Shadows

One - Little Middle

I kick the seat in front of me.

'Are we there yet?' I yell over the music coming from the radio.

'Not yet!' Mum yells back, 'why do you keep asking?'

'So I know when I can start complaining,' I mutter back.

'Pardon?' Mum asks.

'Nothing,' I say.

I put my headphones back over my ears and turn up my music. As awesome as 50's rock hits are, I would rather listen to something from this century with heavy bass. I stare out the window and tap my foot to the beat of the song. The sun from the long Saturday morning shines bright and I lower my eyelids to avoid its glaring rays.

We are driving through the bushland of Queensland on our way to Longreach, this tiny little town in the middle of nowhere. Mum calls it rustic. I call it boring.

I jump as my phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out. The smooth, black plastic of the cover feels nice and familiar in my hand, something light in a world now full of shadows. I open the message and read it through quickly.

Hey babe, it reads, are you here yet? Love Kiki. XOXO

Kiki is my best friend. She used to live in Brisbane where we attended the same primary school. We were separated when she moved to a school near Longreach at the beginning of grade six. Through all these years we have kept in touch and she screamed her way to new decibels when I told her about moving to join her for grade eleven.

I text her back as fast as I can. I am more than eager to see her again.

Hi Ki. Not yet. Can NOT wait. See you soon. Love Ollie.

I return my phone to the pocket of my shorts and go back to listening to my music and staring out the window. After about the third song, my little sister taps me on the shoulder.

'Lolly,' she whines, 'I want to play eye-spy.'

I turn to face her and sigh.

'Marlie,' I moan back, using my best whining voice, 'do I have to?'

'Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,' she jumps in her seat with every 'yes' she says.

She has a big grin on her chubby little face and her dark curls bounce like springs.

'Do I have to?' I repeat.

'Ollie,' Mum joins the conversation, 'we're almost there. Play for five minutes.'

'Yay,' Marlie looks out the window and sticks a finger in her mouth.

A serious expression comes over her face and her deep-blue eyes start to cross. She's thinking.

'How about I start,' I suggest kindly.

'No,' she waves a small hand in my face and goes back to thinking.

The serious expression returns to her childish face. While she thinks, I decide to stare out the window again. As time passes I start to notice that the spacious fields are now sectioned off by fences; the herds of cattle and flocks of sheep are more frequent.

'Ok, I've got one,' Marlie squeaks in my ear, causing me to jump.

'Go,' I say as enthusiastically as I can.

'I spy with my little eye, something that is green,' she smiles and adds, 'you'll never ever get it.'

I smile back and look around the car.

'Is it inside or outside?' I ask.

'Inside,' she gives a shrill giggle.

I smile at her high-pitched laugh, and Mum's eyes flick to the review mirror again.