-- Chapter 24 --

The drive out to the accident site in Luke’s car, following Constable Leggatt, was largely spent travelling in silence. The morning light was crisp and clear, making everything feel oddly distant to Levi’s own feelings.

When they reached the town boundary and the sharp bend on Three Bridges Road just past it, Levi’s breath caught in his throat.

The Commodore was still there – but it was no longer just wrecked. Overnight, someone had returned and torched it. The once-proud black sedan was now a blackened, twisted shell. Windows shattered, paint blistered and peeled, the interior completely gutted by fire. A thin trail of smoke still rose lazily from the ruins.

Coming to a stop on the opposite side of the road, they got out of Luke’s car and stood looking at the smoking shell. Matt made a choked sound beside Levi.

‘That’s . . . that’s my car,’ he whispered, his voice almost breaking.

Levi stood frozen a few metres away, arms wrapped around himself. Seeing the damage in the cold light of day was devastating enough. But the burnt-out wreck made it so much worse. The car his father had owned and loved for half his life – the one he had restored and maintained with his own hands – was destroyed. Now just a smoking shell.

My God . . . what have I done?

Luke placed a steadying hand on Matt’s shoulder. Matt’s eyes were glassy with unshed tears. This wasn’t just a vehicle. It was years of memories, effort, and love reduced to scorched metal.

Constable Leggatt cleared his throat. ‘Looks like someone came back and set it alight. Any evidence we might have had is probably gone now.’ He glanced at Levi for a moment, then back to Matt. ‘We’ll need you to arrange for the vehicle to be towed. It can’t be left here like this.’

Matt nodded slowly, still staring at the wreck.

‘We’ll talk to some friends,’ Luke offered. ‘Hire a tow truck, or something.’

‘I want it brought home. Put it out behind the garage somewhere,’ said Matt, swallowing hard. ‘I’m not quite ready to let it go just yet.’

Luke nodded quietly, still rubbing Matt’s shoulder.

Levi stood apart from them, the guilt crushing him. He could barely breathe.

A car full of teenagers drove past slowly. Levi recognised a couple of faces from the party. One leaned out the window.

‘Hey, Churchie!’ the kid yelled. Laughter followed as the car sped away.

Matt didn’t seem to notice. He was still staring at the burnt shell of his beloved Commodore.

***

The remainder of the day stretched out in heavy silence, with Levi retreating to his bedroom.

Matt and Luke organised for a truck to collect the car and deliver it back to Avalon, and it was only when he heard the piercing beep, beep, beep sound of the truck backing into the yard that he ventured back outside. It was into this scene that Tim and Guy arrived home, totally oblivious to the events of the previous night.

‘What the hell happened?’ a shocked Tim asked, as the truck driver backed in behind the garage and began the process of tilting the tray and unloading the wreck.

‘I wish I knew,’ Matt replied. ‘Luke and I were in Mac Harbour last night and Levi was on the beach. Nobody even knew it had been taken. Had the cops on the doorstep first thing this morning telling me that my car was out on Three Bridges Road and wrecked!’

‘Faaarrk!’ groaned Guy.

‘Just wait till I get my hands on the motherfuckers!’ Matt growled.

Levi felt the words twisting like a knife in his gut. He now understood exactly what his one night of stupidity had cost his father – emotionally and financially. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to own up. He knew there would be consequences.

For the rest of the afternoon, Levi kept to himself, the weight of his secret pressing down harder with every passing hour. He just wished that he could talk to someone about it. But who?

The only person he could think of who might understand, was Casey. He quickly typed out a text message and fired it off.

<What happened to the car? Who did that? Dad’s REALLY pissed now!>

He didn’t really expect a response, but still he hoped one would come.

On Sunday afternoon, Brooke came around, worried she hadn’t heard from him. She found Levi sitting on the back deck, staring at nothing.

‘Hey,’ she said from the bottom of the steps onto the back deck.

He hadn’t even noticed that she had arrived. He turned his head and looked her way, then said, ‘Hey.’

‘I heard about your dad’s car,’ she said softly, sitting beside him. ‘That someone stole it and crashed it. Are you okay?’

‘I . . . I’m not sure how I feel actually,’ he answered, even though he felt as if his voice was going to betray him any second now.

He let her sit beside him and comfort him, while at the same time he was feeling like the worst person in the world. Brooke didn’t know he had been driving. She didn’t know about the party. But she still showed up for him.

‘How about we go for a walk on the beach?’ Brooke suggested, to which Levi reluctantly agreed, and a few minutes later they were seen walking hand in hand through the back gate by Luke, who was looking out through the kitchen window, pausing only briefly to inspect the wrecked Commodore, before continuing on their way.

Levi knew his girlfriend was just trying to distract him from whatever thoughts were swirling in his mind. She had no idea about what he was thinking, but still, he appreciated her efforts. Even when she leaned against the trunk of a tree before they had reached the beach, pulling him close and holding him tight, before kissing him, he thought her actions might just work, but when there was no reaction on his part, no familiar stirring in his loins, he knew her efforts would be wasted.

