by Dawn Millen
“I couldn’t have put it better Jenn.” Gavin states with a smile in my direction. “Folks, let’s not worry about that tonight, we are here for a party so let’s get on and enjoy ourselves. “ He rumbles to the group around us. “Come on Jenn, Krystal, there is a CD player, some CD’s and batteries; we are going to have music and dancing. I want a dance with each of you.” He continued as he put his arm through mine and Rhys did the same with Krystal.
We walked away arm in arm and talking as we approached the impromptu dance floor and found Sandy in charge of the music. The CD selection was limited, but there was music from most eras and many people were dancing together. Older generation with the younger and couples holding tight to each other as they relived previous dances from happier times. There were mothers and fathers dancing with small babies in their arms and toddlers dancing and running around underfoot. A real country dance was in progress. The pleasure was showing on many faces and I knew that my smile grew wider as Gavin took me in his arms and we danced to an old time waltz. We were able to talk quietly as we danced to the bracket of three numbers and it was hard for others to overhear our quiet voices as we discussed the issues that had just been brought up and Gavin was impressed when he heard me tell everyone that we had to rescue ourselves. It was something he had been planning on telling everyone that tonight. I told him that the words just popped into my head as I was talking.
“I figured that if anyone was out there we would have seen signs of aircraft movement by now and as we had not then we are going to have to get ourselves out of this one.” I told Gavin as he whirled me around the area set aside for dancing. “There may be no help out there at all so we just have to deal with this one with our own resources Gavin.” I finish.
He looks down at me and smiles again. “Just stole all my thunder girl, still as long as we are thinking the same way things should run smoothly.” He laughs and his blue eyes twinkle in fun. “Never fear Jenn, we will get this crowd to the coast and we will be able to settle them down again. If we all work together it will be easier. No matter what, we are going to do this.” He rumbles quietly in my ear, his smile lighting up his face behind his glasses and his arms tightening in a hug.
The music ends and a different beat reverberated through the quiet air of the night. Rhys comes over with Krystal and we swap partners. Time is spent just enjoying the music and changing dance partners frequently.
Gavin gets up on the grandstand and tells everyone that we are heading for the coast, with access to the sea we will stand a better chance of being found if there is anyone out there to rescue us. The chances are though that there is no one able to do this as there have been no radio communications or aircraft movements since the first quake. It looks as if we are going to have to do the job ourselves. Being close to the coast will bring other benefits too, fresh fish, better soil for crops and as the population on the coast is greater there are better chances of banding together with other survivors to exchange skills and use a barter system. Gavin did explain that he had been planning to share this information last night, but due to circumstances beyond his control he had been unavailable to do so. The apology was met with glares in the direction of last night’s trouble makers and laughter at Gavin’s good humour.
Gavin’s statement is met with quiet applause from the gathered crowd and he then hands things back to young Sandy who has taken charge of the music and walks back towards the committee members gathered on the sidelines.
Soon Thomas comes to fetch Krystal and I as James is ready to go back to bed. We tell the others we will be back when James is settled and walk across the grass to take him back to bed. James looks tired, but content as we approach. He has enjoyed time with his friends and watching the party. Thomas walks with us to help with the wheelchair and to assist us to put a very tired James back into his bed. James is soon settled and is nodding off to sleep almost as soon as his head touches the pillow. The excitement of the last hour and a half has exhausted him and he needs to sleep to recover. I don’t think that he will be looking for pain killers tonight, tiredness will keep him asleep for some hours, the pain muted by the enjoyment he has had tonight.
Krystal, Thomas and I let Helen know that James is back in his bed and resting quietly. She tells us that she will go and check on him soon and we head off across the grass to the party. As we approach we hear the sound of raised voices and smashing glass. Krystal, Thomas and I start to run towards the noise.
As we draw nearer we see that there are at least four or five people fighting close to the tables and one table has collapsed under the weight of a human body. I see Rhys standing there in a ripped white shirt with his fist raised ready to hit John Evans. John and his mates have come across to the party despite being told that they were not welcome. Being told that they had to leave has started a fight and this fight is getting nasty. Nate Bright stands over Paul with a broken bottle in his hand and Paul is lying semi-conscious on the ground and unable to defend himself. Suddenly a shot rings out overhead and through the crowd comes Gavin, pistol drawn and an angry look on his face.
“Enough you three, I have had more than enough of your behaviour. This is your last chance. If any of you move I am going to shoot you where you stand.” Gavin bellows into the silence that follows the shot. His arm holding the pistol drops down and the gun is now centred on Nate’s chest.
A look of fear crosses the face of the overweight man and the bottle in his hand drops harmlessly to shatter on the ground at his feet. The fight seems to go right out of him in that instant.
“John told us to come over and if we were told to go to start a fight so that we can get our hands on some of the grog.” Were the first words that tumbled out of Nate’s mouth. “He said that it would work and that you would all be too afraid to challenge us after we beat you up last night.” The last few words are addressed to Gavin.
