KASE STUDY 

By Tessa Harvey


    Rosa lay in bed, seething, staring at the darkened ceiling. How dare her husband defy her? Where she lived, all was as it should be. Women ruled. Full stop. That's it. A matriarchal society.
    Why should his parents hang around? Allowing them to live here was their duty. Also they all had helped to build the small house. It should be theirs too. The old man had something disgusting, called blood cancer. They had relatives overseas. Well, they could go there to die.
    Not only her husband was against her, but now the children! Their duty was to obey.
    Luke had even said to her: "If you cut off the kids from the grandparents, they will also do the same to you one day. What goes around comes around."
    How ridiculous! When her children were grown, even before, it was their duty to look after her.
    Then a wonderful idea occurred to Rosa. It was brilliant! It would only cost a little money. These things happened. It was worth it.
   
 Belle had worked for years as part of a volunteer fire brigade. The smell of smoke woke her far quicker than most others. Fully alert, she edged out of bed and saw the flickering glow of the wood stack well alight - and she smelt something else - petrol! The fire was no accident. Quickly she dialed emergency services and asked for help, knowing it could well be too late. Then, keeping low, she tried to rouse Kase. He lay inert, unmoving. Smoke inhalation. Her heart sank. Kase was tall and strong, a hardworking thickset farmer.
    But Belle felt no pulse. He was also very cold. He was dead. With a huge effort, she held back tears and went to look for their dog - but he too was beyond help. This time it was smoke inhalation.
    Belle quickly threw on a coat and sturdy shoes. As she left the small house, she heard cracking glass.

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KASE STUDY  By Tessa Harvey     Luke tossed and turned in his sleep. His dreams were vivid and painful. Finally, Rosa dug an elbow in his side. "Out," she whispered, fiercely, "I need my sleep."     Groggily, Luke complied, groping his way to the spare room. He fell into a deep sleep, waking early.     There were faint noises from the nearby kitchen, crockery rustling, food packets. He had left his bedroom door open and saw the gleam of the fridge light several times, and furtive whispers. Slowly, he crept out of the room, wrapping a blanket around his waist, then flicking on the lower beam kitchen light/     A trio of faces looked at him - Willow startled but looking defiant.     Silver looked like a deer caught in the headlights, a bowl of cereal in one hand, a glass of Milo in the other - or rather a glass of Milo with a sprinkle of milk!     Felix was backing away, beginning to cry. This shocked him.Where was his feist...
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KASE STUDY  By Tessa Harvey     The old man teetered on the steps. Agonised, he could feel himself falling, centre of balance altering irrevocably. He swayed and crashed down on the wooden planks, his head hitting each one. He landed in a crumpled heap, shocked and dazed.     Slowly, memory coalesced. His son had pushed him. No, he thought. Never. He is annoyed with us, but not actual bodily harm - yet his son swung lightly around him, using the rail they had made together to vault over Kase.     Without a word, and without a glance, he headed to their old home over the wooden bridge.     As the elderly man tried to roll and stand, a voice hissed: "Get up, old man. Your grandchildren are coming. Do you want them to see you crawling like a dog?" The brown face of his daughter-in-law swan into focus.     Then Kase heard a car draw up, skidding slightly on the gravel. Despite his pain and discomfort, he grinned. He thought - Belle alwa...
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KASE STUDY   By Tessa Harvey     What was happening here? Then he remembered pushing his father and guilt stirred his spirit. "Let's go visit nan and pops!" The girls looked delighted. Felix looked wary, almost happy, but worried. "Hey mate, High Five!" Luke reached out his hand, remembering just in time not to be too rough.     He hadn't been a good father, he thought, nor a good son.     Belle opened the door cautiously. "It's fine," Luke reassured her. "I owe dad an apology. Wordlessly, Belle opened the door wider. Kase stood up, his pose combative and watchful. There was a large bandaid on his chin. Had Luke made his own dad bleed? Suddenly he saw him as the old warrior he was. Once he had fought in Vietnam for his country, training dogs to track and protect in the jungle. And his country had treated these brave, battle-scarred heroes with disdain, returning them home quietly as though ashamed. "Dad, I'm sorry." His voice...
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