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They parted with their first kiss. He walked her to the edge of the field and watched her until the bend in the road. Jenni turned and waved. Andrew's heart was sore with admiration and wonder; something in his chest was expanding so rapidly as if to crack his ribs. He contemplated the moment. Bemused and exhilarated he waved back. He wanted to shout something. Something meaningful. But nothing would leave his mouth. So he continued to wave as if shouting. In the instant she was no longer in view he uttered a sound that carried the wind with it, something between a moan and a shout, something between 'don't go' and 'go well'. Too late to retract; he wished he'd done that better. Fond farewells were new to him. He thought of what he could have said but hadn't. He kicked a stone that skidded down the track as if it were chasing her. He considered that too for a brief moment then turned and walked to the edge of the marsh. Next time things would go differently.
By the time she returned Andrew would be on the other side of Mt Warner making ready for his first night in the wilderness. When he saw her again he would let her know that he had missed her.
His first task was to determine the direction his father had taken after leaving the plane. Andrew was reasonably convinced that Malcolm had spent a few days at the airfield using the shed for shelter. Most likely salvaging what he could from the plane. A combination of sound reasoning, deduction and plain luck had helped him this far; Andrew thought to continue this way.
He estimated the walking distance across the ranges to 'locked gate' to be approximately 75 kilometres. Factoring in the wet conditions and the terrain underfoot he figured the return trip would take him at least 4 days, if he were to go as far as the gate. His rations included a range of freeze dried food satchels, jerky, trail mix, a small amount of dark chocolate and tea; ample for the time he needed. He had minimal equipment, which included his favourite a Fallkniven survival knife, a small first aid kit, a pair of dry socks, a weather proof ultra lightweight sleeping bag and a single pup tent. He also carried a 25-metre length of lightweight climbing rope, compass and a contour map of the district.
Andrew's initial plan was to traverse the distance between the airfield and Sullivan's Bluff. The walk would take him to the eastern side of the mountain. From there he would descend in stages down a series of ridge lines until he reached the watercourse that ultimately fed Cedar Creek Falls. He would then follow the trail he knew well up to Sullivan's Bluff. He had the option to walk further to 'locked gate' if he felt the need.
Andrew walked to the edge of the marsh to check what remained visible of his father's plane. It had gone further into the morass of mud and weeds, possibly heavier with water from the drenching overnight. He wondered in time if the plane might disappear from view all together.
Andrew imagined his father standing in the same position looking at his aircraft; imprisoned and immobilised by mud and weeds.
Ok Dad, he said softly to himself. What were you thinking? Which way did you go?
He tried to imagine his father's mindset. Was ditching the plane planned or accidental? Was he escaping or avoiding? It was a puzzle Andrew couldn't solve. Either way he figured his uncle Colin was implicated; and his dad was caught up in something that was serious enough to cause desperate action.
Whatever his father was thinking, some part of his plan had either not worked or had changed. Andrew could not see how Malcolm would purposefully leave him and his mother. From all that he knew of his father he was not a man to run away from anything.
At that moment a gust of wind playing at the edge of the clearing caught his attention, he was reminded of last night's storm and the high winds that had brought down the tree. It would be difficult moving through the forest; there were no trails that led in the direction he needed to go. Although unlikely, perhaps his father had left a sign for him to find, if there were such a sign it would certainly not be as evident as the swathe of broken limbs left by a fallen tree.
He looked east and began to move into the forest. Although there was no evidence that led him in that direction, the same internal force that had convinced him two weeks earlier that his father had not perished now led him on. He was driven and determined to find his dad as he leaned into the incline of the slope that would take him up and around the mountain.
The storm had passed yet the forest remained wet. In some places leaf detritus provided a mat of litter that sat above the sodden earth. In others the mud was ankle deep. Andrew had moved several hundred metres into the forest when he heard the familiar sound of an approaching plane. He had a limited line of sight but recognised the tone and tremor of a single engine prop. The sound indicated the plane was circling. Andrew froze as he listened intently.
The plane continued its pattern as Andrew considered the options. He had no way of knowing who it was or why they were circling the airfield: there were any number of scenarios. They could be friend or foe. They could be inspecting the airfield or trying to land.
Jenni and Andrew had stowed the tent they'd used the night before in the shed. There would be nothing to see from the air that indicated their presence. It would be another matter if they landed the plane. Andrew and Jenni had not been as discreet as Malcolm and had left many tell tale signs of recent activity.
Andrew determined that if they flew in close enough they'd be able to see what remained visible of Malcolm's plane. If they were looking for something they'd find it. If the circling plane attempted a landing he would have to cautiously return to see who it was. He listened. The plane circled. Several minutes passed before he detected a change in the flight pattern. The drone of the single engine began to decrease, gradually diminishing until only the sounds of the forest and the wind remained.
He wondered if he should he go back and leave a message for Jenni. But what would it say. "I heard a plane flying around. Be careful." He decided that would be very unhelpful and thought better of it.
Unsettled, he continued his journey. Andrew trekked for the rest of the day. For the most part the rain showers were light and did not penetrate the canopy. He had made relatively quick time around the eastern slopes of Mt Warner. Once he turned to traverse the range running south he encountered thicker patches that slowed him down. Several times during the day he stopped to listen for any sound that did not belong in the forest. Detecting nothing out of the ordinary he pressed on.
The bush made sense to Andrew. He was at home in the wilderness. He was also mindful that being on his own meant he had to be careful. Becoming incapacitated in any way could very quickly develop into a life-threatening situation. He'd followed procedure and discussed his journey with Jenni. In the event of not returning by the end of the fourth day they'd agreed she would wait 24 hours before seeking help.
By late afternoon he had covered a reasonable distance. The southerly breeze had kept up all day keeping the forest cool. Walking conditions were relatively pleasant, the biggest challenge at times was finding his way through occasional patches of clinging vine and crossing soggy gullies.
If his father was still in the forest Andrew wondered what he might be doing and where he would be located. He knew that if his father had decided to stay in the bush he would select a place that met several critical requirements.
He would first need to be close to a supply of running water. This was a no brainer, he concluded, and his father could be anywhere from Mt Warner to Sullivan's Bluff and beyond. Other elements would include a place that offered a food source, which was the entire forest, so he could be anywhere; and then a place that either presented ready-made shelter such as a cave or one where materials were easy to come by. He thought for a while and realised that there were too many alternatives and he should apply a different strategy.
If I were him what would I do, where would I go? He asked himself and the audience of Rufous Fantails who were presently scurrying through the leaf litter looking for worms and anything bite size.
Before he had time to second-guess the impulse, the words came spilling out. Where Cedar Creek Falls! He voiced in the excitement of discovery. Of course, it's perfect.
Now that he had said it out loud it seemed obvious. But time would tell. Andrew knew he could not make it to the falls before dark. He set down his pack and took out the laminated map of the area he'd been using since leaving the airfield. He calculated he had an hour or so of good light before the sun set. Checking the map he estimated it would take him another half an hour to reach the watercourse. This would leave him another 2 to 3 hours in the morning to make it to the falls.
Andrew moved quickly down the hillside to the creek. He would just have enough time to make camp and build a fire. If his assumptions were correct, tomorrow would be a day of reckoning.
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