To Kill a Bunyip

by A R Dent

  ~~~~~~

  At the hotel conversation continued. . . .

  ‘Three beers please Thelma. How is Jim going? Has he found something else to do whilst he is waiting for the dreaded Loch Ness Monster saga is resolved?’

  ‘Nah. Jim is sitting at home going over his fishing gear. He went and bought a new rod and reel. Something is bothering him. Someone dared him to catch whatever it is in the creek. He bought a rig the same as those marlin fishermen use out on the ocean. Jim has always been a creek and river fisho but now he sees a new challenge. He’ll be alright. He’ll be a national hero one day he reckons after he catches it. He even bought one of those cameras that fit on a helmet so he records the battle landing it. Anyway, how is your attempt going? The bloke from Brisbane you spoke of - is he still wanting to video you going out on the low tide to catch your river monster?’

  ‘Thelma, the bloke now says the whole idea is stupid. He researched on the Internet and found nothing. If it’s not on the Internet then it doesn’t exist. At least we’re on the maps. Every time you say you live in Null people say, “where’s that?” as if, if it’s not on the Internet then it doesn’t exist. Tell Jim if he wants a fishing partner to go out together to catch that beast then I’ll go with him. Safety in numbers I say.’

  ‘Okay Neville. I’ll tell him.’

  Thelma continued to talk to customers as they mingled at the hotel for their daily social chat. The hotel had many people who sat and talked. Beer was the second attraction and social chit chat about weather, fishing, prawning, and crabbing abounded and river monsters was now included in the chit chat conversation.

  As life was changing as more people had a new theory, the village had many other things happening. The annual Seafood Festival was soon to be held. Fishing competitions were still run. Little Athletics was continuing. Local groups like arts and crafts still met. The village continued its daily life with one exception. Everybody was edgy. The continual “What if?” was heard. Hardly one conversation of daily life was not finished with a “What if it is a sea monster?” or “What if we never find out what happened to them.” The barrage of opinions never ceased except for Penny. Penny continued her love affair with her new found enthusiasm. Penny’s love of words, and how to say something without saying it. During the night, Penny woke and wrote her thoughts and theories. Escere was often seen on her lap and Charlie was often seen at her feet.

  One night Penny recalled the words of her schoolteacher.

  ‘Write from your heart. Let people experience what you write.’

  Penny’s words flowed from a different mind space. Penny thought of the secret writings she did whilst the family focussed on her brother. In a world of her own, Penny recalled the short stories she wrote. The short novel she wrote and put in the bottom drawer. Penny stopped writing, and took a piece of paper and with a felt tipped pen wrote in large letters. . .

  HOLLOW LOG – KEEP OUT – GENIUS AT WORK and then put the sign on her bedroom door. Penny was now an author and Jack was becoming jealous, and Penny knew it.

  On her own, in her room, Penny fantasised who she wanted to be and saw her knowledge of bunyips as the issues to write. Perhaps bunyips exist in a dual world where the past, present, and future exist. Bunyips and The Dark Side of The Universe. Bunyips exist within the realm of the dark side of the universe where no human can exist. Penny’s body vibrated and her skin got goose bumps, which covered her body. The issue of writing daily became as important as breathing. Penny’s writing changed along with her theories. . . .

  ‘Charlie and Oscar were approached by Donella and asked if they had any clues on solving the issues of Barren Island. Has the energy of Barren Island been solved? Donella encouraged Oscar to go to his muses and ask permission from Saggis – Head of Galaxy if he is allowed to enter into a world where the past, present, and future exist.’

  Penny sat at her desk and thought of Gondwanaland and the time when land masses separated to form continents. A time when land formations divided. A time when the spirits that created Rainbow Serpents and creatures covered the land. The world of the bunyips belonged to that era of evolution but do they exist today and do they exert their influence through energy. The spirits, which created, exist today. The energy of the wind is also the energy of the spirits. Penny thought long and hard at her theories but could not fathom how to help the village. The energy of the village had changed and the village was her life. Penny wrote down on a piece of paper. . . . “The life that was is now influencing the life that is and is dictating the life that will be. The question is - is choice a part of destiny? I will let my choices be known and see what happens.” Penny took the paper and put it under her mattress beneath her pillow.

