Nullabor Nights
Brett Atkins, a thirty-six-year old real-estate salesman, had been driving for eight hours straight. The yawns were coming thick and fast. Five years earlier he’d been told he was HIV positive, news that had sent him into a month-long depression. His partner, Mark, a high-school physical education teacher, had been supportive despite the fact the pair had only recently met. After the news, they made the decision that at least once a year they would take time to go away together. To that end, they were now driving across Australia. Final destination: Melbourne.
As the sky turned from a purplish-orange haze into a charcoal-grey void, Brett laid eyes on a roadside sign: “The Everybody Inn—Budget accommodation and meals.” A small smile appeared on his face. Thankfully they wo
