Stretched Horizons

by Ross Richdale

  She found the drive position, turned onto the road and headed for the intersection. Suddenly, another car appeared. Lights dazzled them and a horn blared.

  "Jenny," screamed Bree. "You forgot to turn the headlights on."

  "Shit!" Jenny cursed and found the switch just as the other car careened by.

  The corner was a major road with vehicles everywhere and huge overhead lights making everything as light as day.

  "Turn right," Bree said as she gazed at the city map on her knees. "Go straight down here to the traffic lights. The supermarket is on the left just past the lights."

  "Yeah! Yeah!" Jenny muttered.

  They made it to Woolworths Supermarket, spent most of Ray's forty dollars and headed back. After they pulled into the garage, the automatic doors shut. Jenny wiped sweaty palms on her blouse and grinned.

  "That was fun," she said until she caught Bree's eyes. "Yeah, okay. It was a bit scary but we've got food now. God, I'm hungry and my sunburn stings like hell."

  They had just walked into the kitchen when the telephone rang. Bree glanced at Jenny and answered it.

  "Can I speak to Mrs. Bree Ashworth, please?" a female voice said.

  Bree frowned. "Speaking," she replied.

  "This is Charge Nurse Deborah Richmond from Palmerston North Public Hospital speaking. You are a relation of Mr. Ray Barnett, I believe?"

  "A friend," Bree replied.

  "Oh, I see," the nurse replied. "One moment, please."

  "It's the hospital," Bree said to Jenny.

  The charge nurse came back on line. "Normally we'd only speak to a close relation but Ray has listed your name as the person he wanted contacted. He has just been taken into surgery."

  "For his leg?"

  "I am afraid it is more serious than that, Mrs. Ashworth. He has internal bleeding that has to be stopped."

  Bree felt the colour drain from her face. "I'll come straight over."

  "You're welcome, of course, but it will be at least two hours before you'll be able to see him or get a progress report."

  Bree thanked the nurse and hung up. "Something's wrong," she said. "I'm going back to the hospital."

  "Not without me," Jenny said.

  They left the lights on with Pattie inside and arrived at the hospital within five minutes. However, they were not allowed beyond the Accident and Emergency waiting room. After half an hour, Bree was tired of thumbing through the inevitable magazines and began watching the television suspended in a corner. The movie that she hadn't really watched came to a close and the station switched to a late news broadcast.

  "Look," Jenny gasped as the woman news anchor spoke.

  "Further to our earlier bulletins about last weekend's plane crash in the Ruahine Ranges north of Palmerston North, it has been confirmed that the two English tourists, Mrs. Bree Ashworth and Ms. Jenny Dench, both from London, England survived. Jane Reddington reports from Palmerston North hospital. What is the latest news, Jane?"

  "Oh my," Bree whispered as the picture switched to show their arrival in the helicopter. Of course, the reporter was the woman who shoved a microphone at her. The views of herself made her shudder. She never realized how scruffy and tired she looked.

  "There's more," Jenny hissed. "We've never seen this."

  The view switched to a rescue crew beside the wrecked aeroplane. The video shots showed the covered body of the pilot being carried away and placed in a helicopter. Bree stared, fascinated by the flooded stream and the water pounding over the waterfall behind. The camera turned and zoomed in on the raging fall while the reporter's voice added a commentary. "To survive a plane crash in these conditions is unusual, but to also walk away after being pounded over the falls you are now viewing is a miracle."

  "That's not true," Jenny cut in but Bree waved her quiet as the scene switched back to the hospital doors they'd walked through a few moments earlier. Jane Reddington came back on air in what looked like a live broadcast.

  "One of the women is having an emergency operation at this very moment but we are unable to verify who it is...."

  "They got that wrong, too," Jenny interrupted.

  "Oh well," Bree said with a shrug. "It doesn't matter." She was more concerned about Ray.

