A Race Against Time

July 27, 1988 Bali 8 a.m.

Harry and his best friends Hadi and Johan were waiting for Liana to get off the phone they were supposed to be leaving for the semi-finals match of their tournament. They had won the match to get to the quarter final and their quarter final match two days ago. Today was the semi final and if they won the final match of the football tournament. But they were going to be late if Liana took much longer.

"Boys bad news, Siska has gone into labor and they can't stop it so I must go to the hospital."

"But Liana..." Harry immediately protested. Only to have his friends joining in but calling Liana but the terms they knew her by.

"Shush, shush, shush. I have called Johan's parents they are sending Ivan to take you to your match. I will see you tonight when you get back."

Relieved Harry thought of the mother-to-be. "I hope Siska and the baby are okay; it's bad if a baby is born early right?" Harry said.

"Siska is getting good care and Sri will be there. Siska and the baby will be fine." Liana reassured him.

July 27,1988 Bali 6:30 p.m.

"Johan where's Ivan?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. He went to get something he said he'd be back after the match."

Five minutes later Johan said, "There he is! Thanks for waiting coach." Their coach waved his hand and climbed into the van that carried the rest of the team. Two minutes later he pulled out of the parking lot. Just as Ivan pulled into a slot crookedly.

Ivan got out of the car and staggered. "Houwse the game?'

Hadi looked at Harry uncertainly before answering "We lost in the final."

"Thash too bad."

"Ivan what have you been drinking?" Harry asked.

"Good stuffsh."

Harry made a decision. He pulled the keys from Ivan's grasp.

Ivan blinked stupidly,"Whys you do thash?'

"You are too drunk to drive." Harry backed away.

"Shez whos?" Ivan moved towards Harry only to fall forward on the ground. When he didn't move Harry moved forward to check him.

"Guys he's passed out. What are we going to do?"

"My parents are gonna kill him."

Hadi grimaced,"I think they're gonna have to stand in line. Grandma will probably make him wish he was dead."

"What should we do?" Johan said.

"I have the cell phone Sirius got for me. I think we should call." Harry dug the phone out of his sports bag. "Reception isn't great but here goes." The phone on the other end rang ten times with no answer. "Liana must still be at the hospital. No answer." He looked at the phone as it shut down. "Crud, no more battery. So now what?"

"I know," Johan said gleefully, "we could drive the car home."

"Yeah great idea!" Hadi seconded.

"We're too short." Harry said.

"Well, one of you could steer while I work the pedals."

"It should be Harry he knows about steering because Bapak Black taught him to ride his motor cycle." Hadi said.

"Hadi!"

"Please Harry! We'll put Ivan in the backseat though I'd rather leave the idiot here. It will be an adventure." Johan pleaded.

Harry looked at his friends pleading faces, and rolled his eyes."Fine but for the record I said it was a bad idea." Then he promptly cheered up, he was finally having an adventure. He had heard so many stories from Sirius about his father's adventures, he thought having an adventure sounded fun. Sirius for all his stories of adventures had been so protective of Harry that he had not had one before.

The three boys wrestled the young man's inert body back towards the car. It was only a few yards but it was hard for them. Just as Harry let go of his left arm so he could open the backseat car door. Ivan suddenly started vomiting. It almost hit Harry. "Gross! I think I'm gonna be sick!"

"Let's put him in from the other side so none of us step in it."Hadi said.

After Ivan's body was in the backseat, they discussed how they were going to do this. Hadi said, "I think I can navigate us home after all it's an island."

"I think we should stick to small side roads and go slow, we don't want to cause an accident."Harry said. The other boys nodded. "Okay let's do this."

Three hours and two dead ends later Harry insisted they stop and get a map and something to eat. Since he got an allowance he paid. Unfortunately he only had enough left after the map for a bag of crisps. He had the store owner show him where they were on the map. He then found their home village, then he figured a path home. As they left Johan asked "Harry how much longer do you think it will be?"

"Well given that we average twenty miles and hour and we have about eighty-eight miles to home it's going to be a while."

.....

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