Travelling the Newell | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Travelling the Newell | Previous Challenge Entry
By Robyn Harbour
07/04/15
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‘Are we there yet?’ asked five year old Tracy every time the car stopped. Fast food at McDonalds was quickly becoming the food of choice on the road.

‘How much longer?’ Brian, eight, kept asking at regular intervals. He had no comprehension of the time involved to drive from Melbourne to Brisbane. ‘It is taking too long.’ he said. The further she traveled the towns became fewer and further between. Cheryl would stop at each town for a toilet visit and a short play before continuing.

Cheryl was tired of answering these questions. The long hours on the Newell Highway were wearing her down as she concentrated on the road ahead. She had never driven this far before on her own. At least she was now on the home run, having recently passed through Warrick. Her children were not the only children who asked these questions considering the large bill boards she now passed at regular intervals that read ARE WE THERE YET?

The children were watching a Colin Buchanan DVD in the back, singing along to the songs interspersed with the occasional argument. The odd game of ‘I Spy’ kept them interested in the scenery outside the car and always coming back eventually to the same question, ‘I spy with my little eye something starting with H’. The children were sure that they could see Heaven through holes in the clouds.

Brian and Tracy had a fascination with Heaven. Bruce had passed away just over twelve months ago after a long battle with cancer. The children missed their dad and constantly talked about him. Cheryl had a continual ache in her heart and wondered if she would ever get through this dark time. Tears welled up in her eyes as her mind traveled backwards in time and the lump in her throat threatened to choke her.

The house that Bruce and Cheryl built when they were first married had been sold. Welfare payments did not stretch to cover the mortgage. There was enough money left after the sale to buy a modest weatherboard on the edge of town. Her church family had banded together to paint the house inside and out. A working bee had brought the tangled garden back into order. She did not know how she would have coped without her church community and her faith in God.

Her friends held a potluck dinner and silent auction and given her the money to go to Queensland and visit Bruce’s elderly parents. She was a little uneasy about this visit. Bruce had an identical twin and she was not sure the effect this would have on herself and her children.

Cheryl had considered flying to avoid two long days at the wheel but had chosen to drive and make this trip part of their holiday. The first day had not been too bad but the children were now thoroughly bored with travelling. Yesterday had been a rest day and they had spent the day at Dubbo Zoo. A white rhino had been born recently, the children were fascinated as he trotted round and round the enclosure after his mother.

After dinner they had visited the Dubbo Observatory. Brian had been fascinated by the night sky and asked the inevitable question of the Astronomer, ‘Can you show me Heaven please? My Dad lives there.’ The other tourists were touched by the question. Cheryl enjoyed seeing the magnificence and awesomeness of the Creator’s handiwork.

At the last stop she had sent a text message to Bruce’s parents to update them on their progress. She was already dreading the drive back home in three weeks time.

Lost in thought she continued driving on ‘auto pilot’ her eyes on the road, her mind elsewhere, until she was jerked back into the now. A car coming towards her was trying to pass a large B Double and from her estimate would not get through in time. Quickly she considered her options. With no where to go she slowed down and got as close to the guard rail as she could to give the other driver more space. Unfortunately this was not far enough.

The next moment Cheryl was standing on the side of a glittering road, holding Brian and Tracy’s hands tightly. Happy voices could be heard close by and the sound of people singing in the distance.

‘Are we there yet Mummy?’ asked Tracy.

‘Yes darling, we are there. Let’s go and find Daddy.’

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