THE JOURNEY

a short story

By Christine Jayakaran

Emmanuel sat in the driver's seat. He opened the back door for me. I hesitated. Wouldn't the front seat be better I thought, to give him directions and to make sure he'd drive well. After all I had no clue what sort of driver he would be nor had I ever really been a passenger. I was usually the designated driver and I enjoyed the space and freedom that came with it. Anyway, Emmanuel seemed to read my mind and so sweetly got out and opened the back door for me and waited while I awkwardly got in and settled myself down. He then shut the door and let himself back into the driver's seat. He smiled at me in the rear view mirror and said in a deep voice 'Enjoy the drive'. I smiled back uncertainly and then decided I might as well enjoy the ride since it would be a long one. As we began our journey I began to look around the interior of the car and found to my delight that the decor was exactly as I liked it- subtle colours with an elegant and classy feel to it. There were peeps of brightly coloured elements here and there which I loved as they added spice to an otherwise mundane space. I leaned forward to get a better look at the front seat and found to my surprise a rather large shelf in the dashboard labelled 'first aid'. My heart may have skipped a beat. Why would he have such a prominent first aid department unless... unless he was a pathetic driver. My nerves began to get on edge, I felt claustrophobic, sweat trickled down my back into the waistband of my jeans. I abruptly asked Emmanuel where he trained to drive. He smiled and answered in a ridiculously vague way 'Here and there'.

My patience was running thin so I asked him if I was a prisoner and he was some psycho kidnapper/murderer. To which he gestured at my door saying I could get on or off anytime I wanted and that both the door and window locks were under my control. I quickly lowered the windows to check this piece of information and was so relieved to see that it was true. With the window down I could see rolling hills in the distance and the most beautiful green fields I had ever seen right outside my door. The breeze lifted my hair and threw it around in a frenzy all the while bringing me the fragrances of the different flora outside my moving car. It was liberating and mesmerising all at once. I closed my eyes and took it all in, not wanting to miss anything.

I noticed after a while that the air had gotten chilly and the breeze no longer billowed around me. I opened my eyes and trembled as I saw this huge looming mountain before me. Formidable. That's the word I think of as I stare up at this dark shadow towering over us. I'm so grateful to be inside the car with Emmanuel. The thought barely leaves my mind when Emmanuel looks at me with concern and says there's no fuel and that I need to help pushing the car. Whaaat?? I'm a passenger, a guest almost. Who asks a guest to push their car I say.

I mumble and moan but I do get out and kick a few pebbles out of my way while I take my place at the rear of the car. The car is now silent and so is everything around me. I begin to push this heavy machine. Pushing an automobile is not easy but pushing uphill is an absolute pain. Why..there's a guy at the wheel while I'm sweating it out in my Burberry scarf and Tommy Hilfiger shoes. Any way I'm a tough cookie I remind myself, as long as it doesn't rain. Did I say rain.? Was that water from the car,did a bird pee on me? No flipping way!?! Before I know it, I'm pushing this crazily heavy vehicle in a full fledged downpour and to be honest I don't feel like I'm making headway as one of the wheels feels like it's stuck in a huge puddle of slush. I'm a mess with my hair plastered to my scalp and face, clothes soaked through and then I remember that Emmanuel is still in the car probably bone dry having the heater on and maybe even sipping a Shimla chai for all I know. Enough is enough I decide. I stop pushing and begin to walk to the driver's side of the door only to find the seat empty. He ditched me??!! Are you kidding me? I throw my hands up and although I'm a strong gal this got to me. I don't know if I can keep pushing when I have no clue where I'm going. I'm in the middle of nowhere, all alone and there's no one at the wheel? I hear it then. It's a soft pull on the car and then a heavy straining. I adjust my eyes to the rain and darkness and to my utter joy there is Emmanuel pulling the car from its front end. I'm surprised because he isn't dry as a raisin like i had imagined but he s as much of a mess as I am. He's soaking wet and has bruises all over thanks to falling in the slush repeatedly I'm guessing. Looking at him strain I quickly run back to my post and begin to push. Would you know it, in a matter of what seemed like a few minutes we had reached a lush plain, the rain had stopped, I could hear birds chirping and a stream gurgling somewhere close. The air was balmy and the sky was a brilliant blue. My clothes were dry, my hair was flying around me like a bird in flight and best of all Emmanuel had got the car to work again. He opened that huge first aid compartment of his and offered me a cold drink and gave me a lotion to rub into my sore muscles. So that's what was so top secret I realised with a silly grin. I asked him if I could walk for a bit just to enjoy this beautiful setting. He smiled and nodded in response while I removed my shoes and began to walk bare feet in the grassy plains. I walked then I ran, I lost track of time but he didn't. Emmanuel was always at a watchful distance. I knew I was safe. When it was time to go he walked to the back door of the car and opened it for me. I could jump in or I could opt to walk. I was not forced to go on the journey with him and I could always opt out. I knew better though, this journey would be pointless without Him. He knew every fabulous place to visit, he knew the less nice ones to avoid. I mean, if he would walk up a mountain in a thunderstorm with me, I will trust him with everything I have, everywhere I go and everything I do.