The Long Journey. Susan Wright

left him in there for the night. Fred will let him out in the morning. I can guarantee you that there will be no mouse within a hundred yards of there in the morning.’

      For the first week the class was dismissed at midday. After that they came back and stayed until mid afternoon. Friday afternoon’s Katherine always tried to make different and fun for the children. The favorite thing was to go behind the wool shed where there was flat piece of ground and they would play Long Ball. Too Gum would prepare them a treat to eat and if the weather was fine they sit and have a picnic, if not, then they would return to class for more hot cocoa. Whatever happened Katherine insured that they went home happy.

      So life once again settled into a routine. Katherine was finding fulfillment and happiness in teaching the children. Although deep inside she felt a deep emptiness but this she would only admit to when alone in bed at night. Exactly what it was she needed she herself did not know, or would not admit to. Helmut continued to remain kind and considerate to her and denied her nothing but she was aware of a feeling of frustration within him as he came to realize that his feelings towards her were not going to be reciprocated. This in turn added to her feelings of guilt. She was sitting alone on the verandah enjoying the late summer sun and thinking about her life here in the hills. Life, she thought, is like a long journey, the final destination is always certain but there are so many different roads one can take to get there. Sometimes we turn to the left and the road is smooth and happy and then we may turn to the right and the road is full of bumps and hurts but whatever the case it always moves ever forward. Sometimes we make a decision which in itself is unimportant yet can have a disastrous outcome. One such decision would be made the following morning that would have such severe consequences as to change all their lives. and even to reach out to effect the next generation.