Tomorrow, When the War Began: Chapter 3 Summary & Analysis

The path to the bridge is overgrown and covered in twigs and leaves. The bridge itself is clearly old, but it is well built out of uniform round logs. The group immediately decides the stories about the Hermit must be true. Who else could have built such a bridge? He must have lived on wild animals, like possums and wombats, Ellie says, and perhaps he had a vegetable garden. Ellie remembers a guy in town who once found a homemade walking stick in the bush near Wombegonoo. Ellie now thinks it must have been the Hermit’s, although she never really believed the story.

The path leads them downhill, through a dense growth of green and brown bushes. Fiona comments how nice it is for Hell, and Robyn wonders if they are the only ones to ever set eyes on it, except for the Hermit, of course. The path opens to a clearing about the size of a hockey field, and they decide to build camp. The clearing isn’t far from the creek—where Ellie sits now as she writes—and Kevin begins to gather wood for a fire. Lee and Ellie are tasked with making dinner, and they decide on two-minute noodles. Fiona asks what two-minute noodles are, and the others are shocked she has never had them. Her parents only eat healthy food, Fiona says. Ellie shakes her head. Sometimes Fiona really is too perfect.