Genevieve Gannon

A Dangerous Crossing

Adelaide unzips her windbreaker a little so she can feel the fresh air on her skin. She is already exhausted, and the most perilous part of the journey is about to begin. The border crossing from Belarus to Ukraine is three kilometres. Not far at all, even in this oppressive heat. Back at home in Sydney, whenever a virus flare-up or a heatwave shuts-down the public transport, she has to walk seven kilometres to work in the morning, and seven back. But at home she isn’t carrying a 30kg backpack, and she isn’t running on no sleep.