Catherine Jinks TheRoad (23 page)

‘Are those the Pinnacles? Those two lumps up ahead?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Is there some kind of ...I dunno, some kind of weird optical illusion associated with those things?’

There was a brief pause. Graham stared at Chris as if he had grown two heads. Chris turned in his seat to look at Alec, who dropped his gaze to the floor.

‘Nup,’ said Alec.

‘What are you talking about?’ Graham inquired of his brother.

‘Mate, I dunno,’ said Chris. ‘But we’ve been driving for – what? An hour, since we picked him up? And not only haven’t we reached Broken Hill – which we should have at the speed I’ve been going – but we can’t seem to get any closer to those peaks. I mean, they’re not getting any bigger. Have you noticed that, Alec?’

‘Yeah,’ Alec admitted, still not lifting his gaze from the floor. Graham swung around to study the Pinnacles.

‘You’re kidding, right?’ he demanded.

‘You tell me,’ Chris replied.

‘I can’t. I haven’t been paying attention.’

‘Well I have. I always do. And either I’ve made a complete balls-up of my map readings, time projections and fuel consumption calculations or I’m on the wrong road. Am I on the wrong road, Alec?’

‘No,’ said the truckie.

‘Well, no offence, mate, but you’re not exactly the Pope,’ Graham pointed out, still addressing his brother. ‘I mean, no one expects you to be infallible. Anyway, we’re on the right road. Definitely. We crossed Pine Creek – there was a sign up.’

‘Yeah, and check the map. Pine Creek’s supposed to be about forty-five kays from Broken Hill. We must have crossed it an
hour
ago, Graham.’

‘Are you sure? Are you sure the clock’s working?’

‘No. I’m not sure the fuel gauge is working either. Or the speedometer. But you’d think they would be, wouldn’t you? Since it’s a brand new car.’

The two McKenzies subsided into a troubled silence. At last Graham broke it.

‘Well,’ he remarked, ‘we won’t get anywhere if we sit here. Let me stick some gas in the tank, and we’ll see what happens. We’re probably just five minutes away, and we don’t even realise it.’

‘No,’ Alec suddenly observed. ‘No, we’re not.’

The McKenzies twisted their necks to look at him.

‘We’re not five minutes away,’ Alec continued. ‘We won’t get there at all.’

‘Eh?’ said Chris.

‘I had nearly seven hundred litres in Diesel Dog. Shoulda got me to fuckin Tibooburra, let alone Broken Hill. But it didn’t.’ Alec wouldn’t meet their eyes. ‘Where you found me?’ he went on, in a hoarse voice. ‘Pinnacles looked the same from there, too. They’ve been lookin the same ever since. Haven’t been gettin any closer. I’ve watched. I’ve checked.’ He cleared his throat. ‘There’s something severely fucked goin on, in case you haven’t worked it out.’

Graham and Chris glanced at each other. The same thought crossed both their minds: he’s cracked.

‘Yeah, I know,’ said Alec impatiently. ‘You think I’m bloody mad. But I’m tellin ya, we won’t bloody get there. Keep drivin and we won’t get any closer. You’ll end up with no fuel at all. Stranded. Like me.’

‘Well...’ Chris chose his words carefully. ‘What do you suggest?’

‘I suggest you turn around and go back to the roadhouse.’

Graham made a muffled noise. ‘You what?’ he said.