by Bindi Irwin
DJ walked purposefully in the direction of the cockatoo and, after a minute of hesitation, Bindi followed. They wound their way deeper through the tall grass and shrubs. It became obvious that the bird was encouraging them to continue.
‘You were right,’ said DJ. ‘It definitely wants us to follow.’
Bindi walked on ahead, calling softly to the cockatoo.
DJ glanced back in the direction they had come. He had been confident that he knew the way they were going, but now he wasn’t so sure. The huge expanse was a mass of tall grass dotted with trees and to him it all looked the same.
‘Everything okay?’ asked Bindi when she realised he had slowed down.
DJ flashed her a big smile. ‘Absolutely. Let’s find out what this fella wants to show us!’
It didn’t seem as if they had gone very far when all of a sudden the terrain changed dramatically. Bindi and DJ left the grasslands behind and were soon scrambling up steep ground. The going was slow. They found themselves climbing up the slope of a rocky sandstone escarpment. The cockatoo flew from tree to tree, always keeping a watchful eye on them.
Bindi paused in her climb to look at the ground below. She could just make out the rock-shelter of Ubirr. It startled her to realise how far away from the start of the search they were.
DJ sensed Bindi’s hesitation. ‘Do you think the cocky might just be taking us to see his nest or something?’
Bindi frowned. ‘I don’t know.’
‘If we can just get high enough we should have a pretty good view of the lowlands,’ said DJ. ‘If there’s nothing to see, we can make our way back.’
DJ continued to scramble his way up the rocky embankment. He was quicker than Bindi and the gap between them widened. Bindi was beginning to feel uneasy. The climb was risky and they were now far from their starting point. She looked up again but could no longer see DJ. He had climbed out of sight. The cockatoo began squawking loudly. It didn’t seem to like them separating. It swooped down close to Bindi, letting out a loud screech. Bindi felt the rush of air on her face as the wings swooped past.
‘Okay, cockie. I’m going as fast as I can!’ Bindi stopped to catch her breath. ‘DJ!’ she called out. ‘DJ, wait!’
Bindi listened but heard no reply. She had no choice but to climb after her friend, and so on she went. She received another telling off from the cockatoo.
‘I don’t understand what you’re trying to say to me!’
Bindi felt a little annoyed with DJ and a little frustrated by the cockatoo. Was DJ just showing off by going so fast and leaving her alone on the rocky wall? They should always stick together – that was the first rule of hiking.
Bindi tried to make her way as smoothly as she could but the rocks became smaller the higher she climbed and the ground underneath crumbled easily. She finally caught sight of DJ up ahead.
‘There you are!’ Bindi pulled herself up to where the boy was standing. She reached into her backpack for her water bottle. The sun was getting hotter and hotter by the moment.
DJ seemed oblivious to Bindi’s anxiety. He was staring at the valley below, trying to figure out where they were. He didn’t want to worry Bindi, and turned to her with a big smile.
‘Check out the view!’
As DJ gestured towards the incredible scenery, his arm collided with Bindi and he lost his balance. He immediately tried to right himself but kept slipping on the unstable ground. All of a sudden, he was falling.
‘No!’ cried Bindi as she watched DJ scramble for something to hold onto and almost tumble off the cliff. She reached out and, just in time, managed to grab DJ’s outstretched hand. It took all her strength to hold on as her friend tried to find a secure foothold. No matter how hard DJ tried, his feet kept sliding on the loose ground. Fragments of shale rained down the escarpment as he struggled for traction.
‘Come on, DJ!’ Bindi called through gritted teeth. She didn’t think she could hold on much longer. After what seemed like an age, DJ finally managed to wedge a foot between two rocks that would hold his weight. With Bindi’s help, he slowly pulled himself up until he was standing on level ground.
With trembling hands, DJ shook the loose pebbles and dirt from his clothes. His jeans were ripped and there was a hole in his hoodie where a grazed elbow poked out. His face was scratched and smeared with dirt. The two friends were silent as they contemplated what might have happened. Bindi leaned forward to peer over the edge and only then did she realise how far down the drop went. If DJ had fallen he would have been seriously injured.
