Stu is in a local supermarket, buying some groceries and from there enters the carpark as he heads back to his unlocked vehicle.
He gets in his little hatchback and puts some groceries in the passenger seat footwell. He is about to turn the key when he feels a metal pipe pressed against his neck. He freezes.
Simone: Don't do anything silly and don't talk. Do as you're told and you won't get hurt. Now turn the car on and follow my instructions.
Simone withdraws the gun from his neck and lowers herself so as not to be noticed. Stu drives out of the supermarket car park to the road: Which way?
Simone: Left and head toward Heagney Falls. Drive smoothly.
From there, the journey is quiet with other motorists few and far between. Simone finally lifts her head high enough for Stu to see her face in the rear vision mirror. After an hour, Simone orders Stu to turn off and up a disused, almost invisible dirt road. A couple of abandoned houses are passed and the ride becomes bumpy. Stu slows to keep control.
Simone: Turn to your left here and park behind that tree. The car is now all but surrounded by shrubs and the trees' thick canopy.
They both get out. Simone is pointing a gun, her brown hair tied back in a pony tail, accentuating her fine features. She throws a knife to Stu and points to some nearby bushes.
Simone: Cut plenty and cover the rear of the car, she barks with a voice trying to sound in control.
She collects the groceries Stu bought, the knife plus a back pack she already had in the car. She places the groceries down.
Simone: Left and head toward Heagney Falls. Drive smoothly.
From there, the journey is quiet with other motorists few and far between. Simone finally lifts her head high enough for Stu to see her face in the rear vision mirror. After an hour, Simone orders Stu to turn off and up a disused, almost invisible dirt road. A couple of abandoned houses are passed and the ride becomes bumpy. Stu slows to keep control.
Simone: Turn to your left here and park behind that tree. The car is now all but surrounded by shrubs and the trees' thick canopy.
They both get out. Simone is pointing a gun, her brown hair tied back in a pony tail, accentuating her fine features. She throws a knife to Stu and points to some nearby bushes.
Simone: Cut plenty and cover the rear of the car, she barks with a voice trying to sound in control.
She collects the groceries Stu bought, the knife plus a back pack she already had in the car. She places the groceries down.
After an hour, they reach a tiny hut in a valley near a small stream. Stu stops at the door and slowly turns to Simone.
Stu: Can I speak now?
Simone: What do you want to know?
Stu: My name is Stu, and I mean you no harm. What are we doing here?
Simone: I'm Simone, and you're helping me survive. I'm not a killer, but I'm a wanted woman and I have nowhere else to go. She looks at him, her eyes pleading for a shred of understanding. This is the only place I know around here to provide a measure of safety. I'm sorry about the... gun, but desperation makes people do things. Stu nods understandingly.
Stu: My name is Stu, and I mean you no harm. What are we doing here?
Simone: I'm Simone, and you're helping me survive. I'm not a killer, but I'm a wanted woman and I have nowhere else to go. She looks at him, her eyes pleading for a shred of understanding. This is the only place I know around here to provide a measure of safety. I'm sorry about the... gun, but desperation makes people do things. Stu nods understandingly.
Simone continues: I needed a car, and if necessary, a hostage. But then I couldn't just drop you off somewhere because you would report where I was heading.
Stu: I think you were overly cautious.
Simone: Maybe, but I was nearly caught by the police and I was panicky. Yeah, I could have jettisoned you once I was out of town and not being followed. My bad.
Stu: You can put the gun away. I'm curious and want to help you.
Simone: Very well. She surprisingly trusts him and puts it away. She goes into the hut. It's tidy and clean.
They get the stove going with wood already neatly stacked nearby and boil a kettle. They have a cup of tea and Stu gets out the groceries.
Stu: There is some steak which will need using. I can get that cooked and also have some not so frozen mixed vegetables to supplement the meat.
Stu: I think you were overly cautious.
Simone: Maybe, but I was nearly caught by the police and I was panicky. Yeah, I could have jettisoned you once I was out of town and not being followed. My bad.
Stu: You can put the gun away. I'm curious and want to help you.
Simone: Very well. She surprisingly trusts him and puts it away. She goes into the hut. It's tidy and clean.
They get the stove going with wood already neatly stacked nearby and boil a kettle. They have a cup of tea and Stu gets out the groceries.
Stu: There is some steak which will need using. I can get that cooked and also have some not so frozen mixed vegetables to supplement the meat.
Simone smiles faintly, she looks at him with a mix of relief and curiosity: You're a strange one, Stu. Most people would be angry at getting carjacked and rattled at having a gun barrel placed against their neck. Why aren't you?
Stu: I don't panic easily. He looks at Simone and a slight smile forms on his lips. There is something straight about you, something genuine
Simone looks away, not used to being spoken about like that: I wish the world saw me that way. I'm not as straight as you think. There's a lot of things you don't know about and how I've ended up where I am.
Stu: Let's eat and then talk later, shall we?
Stu: I don't panic easily. He looks at Simone and a slight smile forms on his lips. There is something straight about you, something genuine
Simone looks away, not used to being spoken about like that: I wish the world saw me that way. I'm not as straight as you think. There's a lot of things you don't know about and how I've ended up where I am.
Stu: Let's eat and then talk later, shall we?
Simone leans back and looks at the ceiling: I've been on the run for two or more weeks. I'm exhausted, Stu. Just... exhausted.
Stu: You look it. Why don't we get some sleep? We can talk some more in the morning when we are refreshed. Stu look around. Where is the toilet and what are the sleeping arrangements?