  THE NEWS SNIPPET THOUGH was of high viewer interest. Air crashes always piqued viewer interest but to survive tumbling over a flooded waterfall added doubly to that. The BBC World Service included it in their world news broadcasts an hour later. This was midnight, New Zealand time and eleven in the morning in the United Kingdom. By noon, the BBC home service and independent radio and television networks picked up the same report. After all, these were local English women who had survived a terrible crash in a far off land. It became the hot news of the hour.

  An independent London radio station supplemented the news with a background item about Bree at Sunset Grove Primary School and had an interview with Deputy Headteacher Patricia McCarthy. They also rebroadcast the earlier item taken when Bree was attacked in Jenny's classroom. Even in sophisticated London, the pair became a topic of conversation for thousands of citizens over the next few hours before some other crisis took over.

  THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY room filled with people from all walks of life. Three intoxicated youths covered in grime and blood staggered in. They were swearing and cursing until a security guard told them to either sit down or get out; a young woman in a dressing gown carried a tiny baby in her arms and was taken straight through to a cubical, and victims from some accident were wheeled through.

  "They've probably been brought in by the helicopter," Jenny said.

  This was confirmed when a tired James Langton walked in. He saw the pair, smiled and walked across to sit beside them. "Still here?" he said

  "Ray's having an emergency operation," Bree said. "Internal injuries."

  "Yeah," Jenny added. "They won't let us go any further and they tell us nothing."

  James nodded and stood up. "I'll see what I can do," he said and caught Bree's eyes. "Don't worry. Ray's injuries are not life threatening. His pulse was strong and he's a healthy guy."

  He disappeared and within two minutes a nurse arrived and walked straight up to them

  "Bree Ashworth?" she asked.

  "Yes."

  "I'm Charge Nurse Debbie Richmond who spoke to you on the phone. If you'll follow me I'll take you up to the surgical recovery room. Ray should be coming out of the anaesthetic shortly." She frowned. "Normally only next of kin are allowed to see patients this early after an operation but Doctor Langton cleared you both."

  "Good old James," Jenny said and raised an eyebrow when the nurse frowned. "Did I say something wrong?"

  "No. Doctor Langton is the hospital's senior medical officer, that's all. He doesn't usually deal with A and E but we've had a rash of illnesses with the resident doctors."

  "Nothing like the top to get some action," Jenny retorted. She grinned and gave Bree a dig on the arm when the charge nurse flushed.

  In contrast to the waiting room, the surgical floor was a symbol of silent efficiency. The security guard outside the elevator nodded at Debbie Richmond but Bree noticed he checked a clipboard as they walked by. They were in a spotless corridor that had that distinct hospital aroma of cleaning fluid and medical supplies. After moving through two side corridors, they arrived at a small room with one hospital bed inside.

  There, with a plastered leg in a sling held up by pulleys and counterweights, and a satchel of fluid dangling from a frame, was Ray.

  "We set his broken leg at the same time as his operation," Debbie explained. "Ray may be disorientated when he awakes. I'll leave you but just press that button by his bed if you need assistance. A nurse will come straight away." She gave an expression as if it had better not happen, smiled slightly and disappeared.

  "I think James stirred everyone up," Jenny said. "That head nurse reminded me of you when you're mad with a staff member."

  "Thanks," Bree retorted. She walked across beside Ray; saw he
was still asleep and glanced back at Jenny. "He looks pale," she muttered and stood with her fingers twitching.

  "Sit down, Bree," Jenny whispered. "I've never seen you look so nervous."

  Bree looked up. "I'm acting irrationally aren't I?" she said.

  "No. It's the opposite, Bree. Why hold your emotions under a shell? There's nobody here except Ray and me. He's asleep and I won't tell."

  "Oh, Jenny," Bree replied. Tears appeared in her eyes. "I'm all mixed up inside. God, I've known Ray only a couple of days but..." She took a handkerchief out, wiped her eyes and looked back at the man on the bed.

  "So?" Jenny replied. "Time makes no difference. It's what happens during that time that is important."

  "But nothing much has."

  "Everything has, Bree. Clutch and embrace it while you can for it may never return."

  "What mightn't?" Bree retorted.

  Jenny said nothing but just smiled and squeezed Bree's hands with her own.

