It was dark when Ben, Josh, Jimmy, Hannah, Cartman, Patrick and Jess got off the bus. They stumbled into the station and gazed around, blinking into the harsh light.
"Well, we're in Newcastle," said Hannah, gazing around in the hope of spotting Silverchair.
"Can we visit some of the sights while we're here?" asked Jess.
"Sights?"
"Yeah, you know, Angel of the North, Byker Grove, all that," Jess said, rubbing her hands together.
"Erm…wrong Newcastle," Jimmy reminded her.
Jess saw a kangaroo hop past her. "Oh, yeah, wrong country," she remembered sadly.
"Don't worry, we'll find something to do," said Patrick.
Silence fell between them and a tumbleweed rolled past.
"Humph," said Hannah.
"Ooh, I forgot my bag," said Ben.
Jess slapped her hand on her forehead. "Where?"
"On the bus." Ben walked back to the large automobile and stepped onboard.
Jess relaxed. "Where are we going to stay?"
"A backpackers hotel I guess," Hannah suggested.
Suddenly, the bus started up behind them, they turned around to see Ben hammering against the door as it drove off with him inside. The sign on the front read 'Sydney'. No-one bothered to move or run after the bus, which really showed his popularity.
Nobody even mentioned him after that, apart from a quiet mention by Hannah: "Damn, I meant to get his number for Rosemary."

Hannah stood at the taxi rank, desperately trying to attract the drivers' attention. They all ignored her.
"Oh, for Christ's sake!" she shouted, kicking at the wheel of one of the cabs. "Would you offer me a lift if I mooned at you? HUH?!"
"Jesus, Hans, chill out," Jess said, brushing past her. She knocked on the window of the nearest cabs. The driver rolled the window down.
"Can I help you, mate?"
"Yes; could you take us to the nearest, cheapest hotel; please?" The driver looked out at the six travellers.
"All of you?"
"Erm…yes."
"It'll be a tight squeeze, but 'op in."
Jimmy chucked the few items and bags that they had picked up in Brisbane and on the way, into the boot of the taxi. He opened the passenger door in the front of the taxi to find Patrick already sat and buckled in. Jimmy slammed the door and went to sit in the back with Cartman who was hanging onto Jess' leg, sitting on the floor. Jess was squashed sitting next to Josh who was next to Hannah.
"Move," Jimmy grunted at Hannah.
"Where?!" laughed Hannah. The taxi was truly stuffed with people.
"I don't care…just make room for me," snapped Jimmy.
Hannah sat still and pondered where to go.
Something inside Jimmy got triggered and he picked Hannah up out of the car, opened the boot and chucked her in with the luggage. He closed the boot and got in the car with a smirk on his face. Josh, Jess and Cartman stared at him.
"Let's go, Mr taxi driver," said Patrick.
The taxi sped off.

20 minutes later the taxi screeched to a halt outside what looked like a shed.
This was because it was a shed.
"OK, get out," said the driver, holding out a hand for his fare.
The passengers hopped out and Jimmy went to fetch Hannah from the boot.
"You bastard!" Hannah screamed as the boot opened. "How dare you shut me in there! It was dark! There was no one to shout at!"
"Shut up and hand me the bags," Jimmy demanded nonchalantly.
Hannah did so. Sulkily.
Patrick paid the driver who zoomed off into the distance.
"Well then…" said Jess, "…I guess we should go in."
"I bagsy the bed by the window," said Josh, excitedly.
"There isn't a window," said Hannah.
Patrick opened the door of the shed. "There isn't a bed," he added.
Josh's face fell.
"Bagsy the floor," Jess muttered solemnly.
"Yeah," Hannah agreed.
They trapsed inside.
"It's freezing!" complained Jess as they entered and icy air hit them.
"Well we have to sleep here so get down and get vaguely comfy." Hannah sat grumpily sitting down with her back against the wall. Jimmy went to sit beside her. "Don't even think about it," Hannah warned him, shooting a death stare in his direction.
Patrick looked at Jess.
"Oh, YOU can think about it, that's fine," she said, smiling.
Patrick stared at Jess in confusion.
"Feed me," said Hannah.
Everyone turned around.
"What?" said Hannah, innocently.
"You said something," said Jess.
"No I didn't," Hannah put bluntly.
"Yes you did," said Patrick, "I heard you."
"I didn't!" said Hannah, lightly amused.
"You did!!" said Jess.
"I didn't!" Hannah's voice became desperate.
"Yes, you did!" said everyone.
"No, I DIDN'T!" screamed Hannah, highly confused.
"Feed me." A little voice came from Hannah's direction.
"Oh my God! What is it?" asked Jess petrified. She clung onto Patrick – it was a good excuse.
"I don't know…" Jimmy got up and moved Hannah aside. There, on the floor, was Superturtle.
"SUPERTURTLE!" Cartman squealed, running over and scooping him up.
"Since when could you talk?" asked Jimmy suspiciously.
"Oh, sorry, that was me," said Josh. His stomach rumbled. "I was throwing my voice. I'm starving."

