The Long Way Home by Phillip Overton

  Chapter 17

  April 1985

  Simon and Brian pedaled their BMX bikes hard up to the top of President’s Hill lookout. The bitumen road passed by the last of the houses in the street before it began winding its way through the bushland reserve. The road was quite steep in parts and below through the trees you could see the railway line slice across The Broadwater. Their legs began to ache as the continual climb slowed them to a crawl and every time they rounded a bend in the road, it seemed to only get steeper. Finally the two boys rounded the last steep curve and arrived in the empty car park of the lookout. Brian propped his BMX against the short section of chain wire fence and slouched down on one of the sandstone rocks, joined a moment later by Simon who was puffing heavily from the ride to the top.

  “What a cool view!” Simon said as he slumped down beside Brian.

  “Told you it was didn’t I?”

  “Yeah.” Simon agreed, still catching his breath. “You can even see our school from here.”

  “Awww, school sucks!” Brian scoffed. “They give ya too much homework in grade four!”

  “I know,” Simon agreed. “But at least we’re in the same class this year.”

  “Yeah, but Mr Nugget is the toughest teacher in the fourth grade. Why did we have to get him this year?”

  “I dunno Brian. But at least we get to sit beside each other.”

  “Yeah, I s'pose you’re right. I still can’t believe he likes you after what you did last year! I thought he wouldn’t have wanted you in his class at all.”

  “That was last year Brian, besides I had to apologise remember? And then I got the cane from the principal anyway.” Simon said as he thought about how difficult school had been after that incident last year.

  Below a distant rumble of thunder echoed across The Broadwater as a late afternoon passenger train from Sydney slowed on its approach into Gosford station. It was a beautiful autumn afternoon, the sun was fading earlier in the west now that daylight saving had ended and everyone had wound their clocks back one hour, robbing the boys of an extra hour of playtime after school. A subtle chill filled the air, bringing an end to a sunny autumn day and reminding all that winter would soon be here. The two boys sat there quietly on the rock looking down on the town below. To their right Simon could just see the roofline of his home, peeking through the gum trees and eucalypts that completely covered the hill. As the shadows drew long over the scene below, the first of the street lights came on.

  “Time to go.” Simon said as he got to his feet.

  “Oh man, I’m sure they turn the streetlights on earlier every day.”

  “Yeah well you know what my Mum’s going to do if I’m not home 10 minutes after they come on don’t you?” Simon asked him.

  “Yep, feather duster across your butt!” Brian laughed. “Come on, let’s go.”

  The two boys walked over to their bikes that were still leaning against the fence and hopped on. Simon had got the BMX for Christmas from his Dad, Poppy and Uncle Barry. It was all chrome, the frame, handle bars even the shiny spokes on the wheels. His Dad said he had bought him one of the best bikes in the shop because of his excellent end of year report card, that and the fact that since he had returned to school he had managed to totally stay out of trouble. He later learnt that the teachers had wanted him to repeat grade three, instead he had done that well with his grades in the second half of last year that they had moved him up into 4B instead of 4C. That meant he was now in the same class as Brian for the first time since they’d started school together. Life was looking better now. The two of them were old enough for their parents to let them ride their bikes to school which also meant no more having to catch the bus.

  “Are you ready to do this?” Brian asked him.

  “You bet I am!”

  “Then let’s ride downhill like our ass is on fire.” Brian talked it up.

  “Why do you have to swear? You know I don’t like that.”

  “Sorry, I forgot.” Brian apologised. “Your Mum still doesn’t know that you go to Sunday school?”

  “Nope.”

  “It’s been nearly a year Simon. Isn’t that like lying?”

  “Nah, I told you before Brian, if she knew Poppy took me to church every Sunday she wouldn’t let me stay at my Dad’s every Saturday night.”

  “I know. It’s cool that you get to go anyway. My Mum says she couldn’t be bothered because she’s not taking five kids to church on her own. But she believes that you went to heaven and came back when you were in the hospital, she told me so herself. Tell me what it was like again.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it anymore Brian. Everyone asks me about it. I hate it if they ask me in front of my Mum because it makes her angry and then I get the strap when I get home because she thinks I’m telling lies.” Simon changed the topic. “C’mon, let’s get home before we get in trouble.”

  “Race you to my house.” Brian shouted over his shoulder as he rode off before Simon.

  Simon pressed his feet down hard on the pedals and took off in pursuit. Brian disappeared over the crest in the road before Simon could get to full speed in the car park. With legs pumping wildly, his BMX glinted in the last rays of light as he wobbled the bike to full speed and dipped down into the long shadows of the steeply descending road. He saw Brian ahead momentarily before he once more disappeared from view around a curve in the road. Simon continued to peddle frantically until his feet could simply not keep up with the speed of the bike as it raced downhill and all he was left to do was hang on tight for the ride of his life.

  Whoosh!

  The air sung through the spokes of his wheels as the bike swept around one bend in the road and then another. Brian swung into view again, only 25 metres ahead of him now as the road straightened momentarily. Simon peddled wildly again, making sure the bike was not losing any speed and then held on tight as the road dipped ahead of him at its steepest section, sending him downhill faster.

  Wind ripped through his hair and the cool evening air stung his face as he raced dangerously fast down the lookout road. Shadows began to blanket the road ahead of him as the last daylight faded quickly from the sky. He squeezed the hand brake gently, marginally slowing his BMX as he neared the sharpest turn on the road and flew wide around the blind corner. Straight into the path of an oncoming car!