  In her homework, Penny had to read a lot of literature from famous authors. Her English teacher, Mr Hetherington, often quoted from Mark Twain and one quote he often spoke aloud to the class was “It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense." These words by Mark Twain created so much confusion to Penny as she re-read many of her writings. Exactly what was fact and what was fiction blurred in her mind as she wrote. Both truth and fiction made sense to her.

  Penny continued writing her short stories as a mini series hoping to make a stronger storyline for her book. . . .

  ‘Oscar, have you got any thoughts today on going for a paddle up the creek? When Penny goes to school, we can go to the island again. I have an idea. I woke up during the night. I thought of a solution for the dead spirits. That big beast at Crab Creek is the solution. We can’t do anything until we speak again with the spirits,’ Charlie said.

  ‘Charlie, do what you want today. I won’t be available until I meet with Saggis. My muse visited during the night and said I was being called again to meet Saggis.’

  ‘Saggis? Who is Saggis?’

  ‘Saggis is the head of the Milky Way. I have been told to do what he wants or else. I was told you will be called later, but for now you are only to know of him,’ Oscar said.

  ‘Ah, I think this is getting to be like “too much information” time. This is getting to be too much like, “I want to go back to Gladstone to live” time. I don’t think other dogs would believe you Oscar, going off to meet the head of the Milky Way. Can I just let you think that and I just keep to my own?’

  ‘You will find out its true one day. It’s about the influence of the past with the present, and how the present, is what forms our future.’

  ‘Oscar, are you serious? Is this what I have been called here for? Dogs helping the future?’

  ‘Not just dogs Charlie. The whole of the earth is energy. Plants, animals, humans, are but an energy that is continuous. It is the outward form and the silhouette of allusion, which changes from one time to another. Not my words Charlie. These thoughts have continued for two hundred million years. It is time for me to be off this planet for a while. You prepare the kayak and I will join you later. You will see everything will work out okay.’

  Oscar departed and Charlie sat alone and a cloud appeared.

  ‘Charlie, ignore Oscar for the moment. You are now in charge of solving the Barren Island mystery. Oscar will return soon and when he does, don’t question him as to why he wants do other things. Oscar is getting special instructions on matters you know nothing of. Trust Charlie, trust. You are now in training as well. Attend to the matters at hand and see how your detective agency will be invaluable to sustain this village in its present form. Null is to be retained as it is, with daily changes, as life does. It plays an important role in fish habitation and the cycle of life is to continue. The energy of Null is your enemy and that is what you are to work with. Solve the mystery of Barren Island and you solve the future for Null. That, Charlie is your mission and don’t let Penny’s writings interfere with your mission,’ Donella said.

  ‘Ah, I don’t mean to be rude, but have I got any choice in this?’

  ‘No choice at all Charlie. Someone has to do it and this time it is you who has
to do it.’

  ‘What if I fail?’

  ‘Ask yourself ‘what if I succeed?’ and then find answers. Failure belongs to another energy system whereas success is part of your energy system. Go find solutions Charlie. Find solutions and fear not. Be bold yet be gentle. Bounce off energies of life. When the energy is too strong, be like the willow and yield and when the energy is weak be kind and work with the energy. Would you like a day of practising bouncing off energies Charlie. Humans call it the baptism of fire. Your destiny awaits. Your calling has come. Your role in this village has been unveiled. Come let us go up the creek without a paddle. Just you and I will propel the kayak from the stern. What about you sit at the bow and take in the beauty surrounding you?’

  ‘If it is meant to be then it is up to me.’

  ‘Charlie, that expression you said is as old as the hills.’

  ‘I heard a human say it last week about going catching a river monster.’

  ‘Then up to you it will be then. Hop up on the bow of the kayak and away we go.’

  ‘See the white bellied sea eagle up high Charlie? That is Serena, Oscar’s friend. You have met Fromoth the Tawny Frogmouth. She is a night bird and doesn’t fly into the house when Penny is writing. Charlie, see that boat along the creek? The little shiny metal one - that is where the cod hole is that the humans are talking about. You will go there soon and feel its energy. Places have energy Charlie. Energy sweeps across land and water. It is like wind. When you feel the energy then you will find solutions to fitting into society and fitting into a timeline. Timelines are energy Charlie. Feel the energy of the wind. Feel the energy before a storm changes the air. Yes Charlie, you are now feeling the energy of the moment. Bouncing off energies of life. Charlie, you are now bouncing off energies of life.’

