Fear Files

The Disappearing Tourist

It was late June, we had just come back from Alice Springs racing, our next stop would be Broome. We were at Halls Creek or near enough to it. We had stopped for the night a free camp road side, we lit a fire and settled down to cook our dinner and have a beer.

As we were packing up a young American guy came over to our camp and said that they couldn't get their fire started as the wood was wet (from the recent rains) and wanted to know how we were able to get ours going. Dom told him that it was bush magic laughing he handed him a jerry can of petrol, the young man looked confused (I'm guessing he was from the city). Dom saw the expression on his face and invited him to use our fire and have a few drinks. He informed us that he was traveling with some friends and asked if he could bring them along. He went over to get his mates as Dom and I cleaned the Barbie plate (BBQ).

Some time later they came over, Dom and I had already cooked and eaten our dinner and we chatted to them as they went about using the fire to cook theirs. There were 5 Americans 2 females and 3 males, one of the males was sort of quiet and never addressed the group but quietly sat down next to me. He looked my way and smiled, I asked "You're not eating?" he shook his head and replied with, "I don't eat much." Trying to make conversation I asked, "Where are you headed?" He replied with, "Here". End of conversation apparently. He wasn't rude, he was just enjoying the fire. I focused my attention to the fire listening to the 4 Americans with the young man sitting beside me looking mesmerized by the fire.

We sat like this for at least an hour, when I dozed off sitting in my chair. I woke up to Dominic carrying me to my swag (sleeping bag), I asked him what time it was and he said just after midnight. He put me down and walked with me to the swags. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I woke up at 7 with the sun shining and a cool breeze hitting my face, I crawled out of my swag and walked sleepy eyed to the fire where Dom was standing with the American's. Funnily enough the young man who had briefly spoken to me last night wasn't there. I asked where their mate was and puzzled looks fell across everyone's faces, including Dominic's. "What friend?" they all asked me. Now it was my turn to have a puzzled look on my face. "The young quiet kid who sat in the seat next to me." I spun around and pointed to where I had been sitting the night before and saw only my chair. "What...?"

Dominic walked over to me put his hand on my shoulder and asked if I was ok.

I felt as though they were playing tricks on me. Dom sat me down in my chair, poured me an orange juice and told me to just relax for a bit. I heard him walk back to the Americans and say, "She must have a headache". I was furious sitting there with no one to believe me. I looked down at the spot where I thought his chair was the night before, there was no chair marks or footprints. I felt my heart sink and I knew I must have imagined it...