DJ cleared his throat. His mouth felt dry and he found it difficult to keep the tremor from his voice. ‘Some of the escarpments are pretty high. Seems like we found one of them.’
‘You don’t say,’ observed Bindi, dryly. She assessed DJ’s wounds. Nothing too serious. ‘Are you okay?’
DJ nodded, still a bit stunned. He knew he should thank Bindi. After all, she had just saved his life. He was searching for the right words when he was interrupted by a loud ‘ERK!’
Bindi and DJ both looked over at the bird, which had begun the now familiar raucous squawking. They hadn’t thought it possible, but their feathered friend seemed to be cranking up the volume!
‘Are you okay to keep going?’ Bindi asked DJ over the noise.
DJ nodded. He walked stiffly behind Bindi, inspecting his scratches as he did so. The friends followed the cockatoo from a distance. It led them away from the steep edge and further along the narrow path that wound around the top of the rocky plateau.
They were still getting their breath back when Bindi spotted a flash of colour among the dull grey rocks.
‘DJ, look!’ Bindi pointed to the red shirt in the distance. ‘The cockatoo did have something to show us!’
The two friends broke into a run. As they approached, it became clear that the red clothing belonged to a young man, who fitted the description Ines had given them of her boyfriend.
‘Jonas!’ cried DJ. They hurried towards the body but despite their shouting, the figure didn’t stir.
The young man lay motionless.
Bindi and DJ both ran as quickly as they could towards the still figure.
‘Errkkk!’ The cockatoo swooped down to the ground and strutted next to the still body as it waited for Bindi and DJ to arrive.
The friends knelt on the rough ground beside the backpacker. Neither felt sure of what to do first.
‘Jonas?’ asked Bindi, tentatively. DJ lightly touched the man’s arm, trying to rouse him. He didn’t look in very good shape. His face was pale and streaked with dried blood and his hair was matted in clumps.
‘Wake up, Jonas, please!’ urged Bindi. She felt for a pulse on his wrist, but couldn’t find one.
‘ERK!’ cried the cockatoo, its beak pressed close to the man’s right ear. The loud, piercing sound made Bindi and DJ wince.
‘If that’s not enough to wake him, nothing is!’ exclaimed DJ.
Jonas stirred with a soft groan. Bindi and DJ shared a look of relief. At least he was alive.
‘It’s okay, Jonas. We’re here to help.’ Bindi began hurriedly searching through her backpack for her first-aid kit. ‘Offer him some water, DJ. He must be really dehydrated.’
DJ fumbled for the bottle and unscrewed the lid, holding the bottle up to Jonas’s lips for him to drink. A little fluid trickled into his dry mouth. He let out another groan.
‘Jonas. Can you open your eyes?’
Jonas cleared his throat and slowly opened his eyes. It took a moment for him to focus. ‘Children? They sent children to find me?’
DJ explained. ‘We’re part of a larger search party.’
The cockie squawked, obviously not wanting to be forgotten.
‘A search party which also includes a loud bird!’ said Bindi. Jonas looked even more confused. She tried to explain. ‘We’re all helping Ines find you. She’s been very worried.’
‘Ines!’ At the thought of his girlfriend, Jonas shakily tried to sit up. Bindi
restrained him. ‘We don’t want you to move yet in case it makes your injuries worse. Can you remember what happened?’
Jonas grimaced at the memory. ‘So stupid. I wanted a good angle for my photograph and I took a step backwards and fell over. That’s all I remember.’
‘Easily done, mate,’ said DJ, self-consciously brushing his grazed elbow.
Bindi grabbed the first-aid kit and started to gently apply some antiseptic to the wound on Jonas’s head. ‘Yes, you’ve got quite a lump here.’
Jonas grimaced as Bindi proceeded to clean up the rest of his cuts. ‘It’s my ankle that really hurts. I think it’s sprained.’
When Bindi was satisfied that the wounds were looking cleaner, Jonas motioned for DJ to come over. ‘It’s okay, I can move, I just need some assistance.’
DJ helped Jonas into a sitting position, leaning the injured man’s back against a rock for support. It was then that Jonas noticed DJ’s injuries.
‘You don’t look so good yourself.’
DJ dismissed the comment with a laugh. ‘It’s a long story.’ He offered Jonas more water and a muesli bar to help him get back some energy.
