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Beacon

Rebecca Slater

Winter 2017

By the time mum pulls into the station, Levi is about ready to piss himself, has the empty water bottle in his hand, eyeing me across the back seat as if to say, I’ll do it, I’ll fucken do it. The car stops in the empty lot and Levi bolts for the toilets. Mum gets out, slips on her thongs and stretches her legs, holding the petrol pump for balance. I go into the shop to see what snacks are left. These days the chips are always salt and vinegar and the milks are either off or strawberry.

‘Got any Cokes?’ I say to the old guy behind the counter.

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The next edition of Meanjin will be available from December 2026. Information on the purchase of single editions – in print or ePub formats – will be available closer to time.

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  • In Print
  • Online Only
    • Latest Pieces
    • Reading Trails
    • What I’m Reading
  • Read
    • The Meanjin Papers
    • Poetry
    • Essays
    • Fiction
    • Memoir
    • The Meanjin Interviews
    • Experiments
    • State of the Nation
    • The Year In…
  • Books
    • Reviews
    • Australia in Three Books
    • What I’m Reading
  • Writers
    • Interviews
  • Buy
    • Subscribe
    • Where to buy
  • News
    • Announcements
    • Events
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    • About Meanjin
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