Collecting the k’s

Plod plod plod. Almost all roads today were horribly rough. The trees continue to recede and the land continues to level out. The first 8km out of Cunderdin were flat and straight and after eagerly pushing towards what was apparently a sizeable hill for ten minutes I realised the heat haze was playing tricks with me and although it was indeed a hill, it wasn’t big enough to warrant a mention on any other day.

We had a long brunch in a small homestead called Tammin, population 450, area 1800km squared, and picnicked on green grass. After lunch the last 25 kilometres were slowed by an ever-increasing headwind – cause for concern as this wind has been growing in the last two days and we don’t plan on changing direction any time soon – but the flocks of Galahs and enormous kilometre-long trains (the India-Pacific track runs close to the road) and occasional waves from strangers in cars provided enough motivation to see us roll into Kellerberrin by 3:30pm.

Bev and Becs had found a nice little campsite with unequivocally clean toilets and a power supply, and we settled down to a relaxing afternoon with Kate massaging my calves and Becs straight onto a fine tuna pasta dinner.

At 6pm the air was full of screams and wails. I had just taken the lid off my clothes box, searching for a beanie hat to combat the chill that comes with country nights, when it began. I cocked an ear, wondering if a child had hurt herself, trying to determine where the noise was coming from. Stepping back from the van I saw Holly twenty-five metres away from our camp, rocking backwards and forwards cross-legged in the sand with one hand to her mouth. At first I thought she’d been bitten by something but then saw he had a phone to her ear. “Shit.”

Nothing comes close to the sound of death. I ran to her, Becs and Bev and Kate did the same. We held her and hugged her as she cried and spoke to her Dad. Kate fetched tissues and a custard cream, a hoodie to keep Holls warm. It was her Grandad.

For the first time the team becomes a family. Everyone emerges to let her know we’re here for her, doing what little we can to make things easier. In the middle of nowhere, none of us are alone. We’ll all fall asleep thinking of Holly tonight.