  RAY DREAMED HE WAS in a room. A woman was bending over his bed, smiling at him. He knew the smile but didn't recognize the blonde hair and enormous blue eyes. It was a beautiful face, one filled with empathy, and he thought he should know the person. But it was merely a dream. He knew nobody so beautiful. Perhaps it was an angel. But shouldn't an angel be dressed in a long flowing silver gown? And why did she speak with an English accent?

  He smiled and slipped back into a foggy cloud of nothingness.

  His next conscious thought was of a warm hand holding his. He opened his eyes and saw the blue eyes again. There was the woman of his dreams, but he wasn't dreaming. She was real. She was there and he knew her.

  "Hi, Bree," he whispered. "It was nice of you to come back. Did you find Pattie?"

  "MY GOD, I THOUGHT I'd never get you away from there," Jenny said as they drove home almost two hours later. She hit the remote to open the garage door and drove the car the last few metres inside.

  Bree opened the passenger door and up bounded a very wet, dirty and smelly Pattie.

  "Damn," Bree said. "Where have you been, Pattie?" She looked at Jenny. "The door to the conservatory?"

  "Could be!"

  They ran though the connecting door and just stared. The lights were on. The far end path by the pond was saturated with puddles everywhere. Across from this was a box of compost all gouged out as if Pattie had been rolling in it. Small clumps of compost mixed with the puddles to cover half the cobblestones in mud.

  "Oh, Pattie," Jenny scolded. "You are a naughty girl, you know."

  Pattie looked up and wagged her tail slowly as if she was uncertain how to react.

  "Okay, young lady," Bree said. "We'll clean it up tomorrow but you're going to have a bath or be put out to your kennel."

  She found a tin tub in the laundry that appeared to be for the purpose, filled it with warm soapy water and ordered Pattie in. It worked but both she and Jenny ended up as wet as the dog, and the mud seemed to transfer across, too. She towel-dried the dog and glanced up.

  "Do you know what the time is?" Jenny asked.

  "About one."

  "Three fifteen."

  "Oh my. I might just have another shower. I never knew looking after a dog was so much trouble." She turned to Pattie. "You stay off my bed after I make it up, too."

  "You'd rather have Ray in it with you."

  Bree turned. "Jenny, just shut up. Can't you think of anything else?"

  "Oh, I can," Jenny sniggered and ducked as a wet towel came hurtling across the room.

  CHAPTER 13

  Bree spent all of the next day at the hospital while Jenny did everything else. She went on to the Internet and found both their personal sites where they had recorded copies of their documents. Next, she rang the United Kingdom High Commission. The receptionists there said they could issue them with temporary passports but they would need to visit the omission office in Wellington in person to confirm their identity. Their credit cards were more of a problem, for by the time replacements arrived from their banks in London, they'd be home again. Luckily, both she and Bree had travellers' cheques that could be replaced locally when they produced the serial numbers.

  "Right, Pattie," Jenny said after she returned from the hospital to find the dog looking left out of everything. "You can come with me downtown, we'll get some money and go shopping." She found a little notebook and jotted items down as she spoke. "First of all we both need clothes, backpacks to put them in, more food..." She stopped and stared at the ceiling. "Of course...our travel insurance. I forgot. All of this will be covered. Now if I find the local agent..."

  Ten minutes later, she was off with Pattie sitting beside her. She had no idea whether local laws allowed dogs to travel in the front seat but it didn't really worry her. The first bank she walked into directed her onto a second where her traveller's cheques were verified and new ones issued. She could change her own for local currency but Bree needed to sign personally for her ones. The woman behind the counter was friendly and helpful and even found the name of the company that would handle her travel insurance claim.

  An hour later, she had visited several quite large stores and bought clothes for them both. Perhaps Bree's tastes were more conservative than her own was but they were a similar size so she bought what she liked before moving onto something for Bree.

  "She'll need a dress suit," she muttered to herself but after checking out the prices decided modern slacks and a couple of blouses would have to do. She giggled and found some clothes she was sure Bree wouldn't like but Ray would.

