It's the only fringe benefit

you'll get around here, right?

Dad!

Bless, O Lord...

You alright, Toss?

Go on.

Why are you wearing that jacket, Toss?

Ethan's silent bullets.

Huh?

It protects me.

If you don't want to be caught,

you're going to have to change

the way you think.

Be like a deer,

really shrewd.

You move when she moves,

so she can't see you.

Stop when she stops.

You can see their heart beating.

When they're captured,

they're kept in the dark.

I saw them once.

An enormous building.

I opened the door.

The light sent them scattering

to the far corner.

I stood stock still waiting for them

to calm down.

They just stood there...

shivering and sniffing the air.

They could hear me breathing.

Can...

Can you call my father?

I'll brew up some tea.

I'll show you something.

There's a shadow in the glass.

A spirit.

How did you do that?

Magic.

The... The day Dad died,

were you hunting a deer?

Yeah.

I think I wounded it.

Where do you think it is?

- Depends.

- On what?

Well, if he's hurt, he'll head for the tops

where there are no flies.

If the flies got to her first then...

- Dead?

- Yep.

With God.

Don't know about that.

You go to God when you die.

That stag's rotting in the bush.

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