DAWN WILL RISE 

Part 2: HEROES 

    The smoke curled across the road. The truck driver peered ahead. He could still see the road! But then the young man smelled smoke. Smoke? 
    Quiet alarm bells began to softly sigh into his mind. "Don't panic," he thought, remembering past episodes of "Dads' Army" he used to watch with his grandad long ago - or not so long ago....but the smoke was thickening imperceptibly .
    Trees surrounded the young truckie. Then he saw a curl of flame crowning one of the straggly gum trees. Hot Eucalyptus oil added to the burning, smoke.
    Mark remembered shouting at his family before he had left for the truck depot to collect his load for his trip to the Pilbara.
    He felt bad seeing in his mind his children's faces looking up at him - Ella crying, her pretty face creased and sad, her last look as he left, of hopelessness.
    Now the tall flames were coming in fury, red and gold. The smoke was clearing. He kept trying to drive. The heat was entering his truck cabin. Too drunk to check the forecast, yet knowing Australia was prone to bush fires, panic hit him. He tried to call for advice, for help - but there was no signal.

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