  Afterwards, she returned to the car to find Pattie fast asleep across the back seat, so she went to find a coffee bar. It was hot, almost thirty degrees. She'd have to think more in metric. Everything in New Zealand was metric. Oh well! Half an hour later she returned to the car to find Pattie sitting on the front seat waiting.

  "God, it's hot, girl," she said. "Let's find somewhere cool where you can walk."

  They reached a river on the edge of town with a walkway along the bank. Dogs and people seemed to be everywhere. Pattie ran around while Jenny found a shady bench to sit on and read the morning paper she'd bought.

  "Damn," she muttered.

  Their story was splashed all over the front page with a coloured photograph of her and Bree standing beside Ray's stretcher just after they climbed out from the helicopter. She read the article and found it was far more accurate than the television news. On page three, a diagram showed how their aeroplane crashed above the falls and even suggested the pilot was killed then not after the wreckage was carried on over the falls. Arrows were superimposed on a map to show their journey to Taylor's Mistake Hut and onto the slip face where their rescue took place.

  Pattie returned, stuck her chin on Jenny's lap and gazed up with round eyes.

  "Okay, girl, we go walking." Jenny said. "Afterwards, you can wait while I go to the supermarket for some more food, then it's home for us both."

  She stood and followed Pattie along the path.

  IN THE SURGICAL RECOVERY ward at the hospital, Ray woke to find Bree still sitting beside the bed. "So what happened to the conference?" he said.

  "I missed it," Bree replied. "Everyone's gone home."

  "When are you going back to England?"

  "We have another week. Originally, Jenny and I were going to visit the South Island but now..." She stopped. "I suppose we still could."

  "And why are you hesitant?" Ray replied.

  "You," Bree gulped. "I don't want to leave and never see you again."

  "Why?" the whispered question followed.

  Bree stood and turned away. She was about to move further when Ray reached out, seized her wrist and pulled her in.

  "Ray!" Bree protested but he was too powerful. She almost crashed across his bandaged stomach but responded when he kissed her. The kiss became passionate until Bree wriggled and pulled away. "Not here, Ray," she said. "It's not right."

  "Why?"

  "I've known you only a few days, I'm a
n overseas visitor and I'm married. Is that good enough for you?"

  "No," Ray said and grabbed her wrist again.

  Bree turned with tears in her eyes. Ray grimaced and let her go.

  "It's happening too quickly, Ray. You're lonely. I'm lonely. Lonely people make mistakes."

  "True," Ray said. "So I'm acting like a spotty skinned adolescent?"

  "I didn't say that."

  Ray seized both her hands but just held them. "Will you do something for me, Bree?" he asked.

  "Possibly. What is it, Ray?"

  "Leave me. Go for a long walk, two hours or more. Talk to Jenny; get your passport and money sorted out. If you decide to go south and finish your holidays, there is a commercial kennel you can place Pattie in. I've used them before. Their name is written at the front of my telephone book." He caught a tear that rolled down her cheek.

  "And if I come back?"

  "It will be because you want to come, not because you feel sorry for me." He let her hands go. "If you decide to leave, do it in the morning, not a week from now. Understand?"

  "I think so," Bree replied. "Take care, Ray." She stood, straightened her crumpled green blouse, and walked out.

  Ray watched the empty doorway long after Bree was out of sight. "Bugger," he muttered. "I stuffed that up well and truly."

  Charge Nurse Richmond slipped in from the other side of a privacy screen. "She's a pleasant woman, Ray," she said. "I have a feeling she is more than just appreciative about being rescued."

  "And what would you have done if you were me, Debbie?"

  "I'm not a male, the ball is in her court now but I reckon she'll be back before ten tonight." She grinned. "Probably right at the end of visiting hours."

  "Interesting," Ray whispered. "A woman's mind is the strangest thing. I thought she'd be back within those two hours or not at all."

  "No, she'll wait, perhaps even until the morning but she'll be back." The nurse frowned. "I hope you're genuine though, Ray. I think she deserves that."