Deity by Steven Dunne Read Free Book Online Page B

‘Nobodyfamous, but it was Peter Weir’s breakthrough film, made in 1975. Weir, you may remember, directed
Gallipoli
and
Witness
, starring Harrison Ford.’
    There was silence as everyone stared at him. In the six months since he’d been enrolled at Derby College, he’d barely spoken to anyone and certainly hadn’t dared to speak in front of classmates. He seemed to spend most of his time sitting in the refectory drinking Coca Cola and pointing his camcorder at everyone who passed.
    ‘Nineteen seventy-five?’ howled Wilson. ‘Is it in colour?’
    ‘Beautiful colour, Will,’ nodded Rusty, warming to his theme. ‘The cameraman was Russell Boyd and his use of vibrant—’
    ‘Sounds shit. What’s it about?’
    ‘It’s about an Australian girls’ school in 1900,’ interjected Rifkind, in case Rusty began to buckle under Wilson’s interrogation.
    ‘You’re shittin’ me. I’m not watching that shit. It sounds shit.’
    ‘That is your democratic choice,
Will
,’ replied Rifkind, hopeful that the bully might be about to leave. But instead he waggled his own DVD in Rifkind’s face again.
    ‘Here. We’re watching
Saw 4
. Rusty don’t mind.’ Wilson grinned over at him. ‘Don’t worry, Geek Boy. You’re not going to get battered. Your mum’s a MILF,’ he hissed at him with a leer.
    Rifkind shook his head. ‘Well, I mind. We’re watching
Picnic at Hanging Rock
. In Media Studies, Wilson, we have to open ourselves up to a variety of genres, aimed at different audiences
. . .
’
    ‘My name is WILL!’
    Therewas silence for a moment but Rifkind refused to be fazed. He was smarter than Wilson and wasn’t about to back off until he’d proved it. He sniffed coldly. ‘You should enjoy this film, Will. If you’d been born two hundred years ago, Australia is where you would have ended up.’
    ‘What does that mean?’ A smattering of the students sniggered their understanding and Wilson rounded on them angrily. ‘What the fuck are you laughing at?’ His eye caught Kyle Kennedy smiling and he stood to confront him. ‘Something funny, Gay Boy?’
    Kyle’s smile disappeared. ‘I
. . .
no, I mean—’
    ‘Wilson. Either sit down or get out!’ shouted Rifkind, finally losing his temper.
    ‘Gay boys don’t laugh at me,’ bellowed Wilson, wading through chairs towards Kyle.
    Jake McKenzie jumped hurriedly between the two. ‘Back off, Wilson,’ he said calmly. He held a hand up to Wilson’s chest, keeping him at bay with ease. ‘You’ve had your say. Sit down or fuck off.’ He flexed his neck. Jake was not just sporty but also a fitness fanatic and built like a middleweight. And as the object of lust for female students, he was naturally well respected by the male students.
    Wilson looked him in the eye. A second later the pressure on Jake’s hand eased. Wilson smiled and put his hands peacefully in the air. ‘Sure, Jakey. Whatever you say,’ he said softly. He turned back towards Kyle. ‘We’ll talk later, Faggot,’ he added menacingly.
    ‘No, you won’t,’ said Jake. ‘You won’t go near him.’
    ‘Why are you defending the little bumder?’ Wilson leered towards Jake, a further insult bubbling to the surface. ‘Are you his
boyfriend
, Jake? You potting the brown with that little—’
    Jakethrew a hand to Wilson’s throat and gripped it hard. ‘What did you say to me, Fatso?’ Wilson was choking and pawing at Jake’s hand as he was pushed back over his chair. ‘What did you say?’
    ‘Get him off me,’ gasped Wilson, trying to loosen Jake’s grip but to no avail. Rifkind, Kyle, Becky and a few others grabbed Jake’s shoulders and tried to pull him away.
    ‘He’s not worth it, Jake,’ shouted Kyle, forcing himself into eye-contact. ‘Jake, he’s not worth it.’
    Jake glared at Kyle then relaxed his grip on Wilson. He turned away to confirm his pacification and Wilson got to his feet, rubbing his throat.
    ‘That’s assault, that is!’ Wilson screamed at Rifkind.