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The red dirt road stretched ahead. Late afternoon sunshine caught the raindrops on the fallen leaves, making them sparkle like scattered gems. The day’s warmth lingered as Emily scanned the landscape for any sign of life, spotting a smudge, maybe a building, on the horizon.

Behind her, the black Ranger ute sat bogged, its shine dulled by clay and rain. The sticky ground clung to the tyres, holding the vehicle fast. Cooper, mud-splattered and resigned, perched on the esky with a beer in hand. He’d tried to free the ute; now he waited while Emily went to find help.

Emily had eyed the stranded ute and sighed. ‘So much for cocktails by the pool.’

Cooper shrugged, raising his beer. ‘It’s an adventure, remember? Besides, I’ve got beer.’

She shot him a dry look. ‘Great. I’ll go find help. Next holiday, I’m choosing the destination.’

He grinned. ‘Deal. Shout if you see anyone.’

A few weeks earlier, Cooper had pitched the trip. ‘Let’s get out of the city. My cousin’s managing a cattle property out west. You’ll love it!’ Emily had imagined their first holiday in Vietnam, Bali, or the coast—never Gulargambone and “living on the land”. She suspected Cooper just wanted to show off his new ute. It was his latest obsession, and he’d talked about it for most of the long drive.

There’d be endless skies, he’d promised. That much was true, though Emily would have traded them for a sealed road and even a shopping centre toilet. Her Instagram fantasy hadn’t included Cooper’s cousin or family, just the perfect shot. She’d anticipated campfires and stars, not mud and isolation.

The drive had been daunting. Emily, unused to the emptiness beyond the Blue Mountains, was staggered by so much space with virtually nothing in it. She stopped asking how long until they arrived, trying not to panic as civilisation receded. Emily couldn’t imagine anyone choosing to live so far from the city. There were towns, but they were tossed about like a giant’s forgotten toys.

When they’d finally turned onto the private road for the property, Emily had forced a smile as Cooper yahooed and floored the accelerator. They’d only gone a few hundred metres when the ute fishtailed, and none of the fancy off-road features could save them from being bogged.

The clay sucked at her designer boots with every step, each squelch a reminder of how far she was from the life she knew. The air was thick with the scent of wet earth and distant cattle, and the silence pressed in, broken only by the occasional call of a raven. The sun’s warmth on her skin was comforting, but the vast emptiness made her feel small and alone.

With another sigh, Emily trudged onwards. Maybe one day, she’d laugh about all this. For now, she just hoped the road ahead led somewhere with a mobile signal. At least she’d have a story for Instagram—mud, mishaps, and all.

This was written to a prompt at a local writing group.

Photo: cloud in a blue sky