Bindi looked up at the sky, realising it was probably close to midday. It was getting hotter and the sun was packing some punch. They had better get moving. She quickly checked Jonas’s injured ankle while he tucked into the food and drink.
‘We’ll never get that boot on again.’ Bindi pointed towards the swelling around Jonas’s ankle. It was puffy and the bruising was a dark shade of purple. Bindi unravelled a gauze bandage and began to strap the ankle as well as she could.
DJ scouted the area, trying to figure out where they were. He noticed Jonas’s camera lying in the dirt a little way away. He grabbed it, and put it into the backpacker’s daypack, which he slung over his own shoulders.
By the time the ankle was strapped, Jonas already had more colour in his cheeks. Bindi packed up the first-aid kit. ‘We should get you back to the others, back to Ines.’
Jonas became restless. ‘Yes, I hate the thought of Ines worrying about me.’ He tried to stand but nearly fell over as his injured ankle was too painful to bear any weight.
‘Whoa, steady on.’ DJ grabbed Jonas around the waist and tried to hold him up.
‘I can walk,’ insisted Jonas.
DJ handed him a large eucalypt branch that looked a lot like a crutch. ‘Use this. I’ll support your weight as much as I can on the other side.’
‘We need to start making our way back.’ Bindi glanced around the trees, looking for the cockatoo. ‘Where have you gone?’ she asked, searching the sky.
The bird was nowhere to be seen.
‘Looks like we’re on our own,’ muttered DJ. He tried not to appear worried.
Bindi glanced at DJ. ‘You know the way, don’t you?’
DJ looked around him and made a quick decision. He pointed towards two tall bloodwood trees in the distance. ‘No worries, mate. That’s where we’re going!’
Jonas smiled for the first time that day. ‘I am very grateful to you both for finding me.’
Bindi smiled back. ‘That’s okay, Jonas. DJ will get us home in no time!’
DJ braced himself for Jonas to lean on him as he took his first step. He mumbled to himself, ‘Let’s hope so.’
‘How much further?’ asked Jonas, as he paused to wipe the sweat from his forehead. It had been slow going and they seemed to have made little headway.
DJ felt two sets of expectant eyes focus on him. Looking around at the surrounding bush, he cleared his throat and answered with a confidence he didn’t feel. ‘Not far now.’
Jonas groaned. ‘You said that an hour ago.’
The scrub around them was thick. They had found their way back onto the wooded lowlands, covered with a range of grasses and wild flowers. Blue-winged kookaburras perched in the trees, lorikeets and honeyeaters feasted on the nectar of eucalypt flowers, and whistling black kites flew overhead. Bindi wished they were here under better circumstances. It really was very pretty.
‘The less we stand around talking, the sooner we’ll get back,’ grumbled DJ, as he helped support Jonas as he walked.
Bindi agreed. ‘DJ is right. It can’t be far now.’
They began their slow journey onwards. Jonas was being assisted on either side by Bindi and DJ. His ankle could bear little weight and when it did, the pain was intense. He was curious about his young rescuers. Conversation helped pass the time and distract him from the pain.
‘Do you live in Kakadu, DJ?’ asked Jonas.
‘No, I live in Darwin. But we visit pretty often.’
‘You are lucky, it’s an amazing place.’ Jonas looked around him. ‘I wish I was more able to appreciate it. There are some flowers around here I’d love to photograph.’
‘You and Ines can always come back,’ encouraged Bindi.
Jonas nodded. As he thought about Ines, the throbbing in his head grew worse. He tried to focus on the scenery. As his gaze drifted across their peaceful surroundings, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right.
‘I hate to seem ungrateful but are you sure you know where we are?’
The question was directed at DJ, who immediately became defensive. ‘Why do you ask?’
Jonas pointed to a large paperbark tree coming up on their right. ‘I could swear we’ve passed that tree already.’
DJ’s eyes flashed in annoyance. ‘What would you know, mate? There’s like a million of them, we’re in a paperbark forest!’
Jonas did a double take at the outburst. ‘Calm down, I’m just asking!’
‘You know, Jonas might be right,’ suggested Bindi, gently. ‘I think we’ve passed this spot before.’
