Andrew's Stories

It was a strange sort of place, the nursing home. Not the sort of place you’d expect to find excitement, let alone intrigue. Yet here we were, tucked away in a forgotten corner of Australia, amidst the smell of eucalyptus and the steady hum of cicadas, where even the mundane could turn sinister. I’d been sent to investigate a peculiar complaint. It wasn’t the residents that raised eyebrows, but a kangaroo—Bruce, they called him.

Bruce wasn’t your average roo. He stood tall, muscular in that rugged outback way, with a reputation as the top dog—or rather, top marsupial—around the grounds. He had a wife, Doreen, who was as sharp-tongued as she was soft-furred, and they’d just had a little joey, Little Bruce. But something had changed recently, and not for the better. Fred, an ill-tempered cockatoo with a penchant for gossip, was the first to let it slip.

“There’s trouble brewing, mate,” Fred squawked, his beady eyes narrowing as he hopped along the fence. “Rocky’s back.”

Rocky, Bruce’s old rival. The mention of his name sent a chill through the hot afternoon air. He’d been out of the picture for a while, run off after a nasty fight over Doreen. But now, rumour had it, he’d slinked back into the nursing home grounds, more dangerous than ever. Bruce, for all his bravado, seemed rattled.

And then there was George, a young buck—full of energy and cockiness. He followed Bruce around like a shadow, eager to prove himself, but lacked the wisdom of age. George was all muscle, but he didn’t yet understand what Rocky represented.

I watched Bruce from a distance as he hopped, tail twitching, glancing anxiously toward the tree line. Doreen kept a wary eye on him, and Little Bruce clung to her pouch, oblivious to the tension. Something was about to happen, something dark. Fred fluttered his wings, feathers ruffled in anticipation.

“Keep your eyes open, mate,” Fred warned. “Rocky won’t play fair—and young George is too green to see it coming.”

And with that, the mystery deepened, the air thick with unease.