EDAN'S DREAM

Chapter 7 - Australia

The next continent was Australia5.

He had previously marked out Melbourne as his chosen pit stop.

The Quantas passenger aircraft was being loaded on bay forty-six.

Edan hid himself.

Like any busy airport, GIG was a hive of activity. Vehicles of all sizes drove in and out in quick succession.

Contents were transferred and papers signed.

Aircraft engineers carried out routine on the ground physical inspections. Cabin cleaners tidied up any mess left behind by previous passengers. To the outsider, airport operations may look manic but each team knows what they have to do. Getting the plane ready for its timely flight was too important to sabotage.

Edan waited like a lone vulture, patient.

He'd done this before.

He understood what he planned to do was dangerously risky. Nothing guaranteed.

All he hoped was the same level of good luck he had the previous time.

With no money in his pocket, he'd spent a few months in Rio than he'd planned.

Who could have known it would happen to him? But it did.

He'd slept rough.

He'd been hungry.

He'd begged money from strangers to buy food in order to survive.

It also taught him a few hard life lessons.

Some people were generous to a stranger. Some were absolutely rude. Others? Well, they crossed pavements to avoid him.

His communication skill didn't help his situation very much. He hardly spoke nor understood any Portuguese.

He had experienced the stark reality of hard living. He knows for sure how an easy life can suddenly become a nightmare with unexpected outcome.

This will be lesson 101, notable for anyone who may desire the lure of a foreign land.

Enough speaking knowledge of the local language is essential to making a sensible conversation which may help save a life.

Presently, it was getting late.

The sun had already set a few hours ago and his legs were hurting from standing. Yet there seemed no end to the amount of personnel milling around.

Then, they closed the loading bin. It was an indication the aircraft was loaded.

Edan was gutted.

The last time he tried, it worked out perfectly. He was so confident it would be easy passage again he did not consider the possibility of a return trip to the airport if he was unable to board. Meaning, he'd have to sleep rough again and he hated it.

But tomorrow's stories were yet to be written. So, with a new day comes new hope that he would find a way to get on board. Then he heard two people arguing.

One was bald and stocky. Mid thirties maybe. His partner in crime was younger and looked like he spends enough time in the gym lifting weights.

His upper arms were as large as Rambo's biceps.

Both were shouting over each other.

Bad language was thrown right, left and centre without thought.

Edan believed a punch-up was imminent.

Although he was fairly amused by this kind of vexed bravado, he had no idea what was being said or what the commotion was about. One thing he did know for sure was that something must have gone terribly wrong somewhere.