DJ rolled his eyes. ‘What? Now you’re ganging up on me?’
Bindi and Jonas looked at DJ, unsure what to say. They hadn’t meant to make him angry. There was a long silence before DJ gave a big sigh.
‘You’re right, okay,’ he finally said, frowning into the glare of the sun. ‘I have no idea where we are. I admit it. We’re completely and totally lost!’
Elsewhere in the park, a tired and disheartened search party took an afternoon drinks break. The rangers had no good news coming through on the two-way radio. Not only had they not found Jonas, but they had also lost contact with Bindi and DJ.
Though worried, Terri felt reassured that Bindi wasn’t out in the bush alone. ‘At least she’s with DJ. He’ll take care of her.’
Tommy stared into his mug of tea. ‘I hate to worry you, Terri, but I was about to say thank goodness DJ is with Bindi.’
Terri gave him a quizzical look.
‘DJ has a terrible sense of direction,’ Tommy explained. ‘He’s always getting lost. At the shops, at the park. If he steps out of a lift, he’s the fella that’ll instinctively head in the wrong direction …’ He stopped when he saw Terri’s worried expression.
‘But you guys come out to Kakadu all the time, don’t you?’ asked Terri.
Tommy laughed. ‘Sure we do. I give visitors tours about our Indigenous heritage and the rock art, but DJ generally has his nose buried in his Nintendo DS. I was impressed this morning to hear he had actually picked up some knowledge about the area.’
Terri was becoming really worried. ‘So that means they’re still out there on their own?’
Tommy looked up at the sky. ‘You’re never on your own in this part of the country.’ A cockatoo in the distance gave a reassuring squawk.
‘I’ll have to take your word for it,’ said Terri, grimly.
Nearby, Robert felt he was about to make a discovery. He had spied a breed of frog in the rushes that he couldn’t give a name to, and Robert knew frogs. This one was definitely a species he wasn’t familiar with. It was yellow with brown markings. He was already rehearsing names to call it as he stealthily crept closer.
‘The Yellow-Spotted Bob Frog – I like it.’ He nodded to himself as he moved even nearer. He was worried about scaring the frog aw
ay but he needed to have a good look at it.
Robert could already picture himself being introduced at a gala dinner for his outstanding research in discovering, naming and identifying Australia’s fauna and flora. He might even win a Eureka Award for his contribution to science!
Just as Robert was about to gently pick up the frog, a group of people from the search party walked past, calling out for Jonas. Robert watched in horror as the startled amphibian hopped quickly away.
‘No, come back!’ he called as he raced after his yellow-spotted treasure. ‘You haven’t been discovered yet, come back!’
Not much had been said by the group since DJ’s awkward confession about being lost. Bindi suggested it was best to rest in the shade until they could come up with some kind of plan. The reality of the situation was beginning to dawn on them. It was now well into the afternoon and their food supplies were dwindling. Fresh water was scarce in the dry season.
‘Where’s that crazy cockatoo when you need it?’ muttered DJ.
Bindi looked around and shrugged. They all gazed glumly at their supplies spread out on the ground. Between the three of them, they had a one-litre bottle of water and two muesli bars. It didn’t look like much.
Jonas sank his head into his hands. ‘This is hopeless.’
DJ scratched his shoe in the dirt. ‘Come on, we’ve got to get moving.’
Jonas disagreed. ‘No, we keep walking in circles. We should stay still in one place and wait for the others to find us.’
DJ didn’t like Jonas trying to take over. ‘You’ve got a head injury. I’m not sure you should be making the decisions here.’
Jonas sat down stubbornly on a rock. ‘I’ve got a bump on my head but my brain works just fine, thanks!’
DJ threw up his hands. ‘Just get lost, why don’t you?’
‘I already did, twice, thanks to you!’
The two glared at each other. Bindi had had enough of both of them. ‘Zip it, you two, we have to stick together!’
‘Ouch!’ Jonas slapped a gigantic ant that was crawling on his thigh. ‘Oh! Ooh, oh, that stings!’ He hopped around on the spot in pain. He didn’t know which hurt more: his foot, his thigh or his head! ‘This country is super dangerous!’ he gasped.
