Bert Owens and the Pink Manifest
A western-esque, road trip drama. Set in a fictitious outback location, and one which tells the story of a Priest, a Monk, and a Road-train Driver that has been ordered to watch over the pair of holy misfits.
Bert is behind the wheel of his monstrous, lumbering road-train, while the two holy-men have set off ahead of him in a gifted tilly, along with a giant wooden cross and a large white, revival tent on board. They have been sent on a futile crusade to save the lost souls of the remote, outback towns and camps of Blaxland...
Olyphant the working elephant was a phrase Bert had coined once, and the name had stuck to the Olympia.
From bumper to tow hook Olyphant measured 24 feet long. 12 foot of that was cabin, and a fair portion of that was the long nosed bonnet to house the powerful straight eight Miller 900 engine. The cab was a two seater divided centrally by 3 red knobbed gear sticks. The steel work of the truck cabs interior was cream, and the seats were solid mounted, and upholstered in a maroon canvas. The trucks windscreen was a split two piece job. The truck's cabin interior was 5 foot wide, and 5 foot high. From the ground to the air horns the truck measured 8, and a half feet tall, and was 8, and a half feet wide, from side mirror to side mirror. The rear tray was 12 foot long, and would accommodated 24 x 44 gallon diesel fuel drums neatly.
Twelve diciples are sent out far, and wide to spread the word of the Lord. Armed only with their resolute faith in Jesus, and the added assurance of bringing large quantities of souls unto the church, by blessing them with the potent holy water they carried with them.
Father Lucias Sabatini had drawn the short straw, or so he thought. He had been sent to the furthest of all places, he had been cut adrift to the province of Freeland in the southern hemisphere, to the desolate northern interior of the island of Blaxland, a British outpost. Settled some decades earlier, and mostly populated by ex-criminals; who had the misfortune of being caught in the act of committing the simplest of crimes. Namely stealing food to feed themselves, and their families, and who's punishment was by court order a oneway voyage from the known world to the unknown. A one way ticket locked below, on a prison ship bound for a craggy cove in South Blaxland.