Simone: There is an outhouse around the back. The bedroom is in there, two bunk sets. We can take one side each with a choice of top or bottom. There are some old sheets and blankets.
They get to bed and wake early, eating from their meager supplies. Stu decides on a softly. softly approach to getting Simone to open up.
Stu: So how do you know about this place?
Simone: My grandparents own it and we used to come up as children to stay here. It was simple but my parents were quite poor so the only vacation we got. Our family moved away, but I never forgot about it.
Stu: Do your grand parents still come here.
Simone: Yes, each summer for a week, mainly to clean it up and do any repairs. Same time every year, weather permitting. They were recently here, hence why it's tidy.
Stu: So why is it you're using it as a hideaway now?
Simone pauses: I was young when the family moved to a city and a rough area. We were still poor and then dad left us shortly afterwards. It was tough for all the family, but especially mum. She tried to keep me on the straight and narrow, but it was futile and I became rebellious.
Stu: You look it. Why don't we get some sleep? We can talk some more in the morning when we are refreshed. Stu look around. Where is the toilet and what are the sleeping arrangements?
Simone: There is an outhouse around the back. The bedroom is in there, two bunk sets. We can take one side each with a choice of top or bottom. There are some old sheets and blankets.
They get to bed and wake early, eating from their meager supplies. Stu decides on a softly. softly approach to getting Simone to open up.
Stu: So how do you know about this place?
Simone: My grandparents own it and we used to come up as children to stay here. It was simple but my parents were quite poor so the only vacation we got. Our family moved away, but I never forgot about it.
Stu: Do your grand parents still come here.
Simone: Yes, each summer for a week, mainly to clean it up and do any repairs. Same time every year, weather permitting. They were recently here, hence why it's tidy.
Stu: So why is it you're using it as a hideaway now?
Simone pauses: I was young when the family moved to a city and a rough area. We were still poor and then dad left us shortly afterwards. It was tough for all the family, but especially mum. She tried to keep me on the straight and narrow, but it was futile and I became rebellious.
I started hanging out with a gang. We were eventually into some light drug dealing and I spent some time in prison. Simone looks out the window ruefully. Then me and a couple of others were delivering drugs and there was a police raid. One of those with me pulled a gun and a police officer was hit. It wasn't fatal, I learned later. We got out and ran. I believe the other two were eventually caught but I've been running since.
Stu: What sort of drugs we you selling during the bust?
Simone: We were never into heavy stuff. But the shooting took it all to another level.
Stu: Are you hoping to run to safety somewhere?
Simone: Running is irrational, as I will get caught, but I don't want to go back to prison.
Stu looks at the tattoos on Simone's hands, a giveaway to her past.
Stu: What do you want to do? If I help you willingly, I become a law breaker myself.
Simone: How about we go back to your car, drive to the road and I drop you off there. I then take your car and you then hitch a ride back to town and tell the police that you had no choice but to accompany me?
Stu: Why not come back to town with me and hand yourself in?
Simone: Because I had a rough time in prison. I didn't cope well and I was treated as problematic. I can't go back. Incarceration does my head in.
Stu: Okay, we'll do as you suggested, but I can't see you remaining on the run for long.
They pack up and walk to the car, it seems much quicker than the journey up to the hut. They remove the camouflage from the car and drive to the road.
Stu: What sort of drugs we you selling during the bust?
Simone: We were never into heavy stuff. But the shooting took it all to another level.
Stu: Are you hoping to run to safety somewhere?
Simone: Running is irrational, as I will get caught, but I don't want to go back to prison.
Stu looks at the tattoos on Simone's hands, a giveaway to her past.
Stu: What do you want to do? If I help you willingly, I become a law breaker myself.
Simone: How about we go back to your car, drive to the road and I drop you off there. I then take your car and you then hitch a ride back to town and tell the police that you had no choice but to accompany me?
Stu: Why not come back to town with me and hand yourself in?
Simone: Because I had a rough time in prison. I didn't cope well and I was treated as problematic. I can't go back. Incarceration does my head in.
Stu: Okay, we'll do as you suggested, but I can't see you remaining on the run for long.
Before Stu gets out, he takes the cash he has in his wallet and hands it over to Simone.
Stu: I shouldn't be doing this but I feel for your situation, not just now, but your past. You're a good person who had a difficult youth and got into bad company. I wish you well.
Simone: Thank you. She leans over and gives Stu a hug.
As she drives off, Stu stands and watches his car disappear. He crosses the road and thumbs a lift back to town. He goes to the police and makes a statement. He has to, as his car is now in the hands of a fugitive.
His car is later found abandoned and it is returned to him. Simone is still on the run somewhere, proving more resourceful than Stu gave her credit for. He hopes she finds what she's looking for.
Simone: Thank you. She leans over and gives Stu a hug.
As she drives off, Stu stands and watches his car disappear. He crosses the road and thumbs a lift back to town. He goes to the police and makes a statement. He has to, as his car is now in the hands of a fugitive.
His car is later found abandoned and it is returned to him. Simone is still on the run somewhere, proving more resourceful than Stu gave her credit for. He hopes she finds what she's looking for.
A tear rolls down Stu's face as he reflects on what he learned. Simone was a victim of her upbringing and getting mixed up with the wrong crowd. The prison system is there to punish her, not rehabilitate her. A good person that needs help, but where will she get it from? He wonders how many other Simones are out there.
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