THE RIVER 

By Tessa Harvey


    The sergeant quickly distracted her, bringing her back to the present. "We are reporting all this. There will be an investigation." She hesitated, her tone softening. "You seem decent people. It would help you when" (the word was heavily emphasised), "a senior officer returns if your residence was not quite so unusually defended."
    The woman turned quickly, catching the young police officer smirking. He flushed a deep crimson to his great embarrasment, and followed his superior out to their vehicle - like mummy duck and baby. Joe thought this very funny, but Bluey caught his eye in warning.    
    All this time, Joshua had been quietly, patiently observing. He was far from happy.
    "Could we talk alone, Elizabeth?" he asked, frowning.
    More than happy to escape, Joe hustled to his beloved motorbike, assessing his, as yet, small collection of tools and parts.
    Blue, warned not to stray, happily watched him, dreaming of her own motorbike in a not-too-distant future.     
    She asked questions and helped on occasion. Her bike would be pink and glittery, she thought, unashamedly to be a girl.
    Joshua Harper was also unashamed of his call as a Christian. He believed Jesus was the Way, the Truth and the Life as He Himself declared.

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