An Isolated Incident by Emily Maguire Page B

and went to the bathroom to chuck it out and clean myself up. When I got back he’d snuggled deep under the covers. I switched out the light and climbed in next to him, happy to feel his weight and warmth next to me after the lonely, drunken horror of last night.
    â€˜That was awesome,’ he said, resting a hand on my chest. ‘Like, so much better than any of the Thai girls.’
    â€˜Yeah? I’ve heard they’re pretty good over there.’
    â€˜They’re alright. They try hard, but they don’t have these, do they?’ He honked my left breast and giggled. ‘Some of them have big ones, but they’re fake. No movement, you know? It’s like, come on ,give me some jiggle.’
    I imagined some tight-bodied eighteen-year-old Thai girl bouncing up and down while he lay underneath slapping her hard, expensive tits. If I could’ve turned my flesh to stone I would’ve right then.
    â€˜And when it’s over, it’s over, you know. It’s in-out, in-out and then get dressed and piss off. I’d be like, “Where’s the fire, love?” No wind-down, no cuddles.’ He squeezed again.
    â€˜Hmm. Most blokes would want that, I reckon. I think you’re the only one I know who gets chatty after.’
    â€˜Yeah, well, I’m just glad you let me come over, that’s all. I really appreciate it, Chris.’
    â€˜Okay, you big sweetie. Let’s get some sleep, hey?’
    â€˜Alright. I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you doing this. Especially with what happened to your sister and everything.’
    If I could turn to stone or ice or ash. If I could become fire. I lay and stared and stared at the wall until the bruise came and I listened to him snore and wished ugly death on him and me and the whole world and the bruise seemed to promise I would have it, have all the ugly death I have ever wished for and then some.
    I must have dropped off to sleep because when I woke he was gone and there were two hundred-dollar notes on my bedside table.

    AustraliaToday.com
    Locals united in disbelief over ‘poor Bella’
    May Norman
    9 April 2015
    People all over Australia are talking about the murder of 25-year-old Bella Michaels, but here in her home town the ‘m’ word is never used. It’s ‘the tragedy’, ‘this terrible thing’ or, simply, ‘poor Bella’.
    â€˜Poor Bella . . . It beggars belief,’ says 76-year-old retired carpenter John Highsmith. ‘I’ve lived here my entire life and never in my worst nightmares would I have thought something like this was possible.’
    The message is echoed by Highsmith’s 45-year-old daughter Melanie. ‘It’s like a thing that happens on TV or in movies. Not here. I haven’t slept properly since I heard. I keep checking the doors and windows. Before last week I never even bothered to lock them.’
    While all the locals express shock at ‘this terrible thing’, those who knew Bella personally are battling grief along with their disbelief. A popular aged-care worker and community volunteer, Bella Michaels was born in the Strathdee hospital, attended the local public primary and high schools and, except for 18 months in Sydney in her early 20s, lived and worked in the centre of town her entire adult life.
    â€˜I’ve known her since she was a baby,’ said a neighbour of Bella’s late mother, who asked that his name not be published. ‘The family had its troubles, but Bella was such a good girl, just an absolute ray of sunshine.’
    The ‘troubles’ the resident referred to include a mother who struggled with alcoholism and gambling from her teens until her death from cancer five years ago. Bella’s father left when she was barely two and, according to the neighbour, her mother was involved with a succession of men, at least one of whom was physically abusive.
    Bella’s half-sister, Chris