Chapter 1 - On the Track
‘’Clickettyclack’’‘’Clickettyclack’’
‘’GoingtoSydney’’‘’GoingtoSydney’’
The train wheels were talking to Billy-telling him something he
didn’treallywanttoknowForallofhisfiveyears
he had known only life in a remote Gippsland valley. He knew
nothing of Sydney except that he did NOT want to go there!
He clutched his teddy bear defiantly and glared as he
rememberedthephotographshe’dbeenshownphotosof
children in neat school uniforms-boys in ties, blazers, long socks,
straw boaters and shoes!
Photos of tall buildings crowded together; crowded together on
streets crowded with traffic and people. Even the photos of
Sydney harbour had not pleased him-he knew about sharks!
Billy looked quicklyathisbrotherandsisterbuttheyweren’t
taking any notice of him. Peter was reading the paper and Robyn
stared out the window.
Billy’seyessmartedwithtearsashethoughtofhisbelovedcreek
inthefoothillsbehindhisgrandparents’houseIt was his
favourite place. He would spend hours sitting on the tiny
footbridge looking into the water and talking to the frogs.
‘’GoingtoSydney’’, ‘’GoingtoSydney’’
...sang the wheels mockingly.
“We’renotgoingTed”mumbledBillySuddenlythetrain wheels
changed their song to
‘’Runningaway’’; ‘’Runningaway’’