  ‘Hello again. I’m back. Wow, a whole day off the planet and back again. May I sit alongside you on the bow with you Charlie?’ Oscar said.

  ‘Don’t frighten me like that. What do you mean a whole day off the planet?’

  ‘I was away for eight hours in real time but Saggis decided to squeeze it all into an hour of earth’s time and I wouldn’t be noticed being away for so long.’

  ‘Oscar, are you serious? It sounds all Greek to me.’

  ‘That’s what I said to Saggis about what he said to me. He kept going on about some Socrates bloke back years ago. Just accept it Charlie. Life is about being part of a micro that is a part of a giant macro.’

  ‘What did that Saggis say to you? Now you’re really sounding all Greek to me,’ Charlie said.

  Silence on the kayak as Charlie and Oscar moved over mirror like water. The only evidence of a kayak was ripples on the surface.

  ‘The island Charlie, the island is in view. Use your eyes this time to access the island’s energy,’ Donella said.

  ‘Oscar, do you access energy? Do you see what I see?’

  ‘Charlie, there is no way one human can know what another feels or sees. The colour green is not the same colour green to another human. The same with dogs or any animal. Perception of information is individual and writers, poets, painters, know this.’

  ‘Oscar, you sound like that Socrates fella. What mob did he come from?’

  ‘Greece. Socrates came from Greece. They were a mixed bunch those mob. Just imagine all the problems the ancient Greeks had when Socrates and his mates tried to get them to talk in a sensible way. Charlie, whatever your muse is doing to you just accept it. Life is continual change and sometimes the energy of the day is stranger than fiction. That’s an old human saying I just made up. Let us pray like the mantis and be invisible. Blend into life and let life blend into us. The island looks so peaceful. It is quiet. Few birds land there now. We’ll see. Saggis gave me a few clues what to look for. Change is happening. Something about a sine wave cancels another sine wave when they meet out of phase. Whatever that means Charlie and what you have concocted it means Hollow Log Private Investigations has a real case to work on,’ Oscar said.

  ‘If we are to have a purpose in life then Hollow Log Private Investigations has to play a role in it. What say we have more meetings. Gotta have meetings Oscar to establish motive, and such. Mr Pemberton often spoke of whether the accused was near the murder scene. The police use a special prosecutor. Does that help Oscar?’

  ‘Yes we can have more meetings. What about we employ Fromoth? Fromoth is a night bird. She might help because the disappearances of the fishermen took place at night. And there is Serena, she flies high and might see things we don’t. Eagles have different eyes to us. And then there is Escere. She can stay at home and curl up on Penny’s lap. She knows nothing. Cats are useless.’

  ‘I think we have to do something out of the ordinary. The spirits are energy Oscar. We will have to fine tune our energies. The spirit of life versus the spirit of death. The village is dying Oscar. It is as though the village is in its decline. The spirits on Barren Island have cried revenge but is revenge what they are after? That is the first thing we have to establish.’

  ‘Good thinking Charlie. You go and establish motive and I will contact Fromoth. Together we can solve this situation hovering over the future.

  The present is tense but the future will hold a surprise. I think it has something to do with the dark side of the universe.’

  ‘The dark side of the universe? Why the dark side of the universe Oscar?’

  ‘Because that is where problems start for sailors as they venture out into deeper waters. Sailors believe in myths. There is a connection to sailors and the red beacon too. What about we go down to the red beacon and paddle up the creek from there. From the red beacon, all of the creek is in turmoil. And the yachts at anchor. Check out every possibility. Every sand bank has a story. Every deep hole hides information. Is that enough Charlie? Was our meeting of Hollow Log Private Investigations like Mr Pemberton, with his meetings?’

  ‘Yes Oscar. Mr Pemberton would be proud of us if he was alive today. The art of investigation will never be the same again Oscar. You go and find Fromoth. I’d like to meet her again and ask her some questions too.’

  ‘Meeting over. And ask your muse how I can get a copy of her plans. Something she said. Something was similar to my muses. The next meeting will be tomorrow if we don’t have to have one before. We are getting to be professional Charlie. Gotta be professional to solve mysteries. Hollow Log Private Investigations is who we are.’