Winter 2022
. Here in Australia, it's been cold, wet and miserable for months. This story fell out of that. I hope you like it.
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"So, the Queen's Birthday weekend in June? I don't think a hike is a good idea, just in case the weather stays nasty." Blake tapped the pen on the table and looked at the others. "Camping in the snow wouldn't be a lot of fun either."
"What about down the east coast? It's always a bit warmer, and the rain hasn't been as bad." Jacki suggested. "We had a good time last time we were at that river mouth."
"True. But that was in summer, not the middle of winter," one of the others commented.
"You're a bunch of wusses. Geez, we're the Federated Uni Caving, Kayaking and 4WD club. What's a bit of rain?" Jacki stood and looked out the window to the quad. "We haven't gone anywhere for three months because 'it's too wet'. I just want to get out of town for a while."
Blake looked around at the dozen other members who bothered turning up. "Well, seeming you lot haven't got much to say, I'd say we head east like Jac suggested."
A murmur of consent rumbled around the room. Blake sighed. This was his last year at uni, and the FUCKa 4WD club was huge in his first year. Two years of COVID, and now astronomical fuel prices had practically killed the club. When he joined, a monthly trip away to somewhere remote was a highlight. Now, it was shunned for a night at the pub. He shot a withering glance at Tony, who had suggested precisely that. "We're not the Business Boozehounds. We should do our drinking away from pubs. Well, pubs around here anyway."
Blake shuffled his papers together and stood. "Ok, so after hanging shit on you lot for going to the local, I need a beer. Anyone else coming?"
===
Jacki plonked herself down in the seat beside Blake. "So, Blakey boy, is Princess Liz going camping with you? Gunna get some action, finally?"
"And 'Hi Blake, nice to see you' to you too." Blake took a sip of what the caf laughingly called coffee, then shrugged. "Firstly, yes. She's got the long weekend off and can't wait. Elisabeth - you know she hates being called Liz - loved the trip to Anglesea. Secondly, what we get up to is none of your business. I don't ask you about how Bray Bray does you, do I? Is he coming?"
Jacki's smile faded for a second. "Yeah, sorry. Poor taste. And there's a definite possibility of a firm maybe of Brayden coming. Depends on how his basketball team goes in the finals."
"Mmm. I have no idea how he fits in your Sierra, but I'm not taking you guys. You'll need to bend him in half or sit him in the back with his legs up front."
"Oh, it's not that bad. He fits, sort of. At least mine doesn't drink like your Rangie. That V8 is awesome, but it must cost a fortune to run."
"Yeah, well. That's why I don't smoke or go to the pub much. I need the money for petrol and oil." Blake glanced at his phone. "Better go. I've got a lecture in ten. See ya."
===
Blake scowled at the rain. And the lack of other cars from the club. And his warm Red Bull. And at the trees being bent sideways. And the empty passenger seat in his old Range Rover.
"Fuck," he said to the wind. "I knew this would happen. Bloody pikers." One by one the club members left messages making excuses for missing the weekend. The one that really hurt was Elisabeth. She'd cracked a couple of extra shifts at her work and couldn't afford to turn them down. Both being Uni students, he knew how handy the extra cash would be. She'd apologised profusely, but that didn't help his mood.
A high-pitched squeaky beep from a car horn broke his grey mood. He knew just from the sound it was Jac in her bright yellow Suzuki. It was the smallest car in the club and, he had to admit, one of the cutest and very capable. Jacki called it Manny Goat for good reason. She made it scramble up hills that others would shy away from. A face appeared at his passenger side window and Jacki jumped in the front seat.
"Shit, that weather is horrible. Sorry I'm late. Manny was being blown all over the road." She shook her dark hair and looked around the car park. "Are we it?"
Blake nodded. "Yup. Everyone else made up some excuse, and Elisabeth had to work. I was actually starting to wonder what happened to you. What happened to Bray? Basketball?"
"Yeah. That sucks for both of us." Jac pulled her phone out from the inside of her coat and opened the weather app. "Well, I had hoped the weather would magically change between home and here, but it's still going to be crap. What do you want to do? Go on or go home? I'm easy either way."
"I dunno now. I'd like to keep going, but it's not going to be a lot of fun just us two sitting in our tents watching the rain come down."
"Coin toss then?"
"Who has coins nowadays?"
