Tears

• Emily Mathison, Grade 12
• Poetry
• 2008

Riding along this quiet empty road, makes me feel like that Jess and I are the only ones left on this dieing planet. Jess and I are on the highway leading to Mingela. Jess wanted to drive in the car but I told her it would be better on the bike. This way I wouldn’t feel like I was in a two by four cell, I would feel free.

“Garrette! Pull over, quick!” Jess yelled.

I slowed down and pulled over onto the side of the road. As soon as I stopped, Jess was off the bike and running into the scrub. I pulled my helmet off and ran after her. When I caught up with her, I found her helmet at the bottom of a tree and her hunched over a fallen down tree throwing up.

I walked over and held back her hair with one hand and put my other hand on her back, “You all right?”

When she stopped vomiting, she turned around and looked at me and just smiled.

“I’m fantastic.” She answered laughing.

All I could do was take her in my arms and laugh with her. But inside, I knew something was wrong.

We started walking casually back to the bike, we got about half way and I stopped.

“What is it?” Jess asked.

“There’s someone at the bike.” I replied looking in the direction of the bike.

In the distance, I could see the blue bike glistering in the sunlight and a white ute parked behind it.

“Stay here.” I told Jess and before she could answer, I was off at a jog towards the bike.

When I got to the bike, I saw a guy that looked like he had spent too much time in the sun because he was as red as a tomato. He was staring at the bike and was talking into a satellite phone.

“Hang on mate; I think this might be the guy.” He said into the phone, “You the guy who owns the bike?”

“Yeah mate I am, anything wrong?”

“Yeah it’s him.” He put the phone back in his ute and turned to me,” No there’s nothing wrong. I just thought it was weird seeing nice looking bike like this sitting out here on its own. Thought I better call the cops to let them know.”

“Nah, just pulled over for a bit of exercise.”

Alright then, I better be off, take care mate” He said as he climbed into his ute and drove off. I turned and walked back to Jess, when I got back to her, she had tears in her eyes.

“Why did you leave me!? I needed you!” She yelled.

Before I could say anything, she fell to the ground hard, tears still wet on her face.