Josh was rushed from the RFDS plane into the waiting ambulance, which raced straight to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

He had a hard time keeping track of what was occurring. There were movements and lights, things happening around him. Faces peered at him and voices droned. He threw up again and again, his stomach twisting into a knot, his throat burning with bile. He slipped in and out of consciousness. When he was awake, his world was filled with confusion, fear and pain. When he was asleep, his dreams were filled with confusion, fear and giant monster snakes. He hardly knew when he was conscious.

And then he was aware of something.

What is that sound? he wondered. A baby?

Josh opened his eyes. Through the blurriness he saw movement. He blinked and his vision started to clear. Someone shifting about. He blinked again. Someone was walking back and forth, rocking a baby in her arms. She had long dark hair tied back and a round, kind face.

It’s Mum, he thought.

He tried to say hi, but his mouth wouldn’t work properly. It came out as a grunt.

‘Oh dear,’ said Mum, stopping and looking at Josh. ‘I’m so sorry, love. I didn’t mean to wake you. I’ve been trying to keep Nate quiet but, you know, babies don’t always cooperate. He’s asleep now.’

Josh’s heart wrenched. Tears welled up in his eyes.

‘Oh, honey, are you all right?’ Mum moved closer, concern crinkling her face. ‘I’ll call a nurse.’

‘Fine,’ Josh managed to say. He tried to swallow the dryness from his mouth. ‘Just missed you … so much.’

The tears rolled down his cheeks.

Mum’s eyes welled up as well. ‘I’ve missed you, too.’ Holding Nate in one arm, she sat on the bed beside her first son and gave him an awkward, one-armed hug.

Josh sniffed back the tears as he turned to the baby. It was kind of squishy-looking, with its eyes shut tight and had a drooling mouth. No, not it, Josh corrected himself. Him. Nathan. Nate. My brother.

Josh smiled at his new sibling. ‘He’s out of the … plastic box?’ He couldn’t remember the word.

His mum smiled. ‘Yes. He’s out. His lungs have developed well. He’s breathing without a ventilator. And he’s strong enough to come home. And soon you will be too.’

‘I see we’re awake,’ said a nurse, striding into the room and snatching the chart from the end of his bed. She made some notes and then hung it back. She checked the IV drip. ‘How are you feeling?’ she asked.

‘Okay,’ said Josh, automatically. Then he realised that it was true. He was feeling okay. ‘Better. A lot better.’

‘Good,’ said the nurse. ‘The antivenom treatment is almost done. It’s in the IV. No allergic reactions. But we’ll keep an eye on you for a while. Assuming all goes well, and I’m sure it will, you’ll get to go home tomorrow.’

‘So I won’t miss The Flying Doctors,’ said Josh excitedly.

‘Flying doctors?’ The nurse looked confused. ‘They brought you to Adelaide, but they’re gone.’

Josh laughed. ‘No. Not the real ones. The TV ones.’

The nurse frowned. ‘I’m not sure I follow you.’

‘Doesn’t matter,’ said Josh.

‘Ooo–kay. I’ll just leave you to rest, shall I?’ She turned and left the room, a bemused expression on her face.

‘Now, don’t get your hopes up,’ said Mum. ‘We’ll see how you’re feeling after you get home before we make a decision about you going to the drive-in.’

‘I have to go to the fundraiser,’ insisted Josh. ‘More than ever now that the RFDS saved me!’

‘Wellll … we’ll talk about it with your father when he gets here.’

‘Dad?’ Josh tried to push himself up into a sitting position. ‘Dad’s coming?’

‘Of course he is, love,’ said Mum. ‘He booked a flight a soon as he found out what happened to you.’

‘He did?’ Josh felt his throat tighten and his eyes prickle – but his face brightened. ‘He didn’t say anything about coming.’

‘Oh dear, you know he often doesn’t say things when he should. And he’s been so overworked lately. And worried about Nate and me.’

‘He didn’t come here for Nate,’ said Josh in a tiny voice. ‘But he’s coming here for me.’

‘He wanted to go with me and Nate,’ said Mum. ‘But he knew I’d be okay. He said he didn’t want to leave you alone.’

Tears were now streaming down Josh’s face. ‘I can’t wait to see him.’