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I wrenched open the passenger door. I had my handbag, half a bottle of water, my mobile, and Ryan’s spare firefighting jacket. He didn’t have a woollen blanket or first aid kit in the ute.
I swore several times, grabbing my things and slung Ryan’s jacket around Liam.
“You have to wear this. Keep you safe.”
He blinked. “You said bad words.”
“I’m going to say more bad words. You can say them, too. Okay?”
Liam’s eyes widened and he nodded.
“We have to run as fast as we can and hide from the bad fire. Do you understand?”
The sizzle and pop of flames cut off Liam’s reply as a gum tree exploded close by. Sparks showered in the sky above us.Too close.
“Liam, we have to run now. Run along the road with me. Hold my hand.”
Liam kept up a good pace for a couple of minutes and then slowed, clearly exhausted.
Ash showered down in bursts with every wind gust.
Find shelter fast.
A culvert ran under the road. I jumped off the road but the pipe was too small for us to squeeze into. We risked being trapped inside.
My heart leapt as my foot sank into the ground. It was wet, even muddy in places. The culvert drained into a creek, obscured by thick ti-tree and other scrubby plants.
“Come on Liam! Follow Stacey!”
I charged into the foliage but Liam hung back, howling in fear.
“You can do this! I’m right here to help you.”
“Car! Car!” Liam pointed back down the road.
“No car, Liam. The ute’s broken. No car!”
Liam shifted from foot to foot, crying. I reached for him, my pulse hammering.
“We’re going to play in the mud, Liam. You want to play in the mud?”
His crying paused. “I like mud.”
I grabbed his hand, half-stumbled, half-pulled him through the bush towards the creek.There had to be mud. Please let there be mud.
I let go of Liam’s hand, scrambling down the embankment to the creek bed, and my foot sank into the ground.
Mud.
Gloriously wet, messy mud.
I laughed, close to hysteria. I pulled my foot out and scooped up the mud.
“Liam, look! Lots of mud. Come and play in the mud.”
Liam watched but wasn’t distressed.
The smoke was gently rising above the trees, rather than wafting through the branches. I took several deep breaths of the clean, cooler air.
