So far — and yet, like moth to flame: that alien world of drought and indifference; where days are so bleached with light, they're burnt in closed eyes by night.
An abrasive scrubland of parching wind and ultraviolet radiation; A tinderbox of accelerant and scent of phantom smoke. Where fire sired eucalypt, wilt in thermal haze; and browning leaves keep falling, like Autumn's calling.
Out there red-stripe snake and spider eat the Eastern Brown, while ten-foot flying shadows prey on six-foot rat. Out there meat ants strip bodies to bone, while blowflies plague the shade and cicadas sound their siren.
But out there is peace, for people are nowhere. And so like vampire I hide in lair, until the ghosts from day I stare. Hell is a place on Earth and in that summer for sin beware... the Devil down there.
Summer stories
Iridomyrmex purpureus
I threw a dead kangaroo on an ants nest and turned to walk away. I heard the sudden sound of rain, but there was no rain. The kangaroo was being swarmed by a black mass of meat ants, and the swarm sounded like rain.
Pseudonaja textilis
The Eastern Brown snake is the world's second-most venomous land snake and is responsible for 3/4 of Australian deaths by snake. It was early Spring when I saw one, I circled around to clap my hands and move it away from the shed but I mistakenly walked on the path between a mating pair. The large male snake advanced in warning, so I retreated and the snakes left.
Aquila audax
A huge shadow flew overhead, I looked up but couldn't see anything. I heard barking and turned to see a large wedge-tailed eagle hovering over my dog with talons out. I moved my dog inside.
Macropus giganteus
While driving, a large male Eastern Grey Kangaroo started hopping beside my car. They usually flee, but this roo rammed my door and left a large dent before somersaulting into the bush. I think they resemble gigantic man-sized rats when standing upright.
Latrodectus hasselti
Sliding the garage roller door up the wall, I see stones floating below it, like some hanging nursery mobile. The stones are attached to the webs of a Redback spider. Their webs are strong enough to capture small snakes.
Cyclochila australasiae
This species of Australian cicada is one of the loudest insects in the world. Australian kids sometimes keep them as pets to the annoyance of teachers.
Black Summer
The 2019-2020 drought and fire season was harsh. We were miles from the nearest fire, but the sky was orange, the trees looked dead from drought and the irritation of smoke in the air and lungs, made the fires seem close.