“Guess he was wrong then.” Gavin states in a quiet deadly voice. “John Evans, if this keeps up you will be left behind with your mates to fend for yourselves, we don’t need this sort of thing causing problems within the group. There are going to be problems enough on the road without all this crap.” Gavin addresses John directly and those blue eyes have turned to ice behind his glasses. “This is your one and only warning, next lot of trouble and you three will be left stranded without any equipment, do you understand what I am saying?” Gavin throws the question out of his mouth like he is spitting poison.
“You can’t manage without me, you need my electrical skills.” John states. “You will need me when you get where you are going to set up the electrical systems and to make sure the houses are safe for it.” He states in a cocky manner of a man who feels he is indispensible.
“You bloody galah; we don’t even know if there will be power ever again in our lifetimes.” Rhys chimes in from the table where he is leaning nursing a bleeding nose. His voice is slightly muffled and nasal from the rag he is holding to his face.
“Rhys is right!” Gavin says loud enough for everyone to hear. “Your skills are possibly going to be redundant and therefore, we may not need you at all. Paul and Raymond can run the generators well so there is probably no need for your services at all. It is now your choice and up to you to behave if you want to be part of this group. We can and will manage without the three of you.” There is a stirring in the crowd as the news sinks in that we don’t expect to need an electrician and that things are possibly going to be rougher than they thought. So many of the things that we have discussed as a committee have not been made public and probably would not have been unless we had too, have now been partially disclosed.
Raymond, Rhys, Thomas and several of the other men and older teenagers move to back Gavin up at this point. Most of them have had time to think about this and to discuss it and have decided that they are going to need the strong leadership and are now stepping up to confirm it to John and his friends. The fight has gone out of the three of them now and they are standing there with sullen loo
ks on their faces. For now the trouble is over, but I fear that it is not for long.
Krystal and Sandra have been tending to Paul and have now got him to his feet and are leading him away from the sports oval and towards the hospital tent to have his wounds dressed.
“Come on soldier.” I say to Rhys. “Time to get that nose checked out and then you can get some rest.” I say as I tug on his arm to lead him away. “Where are the children?” I ask quickly scanning the area for them.
“I left them with Sandy; he will take them home and settle them to bed. He promised to stay with them until I get back.” Rhys answers slowly.
We head up to the hospital and I decide that I may as well relieve my opposite number as it is only a short time until shift change.
Chapter 23
Our final shift is underway; Krystal and I have put old shirts over our finery. Our rounds start simply and quietly as most of the patients are asleep. Many of those ready for discharge have attended the party and have returned quietly and drifted off to sleep. The others are long settled and content to drift quietly along.
We check on James and find him sleeping soundly, gentle snores coming from the bed and a contented smile upon his face.
We then move quietly towards the infection tent and find that Gayle has drifted further down the road to death and her breathing has become disjointed and shallow. Her face has sunken along with her chest and she has the look of fast approaching death. We settle her quietly again, turning her body to try to keep her more comfortable and sponge her down. It is all we can do for her now. Her breathing stops and starts often during the time we are settling her and Krystal and I look at each other and we both know that death is close and her suffering will be over soon.
We bring two chairs into the tent and sit beside Gayle and watch over her as her body slowly ceases to function. Death steals quietly into the room and Gayle is gone between one breath and the next. I stand beside the bed for a second or two, waiting just in case Gayle rallies again. After a minute or two we settle the pillows and lay Gayle flat. I quietly leave the tent and go to fetch Helen.
On our return Helen pronounces death and quietly writes it into a note book she carries with her. This is kept to ensure that we have records of everything in case at some stage in the future the authorities require the information. It is unlikely that they will, but Helen wants to be prepared.
Helen asks me to organise the coffin and to request that a grave is dug close to the site of the hospital for Gayle. I walk down the hill and ask Rhys and Raymond to bring the coffin that I have had hidden under a tarpaulin near our camp and to bring shovels to dig a grave. These big strong men are saddened by the news that Gayle has died and soon rally a couple of other men to help them bring the coffin up and dig the grave.
I return to the hospital just as they arrive and after Krystal prepares the body they gently lift Gayle into the coffin and walk away to dig her grave.
We strip the bed and wash it down as the mattress will be coming with us, then we head back to the casualty tent to make coffee. Helen is sitting there with her head in her hands, tears stream down her face as she turns to look at us. We both rush to hug her and reassure her that there was nothing anyone could have done to change what happened. We know that the words sound empty to Helen, but we also know that there was nothing anyone could have done any better or any differently for Gayle.
Rounds again commence after coffee and we troop from tent to tent checking on the patients who are there and then quietly walking the short distance to the hospital where the grave is being dug. It is almost finished now and preparations for a simple funeral service are being made. None of us are sure of Gayle’s religious beliefs so it will be a non-denominational service. Sandra is to perform the service in her role as a celebrant and is already at the grave site. Paul is looking after the children; they will not be attending the funeral. There has been enough sadness in their short lives already this year.