All he was seeing were visions of last night, of flames and sparks reaching into the skies, as kids danced around them. Kids drinking. Kids making out. And amongst these was one face, grinning at him knowingly, which seemed to be coming back over and over again.

And it was only then that the primal reaction he had expected when Brooke had first kissed him, finally took place. With Brooke also sensing it, she doubled her efforts, her hands moving lower, until finally touching his firmness. For a few moments Levi allowed it, but then his feelings – as crazy and mixed up as they were – overwhelmed him, and he pushed her back slightly.

‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered.

Brooke didn’t reply, but she held him close, while confusion began to swirl in her mind as well.

***

If Monday at school wasn’t much better, Tuesday was even worse.

Levi spent time with his friends, as he always did, but all around them there were smirks and whispers beginning to swirl, wherever he went. Rumours were already spreading. And now, even his friends were starting to look at him strangely.

Jimmy and Dan cornered him after school as they headed for the gates, and while Brooke wasn’t around.

‘We heard that you were at that party on Friday night! Is that right?’ Jimmy asked directly, eyes narrowed.

Levi lied instantly. ‘No. I ended up staying at home. Dad and Luke ended up going out.’

Jimmy didn’t look convinced.

‘Well, just a heads-up, Brooke has heard it too, so you better make sure that you have your story straight for her,’ Jimmy added, before they left him at the bike racks and headed off on their own.

Levi waited for a while, hoping that Brooke would show, but there was no sign of her this afternoon.

‘Shit! Maybe she’s already convinced . . .’ he muttered to himself, or at least that was what he thought.

‘Talking to yourself now, Churchie?’ he heard someone say, and as he turned to see who it was, he saw Casey, standing there and smiling at him.

Levi’s shoulders slumped.

‘You didn’t answer my text,’ Levi said to him, as kids with knowing smirks continued to file by.

‘I don’t know what happened to it,’ Casey said flatly. ‘You want to meet me at the north end of the beach in an hour.’

‘No . . . I have something else I need to do, but can we go over to the harbour breakwall for a bit? Just to talk about what happened.’

‘Sure. If that’s what you want. I’ll see you there in fifteen minutes or so.’

Levi nodded, then pushed his bike out the school gates and jumped on, heading not for the weir this time, and the road home, but towards the harbour breakwall, where he knew there was a spot they could sit and talk, out of sight from everyone, unless they happened to be on a passing boat, leaving or entering the harbour.

He didn’t mention the reason why he wanted to meet at the breakwall. The thing he wanted to do was call past the church on the way home, to see if Father Costas might be there, and meeting Casey at their usual spot below the lighthouse would have been quite out of the way. He figured that this would be a better alternative.

It was only a short ride to the edge of the harbour, where the breakwall began, and he quickly locked his bike to a guard rail. During his early exploring of the town he had discovered that there was a path that led from that spot along the steep drop below Hospital Point, and if you were careful, you could actually walk all the way around that point, back to where The Creek flowed out of the lake. Along here there were several rocky ledges where you could sit and watch the boats coming and going from the sheltered harbour, while the waves smashed against the rocky shoreline below.

After setting himself down on one of the large boulders near the start of the breakwall, he waited for Casey to arrive, and not long afterwards was rewarded with the sound of footsteps.

‘How the fuck did you find this place?’ Casey asked, as he sat down beside him.

Levi just looked at him.

‘Did a lot of exploring when I got here, I guess. There are plenty of cool places around here. A few that are a bit scary too . . .’

‘Like what?’

‘Oh, those toilets beside The Creek are one. They are pretty dodgy-looking. There are even holes in the walls between the cubicles . . . why would they be there?’

‘You really don’t know?’

‘I wouldn’t have asked if I already knew the answer.’

Casey studied him carefully, as if trying to figure out if Levi was being disingenuous, or whether he really was that naive?

‘You do know what a blow job is, don’t you?’ Casey eventually asked. ‘If that’s what you’re into, you can get your dick sucked there, anytime, day or night. Maybe you should try it sometime?’

Levi’s eyes widened as he connected all the dots, then he looked away, as he felt his face flush red.

Casey simply shook his head and grinned at his friend. Yep, the kid really was that naïve.

‘So, does your old man know yet that you were driving?’

Levi just shook his head.

‘I couldn’t tell him that.’

‘He’s going to find out sooner or later . . . you’re the talk of the town . . .’

Levi’s head snapped back in Casey’s direction.

‘He’ll kill me!’ Levi muttered.

‘Nah, he won’t do that. He might ground you for life, or at least until he gets over the shock of it.’

Levi just closed his eyes. Suddenly his newly built world was starting to fall apart again.

‘Who burnt it?’ Levi abruptly asked. That was the real reason he had wanted to talk to Casey.

Casey thought for a moment. Then he lied. It always came more easily to guys like him than to guys like Levi.

