Long List

Marty's Shadow

John Heffernan

He liked trees. Trees are tough and strong. They've been around much longer than people. This one had, that's for sure. He'd seen an old yellowy photograph of the school from the days of carts and horses, with women in long dresses and big hats, moustached men standing stiff in suits, kids playing with hoops. The tree was there then, and that was a good while ago. Like the sign on the front gate said: Jarrah Central School 1861.

Not all families are safe, not all memories are good and not all relationships survive. But everything leaves a shadow.