They sat in McDonald's and finished their double cheeseburgers and chicken McNuggets.
"Did you lock the shed?" Jess asked Patrick.
"Uhh…no. I don't think it needed to be locked."
Superturtle sat in the middle of the circular table and cleaned up the left-over rubbish by making itself a little house of take away wrappers.
"He hasn't done anything interesting lately," said Cartman, fed up. "And I want some more food."
Josh got up and walked over to the waitress.
"He's very willing to pay for everything isn't he?" commented Jess, thoughtfully.
"What are you getting at?" asked Patrick.
"He's very generous and kind," said Hannah.
"More like retarded…he'd have to be to spend that much money on you," said Jimmy to Hannah.
Hannah leaned over the table and slapped him, then went back to eating her chicken McNuggets.
"God, what is it with you guys," asked Cartman, "you totally hate each other now."
"B*tch," Jimmy mumbled, looking at Hannah.
"B*st*rd," replied Hannah sweetly.
Josh returned to his seat.
"Why are you so keen to pay for everything?"
"I can afford it; you can't."
Jess narrowed her eyes – she didn't trust him. She lunged suddenly at his hand and snatched his wallet.
"Hey!"
"Hang on; rich boy." Jess opened his wallet and pulled out the card he had just used to pay for their meal. She flipped it over to read the name. "Mr B. E. Affleck?!" she exclaimed. "That's not your name!"
"Let me explain…I was just borrowing it-"
"Oh, were you? Did you tell Ben about your little borrow?"
Josh looked down at the card and said a very quiet, "Yes."
"You're a crap actor, that's for sure," Jess said, "No wonder they put you in Pearl Harbor."
Josh's jaw fell open in amazement.
Hannah giggled at Jess' cheekiness.
"I'd watch out if I were you," warned Jimmy, "If she doesn't like you, someone round here will rub you out of the story."
Josh glared at Jimmy.
"Seriously!" he added, "You're treading on thin ice at the moment…Hannah is the only one who likes you."
"What about Superturtle?!" said Josh.
"He doesn't give a damn if you die," Jimmy said evily with a glint in his eye.
"Yeah, but…I'm not just going to get…kicked out of the story, am I?" asked Josh nervously.
"Oh, it's quite possible," said Jess.
"There's no real plot now, so it could happen anytime," Jimmy added.
"Will you two stop picking on him?" Hannah moaned, swallowing a whole chicken McNugget.
Jess and Jimmy mumbled and fell silent.
"So what shall we do now?" asked Josh, trying to change the subject.
"I'm going to go to the nearest bookshop," said Jess, standing.
"Bor-ring," Hannah sighed.
"It's not! Better than that shed, anyway," Jess concluded.
"I think we should all get back to the shed for a good sleep because tomorrow is the day of reckoning."
"Oh my god…you are going to kill me aren't you?!" Josh panicked.
"No…I'm going to get myself a husband… tomorrow I won't care if you die," Josh gasped.
"You OK?" Patrick asked Josh who was looking shocked.
"Yeah," said Josh, regaining composure. "Sorry, just got a kick from that chilli sauce in the hot Mexican burger."

<< back to Book 1.3

� Jess and Hannah 2001