‘Honestly . . . I don’t know. It may have been someone from the party . . . I couldn’t say . . . but you should be grateful they did, you know.’

‘What?’ Levi spat. ‘What the fuck do I have to be grateful for?’

‘One word, mate. Evidence! There’s nothing left that can incriminate any of us . . . do you understand that? It’s all gone up in smoke. There’s no record of you or me, or Dylan and Jarrad . . . no DNA, no fingerprints, no scraps of anything left behind, nothing that can link any of us to being in that car.’

‘Other than everybody’s stories of me being at the party . . .’

‘The number one rule of getting by in our world, mate. Deny! Deny! Deny! At least until the irrefutable proof has been presented.’

‘Yeah, right!’

‘I’m serious. If you know what’s good for you, don’t own up to anything,’ Casey responded, before throwing an arm around Levi’s shoulders and hugging him close. He then shocked Levi by leaning over and kissing the side of his head. ‘Just don’t!’ he hissed. ‘Don’t say anything!’

With that, Casey got to his feet and brushed himself off.

‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Church Boy.’

***

Later that afternoon, Levi found himself walking towards the small Catholic church almost without realising it. It had been in the back of his mind that this was where he needed to be, but he hadn’t been sure he would actually make it there – especially after his conversation with Casey. His feet had carried him there as if on autopilot.

The building was quiet and dim when he stepped inside, the familiar smell of polished wood and incense wrapping around him like an old blanket.

He sat in the back pew for a long time, staring at the cross above the altar. The weight in his chest felt unbearable.

This is what happens when I stray, he thought bitterly. This is what I deserve.

Footsteps echoed softly on the wooden floor, as Father Costas appeared from the side door, carrying a stack of hymn books. He noticed Levi immediately and offered a gentle smile.

‘Levi,’ he said warmly. ‘It’s good to see you here. You look like you’re carrying something heavy.’

Levi swallowed hard. He nodded but didn’t speak right away. Father Costas sat down in the pew in front of him, turning sideways so they could face each other.

‘Yeah, I . . . I’ve got something heavy on my mind, Father,’ Levi said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. ‘I did something really stupid. Something I feel really guilty about. But I’m not sure I can . . . say everything yet.’

Father Costas nodded calmly, no trace of judgment on his face. ‘That’s alright. You don’t have to say everything at once. The important thing is that you’re here. Would you like to talk about whatever you feel ready to share?’

Levi hesitated, then asked the question burning in his chest.

‘Whatever I tell you . . . it stays just between us, right? Like, you can’t tell my dad or Luke or anyone?’

The priest’s expression remained kind and steady. ‘The things shared in confidence during spiritual counsel are protected. I won’t share what you tell me with your family or anyone else. This is a safe space, Levi. You have my word on that.’

Levi let out a shaky breath, some of the tension easing. He still couldn’t bring himself to tell the full story – the stolen car, the party, the crash, the burnt wreck. But he could start.

‘I went somewhere I shouldn’t have gone,’ he said slowly. ‘I lied to my friends. I lied to my dad and Luke. I did something . . . reckless . . . and it hurt people I care about. Especially my dad. And now everything feels like it’s falling apart again.’

Father Costas listened carefully, nodding. When Levi fell quiet, the priest spoke gently.

‘Guilt can be a heavy burden, but it can also be a guide. It shows us where we’ve strayed from the path we know is right. The important thing is what we do with it. Are you ready to take responsibility for what happened?’

Levi looked down at his hands. ‘I don’t know. Not yet. I’m scared of what will happen if I do.’

‘That’s understandable,’ Father Costas said. ‘We can take it one step at a time. God doesn’t expect perfection overnight. He asks for honesty and a willingness to grow. Whenever you’re ready to talk more – even if it’s difficult – I’ll be here. And remember, Levi: true peace comes from facing what we’ve done, not hiding from it.’

Levi nodded, his eyes stinging. He didn’t feel fixed. He didn’t even feel forgiven yet. But for the first time since the crash, he felt like he wasn’t completely alone with his guilt.

He left the church feeling lighter than when he had entered, but the road ahead still looked long and frightening.

***

The house appeared to be quiet when Levi made it home a short time later. He had been feeling better after his visit with Father Costas, but when he walked into the empty garage to put his bike away, he was once again hit with the reality of what had happened. And what he had done.

Sure, in taking the car he may have been spurred on by Casey and a desire to please him, for whatever reason, but there was no escaping the fact that he was the one who was ultimately responsible. And the guilt hung around his neck like a stone.

He knew that Father Costas was right: “True peace comes from facing what we’ve done, not hiding from it.” The question weighing on his mind now, was just how to face up to that. How does he tell his father that he was the one who was responsible?

As he walked up the path to the house, he decided that he would wait until he saw what tomorrow would bring. He would hold it all inside for the moment . . . at least until he could find out if things were really beginning to spiral, or if he needed to talk to Father Costas again. After that, tomorrow would be another day – for better or for worse – and all he could do would be to take it one day at a time.

To be continued . . .