"All right, funny bugger. Virtual coin toss. Heads home, tails go on. Ok?"
"Ok."
Jac found a website and tapped the screen. An image of a coin spun and showed tails. "Tails. We go."
"Fair enough. Do you want anything in the shop? I can toss Manny in the back while you grab something."
"Nah, all good arsehole. I may need to pee down the road, so I'll find a real shop. Can't think of anything I need, though."
"Righto then, you head off and I'll follow. It'll do wonders for my fuel economy."
Jac laughed and jumped back into Manny. Blake reversed out and followed the little 4WD down the highway. He now understood why it had taken Jac so long to get to this point. The wind buffeted the poor little car and its driver must have been constantly sawing at the steering wheel. He turned up the radio and settled back in his seat. The Rangie was much more settled on the road. It was big, it drank like a fish, but he liked it.
A hundred and eighty kilometres later, Manny's indicators flashed and Jac turned down a gravel forestry road, then pulled over. Blake pulled up beside her and wound down the window. "Glad the rain's finally eased off. I'll follow you in." Jac yelled.
Blake gave her a thumbs up and headed off. He knew why Jacki wanted him to go first. Last time, she'd come across roos nearly as tall as her car. Having one of those come through the windscreen would really ruin the weekend. He cracked open the window and took a deep breath. The smell of damp eucalyptus wafted into the cabin and he immediately relaxed. He loved that smell. As a kid, he'd always felt at home in the bush and that had influenced his career choice. Forestry management, hoping to get a job with the National Parks service somewhere in the bush.
The car slowly worked its way along the gradually narrowing track, the grill of the Suzi bouncing around in the rearview mirror. He was happy Jac had come. She could be a pain and opinionated, but they'd had some good robust discussions about all sorts of issues. She also loved the bush, which was a bonus. There were worse people to spend a weekend away with.
Blake pulled into a clearing near the river mouth and got out. "Well Jac, let's hope the rain stays away. It's not too bad at the moment," he said, stretching up.
"Yeah. I was getting real sick of it. Guess we'd better get the tents up before it decides to return." She looked over at the river mouth. "Sounds like the surf's really pounding. Don't think I'll be doing any body surfing."
"Never was on my plan." Blake studied the empty campsites, many with large puddles covering the area. "Bloody hell, between the puddles and overhanging limbs, there's not a lot of good spots, are there?"
"Nope," Jac said, critically eyeing the area. "Well, I think I'll set up near that fire pit and table. What about you?"
"Looks as good a spot as any. I'll go find some wood."
"There's a joke there..."
"Yeah, yeah. Funny bugger. Back soon."
Jac watched him disappear into the scrub, then pulled her hike tent out of Manny. She picked a spot closer to the ocean as she knew Blake snored like an asthmatic chainsaw. His noise would still reverberate around the clearing but she hoped the few meters gap would help the white noise of the sea tame it. Jac wondered how his girlfriend put up with it.
The darkness had rapidly closed in by the time she had her tent up and the gas stove on to boil a billy for coffee. Blake returned, his face as black as the gathering clouds.
"Hardly a fucking stick of wood anywhere. A few twigs and a couple of limbs, but nothing to keep going overnight." He dropped his meagre collection by the fire pit. "Even that pile of split logs that the Rangers left last time beside the dunny is gone."
"Well, that's a bugger. I was looking forward to sitting around the fire, having a drink and spinning shit. Here." She handed Blake a mug of coffee. "Sorry, I started on your tent but I couldn't get it up. I need your help."
Blake took a sip out of the enamel mug and grinned. "Ta, and shouldn't that be my line?"
"Maybe, but you should be saving it for Liz, not me. Ahh, hell no..." She looked west as the wind picked up and the rain came bucketing down on the roof over the table. "Knew it was too good to last."
Blake listened to the wind keening through the trees and shivered. "Yeah. I think I might sleep in the Rangie tonight. This isn't going to stop anytime soon."
They slumped on the seat and stared into the rain. "Can't believe it's 5:30 and pitch black already," grumbled Jackie. "Might as well have something to eat. What've you got?"
"Can of Irish stew. You?"
"Ugh, gross. I was going to do a couple of snags, but I think I'll just have a cup of noodles."
"And you think my stew is bad? I've got stout and port if you want a drink."
