Heatwaves

She could see the heatwaves shimmering over the surface of the road. Why did she choose to travel here? Of all places. Everything was messed up, even though she tried her best to fix it. Her rental car had broken down in the middle of the desert. She was used to travelling solo, but she had been sorely tested during the weeks she spent in the heart of Australia. She had to drive on the left-hand side of the road, which she wasn’t used to. She expected to see more people around, but the heatwave was really intense, even for the locals with singlets permanently stuck to their backs. She wanted to be a bit lazy, but she had to drive for hours to get anywhere. Why didn’t she take the tour coach? She had looked into Greyhound passes, but there was something in her that wanted to be free-spirited and not group managed with specified stops and things to see and do. She called the rental car company, and they said they would send help by using her vehicle location tracking. But she had to wait in the sweltering heat for an unknown length of time first. The thought of a wash to freshen up came into her mind and began to nag at her constantly. She didn’t have much water left. She felt a little overwhelmed by it all and just wanted to find a cool place to lay down. The last place that she bought food was in Ti Tree. She was stranded on the Stuart Highway. Emus were around, so tall and majestic. Slightly scary, with those big strong legs and height. She couldn’t sit inside the car in the air conditioning because the whole system seemed to shut down. Droplets of sweat silently emerged from the pores of her whole body. 

Wait. A vehicle was coming! A big Land Rover. She waved frantically at them to stop. The driver slowed down and crept the four-wheeler towards her. An Aboriginal woman stepped out of the driver’s side. “Hello mate. Your car gone bung?”

“Yes! It’s a rental and I am waiting for help to come.”

“I’m your help mate.” The lady smiled at her.

“That was quicker than expected!” 

“Yeah. Now, I’ll just get you to sit in the back here and have a drink. I’ll look after the fixing.”

“Okay thank you so much!”

“My name’s Nat.”

“Oh, I’m Betty! Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise, Betty. Up you go.”

 Betty climbed into the back of the Land Rover with the welcoming and cool air conditioning. A bottle of water sat ready to drink. She opened the bottle and watched Nat looking at the car. But she wasn’t doing anything. Just looking at it. Betty sipped from the water bottle thankfully. Nat got into the car and rang someone on her phone.

After a while Nat got out of the car and walked over to Betty. “We need to get this towed mate. Nothing I can fix here. It’ll get here soon.”

“Where are we going?”

“We’ll just head back up to town. My mechanic shop is there.”

“Will that take about 2 hours?”

“Nah, I’m closer than that. Let’s get going.”

Nat started up the Land Rover and turned it round. They headed south towards Alice Springs. Nat started to sing with the music playing on the car stereo. She sang out of key and without timing. Betty, although thankful to get help, was now in another horrible situation! Maybe I should just fly to Sydney when I get back to Alice Springs and then enjoy my holiday?  Nat wailed with the song loudly as they bumped along the rough patch of road. 

“You wanna eat?”

“I’m not really hungry.”

“Try one of these.”

Nat handed Betty an insect. “Are you joking!” Betty exclaimed.

“This is a witchetty grub. Tasty.”

“No, I don’t think I want to try it.”

“Have a little bit, you’ll regret not trying it.”

Betty held the witchetty grub in her hand. It wasn’t alive, or so that she could tell. 

She summoned up her courage and opened her mouth. Bit into an end of it.

It tasted like almonds. 

“That one’s cooked nicely mate, no worries.”

“This tastes like nuts!”

“Yeah! Good isn’t it!”

Betty continued to eat the offered delicacy. Culturally and experientially, she was being expanded. Wasn’t this what travelling was all about?

Nat stopped the Land Rover at a little house off the main road. Betty clambered out and Nat gestured to her to follow. Nat walked into the little house, Betty following.

“Now, mate. We’ve gotta be clear on a few things here. I’ve got nothing to do with fixing your car. I knew you were out there, so I brought you back here to help you.”

“So who is going to fix my car?! I thought you had a shop!”

“Ah, don’t worry mate. Someone will come, you said it yourself. Let the rental company take care of that.”

It was better than her pounding head and being stuck in the heat. And she had tried a new food! And even though Nat sang badly, it wasn’t the end of the world. She was in a house. It only had one room. It was sparsely furnished with an old single bed, wash basin, fridge and an oven. Not much else. Where was the toilet?

“We go outside mate!”

“Oh. Do you use toilet paper?”

“Nup!”

Great. Now she had to go outside and squat without any toilet paper! 

“I’ll boil the billy for you.”

“Oh, I don’t use drugs.”

“Hahah! It’s just our way of saying tea.”  

“Oh thanks.”

Betty headed outside and found a spot to go. The sun was melting her head as soon as she stepped out. Why was it so cool in that tiny place with almost nothing in it?

“Watch that black snake there!” Nat called.

Betty saw its shiny scales blurring as it zoomed over the land. Strangely hypnotised, Betty smiled. This is a great holiday! Being in nature, one with the animals and the earth.

“Get back inside!”

Why was she in danger? Oh no! A venomous snake! The snake was still moving towards her.

Betty ran towards the house. Hoping that the snake wasn't following. Nat closed the door. “They’re not that bad when they bite, old Mulga, but they will give you a big lot of venom.”

Did she get bitten? She thought she felt something on her ankle. Or maybe it was just her imagination.