“Tap, tap, tap…”
I rolled over on my mattress with a groan.
“Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap…”
The smell of smoke from the night before lingered in my nostrils. I reached for my phone to turn off the alarm. I could have sworn I didn’t set it the day before. Nothing. I knew I didn’t have that many beers last night.
“Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap…”
Not my phone: it had to be someone outside. Who could need me at this hour? Better yet, I’m in the bush alone who could be out there?!
Wrapping myself in my sheet, I lifted myself up to peek out of the curtains of the passenger window towards the head-wrenching sound outside my car. No one. Nothing.
Silence.
I must have dreamed it. Gratefully I rolled over. Spooning my surf board, I tried to go back to sleep.
How many hours had I slept so far? It couldn’t be many, the sun was barely breaching the trees sheltering my campsite.
“Tap, tap, tap!”
Louder this time. With my head pounding, I raised myself on the mattress. So much for the peaceful and tranquil time in the bush I had planned. I peeked outside again, out of all windows this time. Again nothing. No one was there. The thought that this was some sort of knock and run prank boiled my blood, making my headache subside briefly.
A flicker of blue caught the corner of my eye. “Tap, tap, tap, tap,” and the flutter of wings around my mirrors.
I struggled to pull on clothes as the blue picked up pace, rattling my aching head. Taking a huge gulp of water, I crawled out of my cocoon to rid myself of the morning menace.
Instantly, the bluebird fled my waving arm. I turned to crawl back into my den. “Tap, tap, tap, tap tap…” I turned in fury. The cheek of the thing!
I grabbed the towel drying in the front seat and lunged for the mirror. Covering the mirror in one swoop, I moved around the car and covered the other mirror.
Back inside I snuggled back into my sheets. Peace. At last.