“Come on,” Thomas said. “Let’s get this over with…”
Scott hadn’t spent much time around the wildlife pond.
Mainly because Tim had made him fearful of the bionic swan and its mate that lived there. Scott wouldn’t have described it as a pond; he’d have picked the words ‘small lake’.
The other ponds were clear with huge koi and goldfish, but Susan’s waters were a murky brown. Thomas didn’t speak as he led the way. He held brambles aside, waiting for Scott to have hold of them before letting go, which either meant he didn’t completely hate Scott, or he wanted Susan to do every inch of damage to him.
“How do you know where the nest is?”
“She always nests in the same spot, year after year,” Thomas replied, stomping on a patch of stinging nettles so they could pass.
“How long has she been here?”
“About six years now. Her mate joined her after a year.”
“He doesn’t mind her bionic beak?”
Thomas snorted. “I don’t think he does.” He stopped and dropped to a crouch. Scott did the same, and Thomas pointed ahead at a small clearing.
There was a pile of branches and twigs.
“Listen,” Thomas whispered.
Scott heard the wind rushing through the reeds, the squeak of tree branch rubbing on tree branch and the thump of his nervous heart.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Thomas replied. “They must be out on the water.” He gave Scott an encouraging push. “Go.”
“What do you mean, go?”
“You’re slimmer than me, nimbler on your feet.”
“Bullshit.”
Thomas shrugged. “Get my eyeball back, Scott.”
“Fuck,” Scott mumbled, before creeping forward to check the nest. He knelt in front of it, trying to see through the stack of sticks.
“Anything?” Thomas asked.
“Nah, I can’t see it.”
“Are you sure it’s not there?”
Scott froze at the hiss coming from the reeds.
“Oh shit,” Thomas mumbled.
“That doesn’t sound good.”
Another hiss joined the first.
“I’m out,” Thomas called before jumping to his feet and running in the opposite direction. Scott took off after him just as two pissed-off swans flew at him. Thomas didn’t care about the brambles scratching Scott’s arms during his escape; he let them go, smacking into Scott as he tried to shield his face.
The further they got, the clearer the route became until Scott easily caught up with Thomas and tried to pass him.
“Oh no you don’t,” Thomas growled, grabbing the back of Scott’s T-shirt.
