#11 Hudson's Sun-days

 

 

Hudson pressed his face against the cold window, watching yet another raindrop race down the glass. He thought Sundays were supposed to be ‘sunny’. It was always like this in Victoria – grey winter skies, endless dreary days, and a chill that seemed to seep right into his bones. At ten years old, he'd grown tired of spending his days indoors, playing video games alone while the cold southerlies blew outside, rattling the windows of their Melbourne suburban home.

 

"Hudson, sweetheart!" Mum called from the kitchen. "Dad and I have something exciting to tell you!"

 

Dragging himself away from the window, Hudson shuffled into the kitchen, where his parents sat with matching grins on their faces.

 

"We're moving to Queensland!" Dad announced, spreading his arms wide. "I got that job we were hoping for!"

 

Hudson's eyes grew wide. "Queensland? Where it's actually sunny?"

 

"That's right, mate. It’s sun-day every day,” Mum laughed. "No more winter woolies all year round. And guess what? We're flying there!"

 

For the first time in ages, Hudson felt a spark of excitement. He'd never been on a plane before!

 

The next few weeks passed in a whirlwind of packing boxes and saying goodbye to his old school. Finally, the big day arrived. As their plane climbed through the clouds, Hudson pressed his nose against the tiny window, watching Victoria disappear beneath them. His stomach did a little flip as they soared higher and higher, the massive jet engines humming steadily as they carried him toward his new life.

 

"Look, mate," Dad pointed out. "We're above the clouds now!"

 

Hudson gasped. It was like a whole new world up here – endless white cotton-wool clouds stretching as far as he could see, with brilliant sunshine streaming through the windows. Maybe this was a sign of good things to come.

 

When they landed in Queensland, the warmth hit him like a friendly hug. Palm trees swayed in the gentle tropical breeze, and the sky was the brightest blue he'd ever seen. Their new house had a backyard with actual grass instead of the winter-worn lawn he was used to, and better yet – a local soccer club just down the road.

 

At his first training session, Hudson nervously kicked the ball around by himself until a boy with wild brown hair bounded over, his freckled face split by a massive grin.

 

"G'day! I'm Jack! Wanna practice penalties?"

 

Before Hudson knew it, he and Jack were taking turns as goal-keeper, laughing as they dived dramatically to save each other's shots. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the pitch as they practiced, neither wanting to stop even when their legs grew tired. It turned out that Jack lived just around the corner and loved the same video games as Hudson. Soon, they were spending afternoons playing FIFA, challenging each other at the local mini-golf course (where Jack always insisted the windmill hole was rigged), and chatting for hours on the phone about everything and nothing.

 

But the best surprise came during the school holidays when Mum and Dad announced they were going on a family holiday to the Great Barrier Reef.

 

"Really?" Hudson could hardly believe it. "We're actually going? What day?”

“Sunday,” Dad smirked.

 

The island was like something from a dream. Crystal clear water lapped at white sandy beaches, and colourful birds called from the treetops. Rainbow lorikeets darted between the palm trees, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of frangipani flowers. Hudson had never seen anything like it.

 

"Ready for your first snorkel?" the tour guide asked, helping Hudson adjust his mask. "Remember to breathe nice and steady through your snorkel."

 

At first, Hudson felt nervous about putting his face in the water. But as soon as he looked down, he forgot all about being scared. Below him was an underwater wonderland – coral in every colour imaginable, from deep purples to brilliant yellows, spreading out like an underwater garden. Tiny fish darted between the coral branches, their scales glinting like jewels in the filtered sunlight. A clownfish family peeked out from their anemone home, and a blue starfish lay peacefully on a coral shelf. And then...

 

"Mum! Dad! I saw a turtle!" he spluttered excitedly, lifting his head out of the water. "It swam right past me! It was huge, and it had patterns on its shell, and it looked right at me!"

 

The next day, they tackled the island's summit trail. It was steep, and Hudson's legs felt wobbly, but he remembered what his mum and dad said about pushing through challenges. The path wound through dense rainforest, where butterflies as big as his hand fluttered between patches of sunlight and mysterious birds called from the canopy above.

 

"Just a bit further," Dad encouraged, offering Hudson his water bottle. "Wait till you see the view from the top."

 

When they reached the summit, Hudson forgot all about being tired. The view was incredible – endless ocean stretching to the horizon like a sheet of rippling blue silk, and the island's lush bushland spread out below them like a green carpet. He could see the reef patterns in the crystal-clear water, and tiny boats dotting the bay looked like bath toys from up here.

 

Back home, Hudson discovered another passion. He'd borrowed Mum’s old camera to take photos of the island, and now he couldn't stop photographing the wildlife around their new house. Rainbow lorikeets squabbling over bottlebrush flowers, laughing kookaburras perched on their fence at sunset, and even a family of tawny frogmouths that lived in their neighbour's gum tree, looking like branches until they blinked their enormous yellow eyes. It really was sunny every day, just like Mum and Dad told him.

 

One afternoon, while his mum was looking at some of his photos, she gasped in delight. "Hudson, these are absolutely amazing! You've got a real eye for photography, love. You should enter the junior wildlife photography competition at the show.”

 

Hudson wasn't sure at first, but his mum was insistent, helping him choose his best shots and drove him to submit his entry. When his photo of a kookaburra at sunrise – its feathers glowing gold in the early morning light – won second place, Hudson could hardly believe it. The judge even commented on his perfect timing and composition.

 

These days, Hudson wakes up excited about what each new day might bring. Sometimes, he and Jack kick the soccer ball around until the sun sets, turning the sky into a painter's palette of orange and pink, their laughter echoing through the warm evening air. On other days, he grabs his camera and goes exploring, looking for new birds to photograph, each discovery feeling like a tiny treasure.

 

At night, as the gentle Queensland breeze rustles through his bedroom window, carrying the sweet scent of jasmine from their garden, Hudson thinks about how different his life is now. No more endless cold days stuck inside. Instead, his days are filled with adventure, laughter, and the warmth of friendship.

 

Just last week, Jack asked him if he missed Victoria.

 

"Sometimes," Hudson replied honestly, thinking of his old room and the city lights he used to watch from his window. "But you know what? I reckon you have to leave some places behind to find where you really belong."

 

Jack nodded wisely, then grinned. "Speaking of belonging, want to come to my place on Sunday? Mum's making lamingtons, and you know hers are the best in Queensland!”

“Sure,” Hudson agreed. “But what day? Every day is sun-day here!” The boys giggled in agreement.

 

As Hudson raced after his friend down the sun-drenched street, he smiled to himself. He didn't just have a new home – he had a whole new world of adventures waiting to be discovered, and each sunny day brought something new to explore, photograph, or celebrate with his best mate.