Garry And Julia's Big Day Out Pt 5: Rain Shadow.

Dawn is breaking and the scarlet sun peeps above the tall gum trees, shining rays of light through sparse green leaves on to the soggy road, creating swirls of rising steam as Garry, Julia and Tara trek down the road in Tara's tilt-a-truck toward the Contention Smash Repair Depot with the intention of dropping off Garry and Julia's 4wd which is a crumpled wreck after their encounter with the orange mist and albino turtles a few kilometres back.
Where are you folks from?, asks Tara.
Contenton City East, replies Julia in a grumpy voice.
I see the middle class area with all those fancy double story houses.
Yep, that's the place alright.
Would've cost you an arm and a leg to buy i imagine.
Just as Tara finishes speaking dark rain clouds waft across the sky totally blotting out the scarlet sun. Pitter, patter of rain drops is heard on the thin metallic roof of the tilt-a-truck. Within a matter of seconds it starts raining cats and dogs.
Doesn't the rain ever let up in this neck of the woods, asks Garry.
We're under the influence of a Rain Shadow, replies Tara.
What's a Rain Shadow?.
Its a arid area on the leeward side of Mount Contention which is in the path of rain bearing winds, which in turn dumps all the rain on this side.
So in other words we get more than our fair share of rain and get flooded out.
You're absolutely spot on.

Dazzling sunshine reappears once again as the dark clouds waft away leaving behind a welcome rainbow on the horizon in the now cloudless blue sky.
How long before we reach your digs?, asks Julia.
Not long now love, we just have to cross the bridge spanning the Contention River, i'm on the other side up on the tree lined hill, says Tara.
Oh good i'm dying for a strong black cup of coffee.
I'm dying for a chilled beer or whiskey, says Garry.
Typical, replies Julia you men can't keep away from alcohol.
Were coming up to the bridge, once we're across we'll be on the home stretch. If you look up, glance to the right a tad you can see my digs from here.
Yep, i see it, replies Julia.

Halfway across the bridge a thunderous rumbling is heard to which the bridge starts shaking violently swaying from side to side.
Looks like we're in for a roller coaster ride folks so hang on tight, says Tara.
Moments later the swollen river banks on both sides collapse into the swiftly rushing river leaving them stranded in the centre of the bridge with no chance of escape.
This is not good at all, says Tara.
Ya not wrong, replies Garry.
How do we escape this predicament?, asks Julia.
Blowed if i know, any ideas, asks Tara.
In the distance along the course of the river, Garry beholds an enormous wall of water thundering down towards them carrying vast amounts of rubbish and debris.
Crikey!, we're really in deep doo, doo, says Garry pointing at the enormous wall of water bearing down on them at a cracking pace.
It was nice knowing you folks, because we've on chance of survival, that's a inland tsunami bearing down on us, says Tara almost in tears.

Proudly standing to attention like a phallic symbol at the head of the inland tsunami is the wooden thunder box from the Contention Caravan Park.
Will ya take a gander at that, says Julia pointing, its none other than that damned wooden thunder box from the Contention Caravan Park stalking us, i bet those pesky flies are nowhere to be seen, hope they all drowned.
Just before the full force of the inland tsunami smashes head on into the bridge, the wooden thunder box strikes the bridges guardrail, tips over on its side and like a arrow released from a bow it barrels through the air colliding with the side of the tilt-a-truck shoving it across the bridge to the otherside smashing throught the guardrail and plunging both into the swiftly rushing river below, never to be seen or heard from again. Shortly afterwards the bridge is struck by the full force of the inland tsunami washing it down stream with every other piece of rubbish and debris.

(c) 2011 Windsmoke.