NIGHT RUN TO CHRISTMAS

An excerpt from “Danika and Yatimah from Egypt to the Outback”

By Carmel Rowley

Drawing Robyne Matthews

Part One – The Arrival

Outback Bedourie is a long way from Egypt. Yatimah was the latest attraction for the townsfolk. A continuous parade of people walked by her yard exclaiming at her refined bones, defined muscle structure, and smooth proportions. Bedourie had never seen a horse like this before. Her large, dark eyes watched with interest as the town’s small population stood at the fence talking until they satisfied their curiosity. Eventually they filed into the hotel.

The afternoon sunshine reflected off Yatimah’s grey coat. Her tiny ears curled tantalisingly inwards and flicked constantly at the annoying flies. She raised her muzzle to the dry summer breeze, her nostrils expanding, large and fine, as she smelt the eucalyptus fragrances combined with the dry dustiness of the yard. The red dirt puffed about her fetlocks as she stamped her hooves, shifting her weight, first onto one back leg and then onto the other. Finally, she wandered over to her water bucket, rinsed her mouth, and then drank half a dozen mouthfuls.
She lifted her head as a noisy truck, enveloped with red dust, skidded to a stop in front of her yard. A tall, thin man dressed in moleskin pants and check shirt jumped from the truck. He squinted as he peered over the yard fence.

‘So you’re the little Arab, how did you ever survive your big trip? Not much of you, is there?’
He approached Yatimah and gave her neck a stroke before slipping a leather halter onto her head. He quickly led Yatimah out of the gate and loaded her onto the truck.

Just inside the ramp he tied her to a loop of baling twine attached to the air vent on the side of the truck’s interior.
He patted her again and muttered, ‘Just a few more hours little Arab, and you’ll finally be at the end of your long journey.’ He always spoke aloud to his horses and treated them like mates, especially when they spent long and lonely days together out mustering or checking the fences. Stockmen relied on their horses for everything. He knew many stories were told around campfires about stockhorses saving the lives of their owners.
Yatimah’s journey had been a long one, but she was much tougher than her elegant and highbred lines suggested.

The truck rattled and droned along. The now familiar red dust of the outback swirled about her nostrils and settled onto her silver-grey coat. Her eyes watered from the brisk breeze blowing into the draughty truck and, as the hours passed, her eyelids began to droop with exhaustion until she eventually dozed.

Lulled into a false sense of security, Yatimah leant her rump against the back of the truck. Suddenly, the truck swerved and began to brake. When a deafening bang resounded about the vehicle, Yatimah’s head flew up in alarm. She struggled to regain her footing. The truck skidded and lurched out of control, and with the brakes squealing they came to a bouncing stop at the side of the road. Then there was silence.
The baling twine Yatimah was tied to broke with a snap. Her hind legs almost slipped from beneath her and she scrambled to keep her balance. With a loud neigh Yatimah looked around sharply; the ramp was hanging precariously open, one very loose bolt was stopping it from crashing down. As the stillness continued, Yatimah’s curiosity got the better of her fear. Sniffing at the ramp, her nostrils told her she must escape the confines of the truck. Giving a half rear, her forelegs struck the ramp. It held firm, so she tried again. This time striking harder, then whirled back as the bolt gave way and the ramp crashed to the ground.
Yatimah launched herself into the air, jumping clear of both the ramp and the truck.

Landing lightly in the deep powdery dirt, Yatimah lifted her head high and gazed about her. The ground was rough and flat to the horizon; with tussocks of grass dotting the landscape as far as her eyes could see.
A huge red kangaroo lay dead on the side of the road. Yatimah snorted and shied away. The driver’s door hung off its hinges and she stared at the mass of crushed metal that was once the front of the vehicle. The man groaned as she nudged him warily with her muzzle. He groaned a second time then stretched out his hand to stroke her face.

‘Well, Arab,’ he said, speaking to Yatimah as if she understood every word. ‘It could have been worse, but we’re sure in a fine pickle.’ He cursed, realising he had forgotten his mobile phone. ‘We should stay with the truck, but no one uses this road and we wouldn’t get home in time.’

Yatimah shook her head and for the first time, the man smiled. ‘We’ll head west as the crow flies, and if we’re careful and make a fair pace, we might make it.’

He slid from the driver’s seat and was relieved to find his injuries were only a few bruises. Climbing into the back of the truck, he returned with a bucket of feed, water and another lead rope. Yatimah ate and drank her fill. Clipping the new lead rope onto Yatimah’s halter, the man slung the water bag over his shoulder and climbed onto her back. She felt the touch of his heels and set off at a brisk, steady walk. They headed west, straight towards the setting sun.

The sun slipped below the horizon, a giant red ball throwing an orange glow across the sky and onto the landscape. Even though he was worried, the man whistled a tune. The Australian outback was a hostile environment and although he knew there were many dangers out here, all he thought about was getting home on time.
Eventually, caught up in his thoughts, he lapsed into silence as they trudged along.

The man shifted on Yatimah’s back with a moan, as he tried to get comfortable. Yatimah halted and glanced around to nudge his leg with her muzzle. He gave a chuckle. ‘Okay, I guess we should rest,’ and he slid from her back.

The early morning chill began to seep into Yatimah’s body. The nippy night breeze fluffed her smooth grey coat, so she laid down beside the sleeping man. Instinctively, he moved towards her warm body. Yatimah watched the shooting stars light up the endless inky darkness as they sped to their destruction across the heavens. She sighed. Hasan used to sleep with her sometimes if she was sick. She liked the comfort of the man snoring beside her, and eventually slept.