Five am brings our final rounds for the night and we distribute coffee and tea to the patients who are awake and want a hot drink, check on the medications required and now wait for the other nurses to arrive to help get everyone ready for the journey. We are working to make sure that everyone is loaded and ready to go by half past ten. At this point we are well on schedule and will have time to attend Gayle’s funeral at 7.30 am.
The funeral was a short and simple service and soon the men were filling the grave. The nurses trooped back up the hill surrounding Helen and supporting her as she mourned the loss of so many of her patients and friends. Arms around each other we arrive back at the hospital and split into pairs to work each of the tents.
The patients are ready and excited to be moved out of their beds and into the vehicles. The many walking wounded are accompanied to the buses by nurses and the stretcher cases are lifted into the ambulances. Tents are struck and soon the hospital is no more. We proceed down the hill towards the main camp site to see that all the tents are down, the fires out and a convoy of vehicles are assembled. The fire truck is the lead vehicle and the Police 4 x 4 is the final vehicle in the convoy, trucks, buses, ambulances and 4 x 4’s are interspersed throughout the long queue of vehicles.
The stragglers are moving towards the vehicles and jumping aboard. Right at the head of the queue, however, there are four very excited teenagers astride trail bikes and they are ready to perform their duties. Their smiles say it all; excitement and an air of responsibility surround them as they check their helmets, boots and bikes. They are the ones who will pick the route for the convoy and they have to get it right.
Gavin’s voice echo’s through the bull horn in his hands. “Okay folks, time to get this show on the road, there are radios in all the cars and they have been checked by Andrew and Sandy. All are on the same channel and it is important that you don’t change them. This will be our only form of communication during the trip and I would like to be able to keep in touch with everyone.” His voice echo’s through the stillness.
Then in his best imitation of an American accent Gavin roars through the bullhorn. “Wagons Roll!”
Laughter echo’s as engines are started and the motorbike crew roar off in a cloud of dust. I put the fire engine into gear and the radio beside me crackles into life.
“Jenn, its Gavin, you and I are the only ones on this frequency; we both have two radios. This will be for information that is not for general consumption.” Gavin’s voice breaks the static and echo’s through the cabin.
“Yes I noticed that it was the emergency network and not the UHF network that was working.” I say, quickly keying the mike in my right hand as I bring the big rig around and change gears with my left hand. “I just bet that Andrew is listening too.” I giggle, knowing that Sandy also has a hand held radio for this channel.
“I am sure that he is and so is Sandy, hello you two, hope you have your ear pieces in guys.” Gavin laughs as he says this. There is no reply, but the 4 x 4 behind me flicks its lights up and down and I notice Andrew and Sandy in the vehicle.
“They are doing a listening watch Gavin.” I tell him. “It is probably a good idea as a backup for both of us mate.”
“Too right, always good to have a backup plan.” Gavin’s voice crackles back again. “Okay we are off at the tail now. Good luck Jenn, see you when we stop to set up camp. We should start looking for a good spot around two o’clock or so.”
“Okay mate, will ask the bike team to keep their eyes open for good water and a decent sized flat spot.” I fire back.
“Good stuff Jenn. Catch you later.” Gavin closes the conversation quickly and the long drive to the coast begins.
Chapter 24
Smithtown slowly shrinks into the distance in the rear vision mirror. The dust cloud kicked up by the convoy cloaks the damage we are leaving behind. Ahead I see clear road and gently change the truck into top gear. There is going to be a huge red cloud of dust to mark our passage across the flat lands and it will be seen for miles.
I click the third radio in the cab to the School of the Air frequency and send out a call to anyone who is listening in. Crackles return, but I will continue to do this as we travel. Tammy and Robin were found by the radio and I hope to be able to find others this way. I switch between School of the Air and the local Emergency Channels and call again, still only crackles reply to my calls.
Every quarter hour I call out “This is Jenn from the Coast Convoy, are there any others out there who can see our dust cloud?” I call again and again. “We are sticking close to the highway from Smithtown to Gunnedah. I will keep this channel open for fifteen minutes listening watch.”
Gavin has also switched into the channels and is listening and as my voice fades through the afternoon takes over the calls. “This is Police Sargent Gavin Brown from Smithtown, can anyone see the dust cloud from our convoy. We are heading for the coast and have a Doctor and Nurses in our group. If anyone needs help please reply and we will come to you.” His deep, calm voice breaks the constant crackle on the airwaves. Nothing is heard.
We are constantly stopping and starting throughout the journey, sometimes to clear downed trees, sometimes to cut fences and divert through paddocks to avoid crevasses and now and again a longer detour to avoid the sand bogs thrown up during the earthquakes. We also stop near the lonely outback stations and check for signs of life there. Many of the homesteads have fallen in on themselves and the stench of death is present, no signs of living humans can be found though. Some though intact are uninhabited, their owners having fled before we arrived. The only signs of life are the animals that have been abandoned to fend for themselves.
Water is passed through vehicle windows and the request is for people to save the bottles, we will refill them at the next decent water source that we find. There will not be enough bottled water for the whole trip and we need to conserve the bottles to transport the water.
