To Kill a Bunyip

by A R Dent

  ~~~~~

  The next morning after Penny went to school life returned to normal for Oscar and Charlie. Throughout that day Charlie and Oscar went about their investigations. Fromoth was called for but did not appear. Serena the white bellied sea eagle was off hunting for food and did not answer her call. Donella refused to talk with Oscar. Charlie disappeared and sought out a path on land, to go up the creek via bush paths to investigate a possible surveillance point where humans could not see him. It was just another day of Hollow Log Private Investigations, with Oscar and Charlie doing things as though they were characters of the best crime novel. Daily life in Null was slowly returning to normal. The boat ramp was busy again with fishermen going out searching for the daily fresh fish. The north wind had abated. The weather was fine except for a Strong Wind Warning for the next week. Until the wind returned, every fisherman who had waited for a break in the weather, was now either out fishing or waiting at the boat ramp to launch their boat.

  Neville was there talking with Jim.

  ‘Tonight Jim. We go out on the last of the run out tide. The creek will be empty of boats. That last group that left the ramp usually fish at night. I heard one of them saying “no more night fishing until they know why the two blokes died” so we will have the creek to ourselves tonight. I will see you here around midnight. And don’t go telling too much to Thelma. Everyone in the hotel knows our plans. The TV stations said if the video is good enough we might get buyers from Europe and USA for our efforts,’ Neville said.

  ‘Fair enough Neville. I have to tell Thelma something. She wasn’t impressed when she found out the cost of the new fishing gear. When does the TV station want the video? We’re going to catch that monster you know. So when do they want the video?’

  ‘Jim, we have to catch it first. Go home and be back around midnight. See you then.’

  Early the next morning. . . .

  Whilst the day was young and the sun was near the horizon, Charlie moved one paw after another in a deliberate path of escape. Not wanting to disturb any one awake or wake the sleeping, Charlie left the house in quietness of movements. The street was empty of life. Escere the cat sat on the front fence observing Charlie’s departure. Along the street at the first intersection, Charlie paused, looked at the crossroads and chose to go left. As Charlie turned into the street Escere leapt off the fence and followed. As Charlie moved through the streets of Null, Escere was following him. Escere stayed mostly in the street gutter and hid low to observe. Charlie, ever aware that today was his day of testing his new gifts given him during the night. As Charlie moved to open parkland, he noticed the sea gulls feeding on scraps of food the rats left behind. The parks and gardens often had tourists at night eating and enjoying the night sky filled with the Milky Way. Charlie slowed to study the gulls. The gulls were ignoring him. Then a wind swept along the water and the gulls took flight.

  ‘Away,’ Charlie thought, ‘away and fly to safety.’ As the gulls scattered a large crow flew over. Charlie felt the energy of the gulls’ fear of the crow. The crow was a danger, if the crow was after was food. Gulls and crows could share food. Survival in a group meant competing with each other. The lone crow competed against all gulls and was a threat just because they were different. Escere took notice and turned for home.

  From Norman Point Charlie embarked on a short journey. A journey of discovering his new self. His intuition was being tested and his ability to react to energy. Along the bicycle track, Charlie trotted along. A fisherman was standing at the water’s edge and oblivious of anything but the water in front of him. Charlie had never walked out on the sand flats before. One paw touched the hard sand and he moved out into the open. He stopped. Someone was watching him. He turned to see Donella standing there smiling. ‘You again? I thought today was my day alone so why?’

  ‘I am not Donella, I’m your imagination. You are alone, always was and always will be. Be yourself Charlie. Find yourself. What you think is your reality.’

  The glazed appearance of Charlie’s eyes was removed as Charlie blinked again and again. The shadow appeared next and stood defiant. The shadow of a dog.

  ‘Why you? Are you something Donella created to scare me?’

  ‘Charlie, I am you. I’m your darkest secret – your shadow. You fear one thing Charlie. Me, yourself. I am the part you fear – your shadow.’

  ‘I’m here for other reasons, not to imagine a shadow.’

  ‘As I said, you fear your shadow. Create a light and you get a shadow. Accept the light and accept the shadow. Accept what you attract and what you repel. Move along Charlie. The sun is brighter and your shadow more defined. I go with you always. You are bouncing off energies when you accept your shadow.’

  Charlie turned and walked to the edge of the mangroves. Settling in alongside of a mangrove, a snake moved up a tree away from his presence. A bird flew down and pecked at insects a short distance in front of him. Charlie felt the wind on his face. He sat there feeling the moment and the wind. The snake remained in the tree. After an hour of resting, Charlie stood up and moved back along the path. The presence of his shadow was accepted. He moved toward the shops and felt the presence of the dogcatcher, and hid behind a bush until he felt safe again.

  ‘Having a nice day Charlie?’

  ‘Donella. Is it you I see or what I imagine?’

  ‘Reality of what you see is in the eye of the one looking. I am with you now. But reality takes strange forms. Is it the form or the shadow you see?’

  ‘Okay. Do I get to rest today or are you playing games all day?’

  ‘I’ve been playing games with you since James Pemberton died. You died in spirit when Sarah and young Peter left for England. You crashed in spirit when James died. It was your shadow that existed until you met Oscar. Oscar gave you another life to live and you rejected it. Living is different to life. You have now chosen to live life. You’ve become another Phoenix rising from the ashes. Today will continue. Go home and take the kayak up the creek and see what revelations you find there.’

  Charlie did as he was instructed and returned home. Charlie went to the kayak and nudged it with his nose until it was on the water. As he was climbing aboard the kayak he felt a nudge against his hind leg. As Charlie turned around to see what it was nudging him. . . Escere said,

  ‘Can I come too? I want to go with you.’

  ‘Huh? Escere, you are a cat. This is dogs’ business. We don’t need a cat to help us.’

  ‘I still want to go with you.’

  ‘Let me think about it.’

  ‘I’ll tell Penny. She listens to me too.’

  ‘Alright then. But don’t tell Oscar. You can sit up the front but we have to wait for Donella.’

  ‘Donella is behind you. Cats can see spirits.’

  ‘Is that right? Cats can see spirits? Alright, you sure can come along. Can you dance or something? Yes okay then, let’s go up to Barren Island together and see what happens.’

  ‘Oscar’s not to be trusted Charlie. He wants to be head of everything. Think about that Charlie.’

  ‘Escere, just sit there on the bow and say nothing. I don’t trust you or anyone now. We will work out who is head and who is not later.’

  ‘Cats are the head of the pecking order Charlie. Just letting you know. And we know things.’

  ‘Escere, keep quiet until we get there. We have changed to invisible now and will travel slowly to minimise the ripples on the water. Daylight is danger for us to travel on the kayak.’

  Charlie and Escere travelled along the creek. The sun was hot. Escere noted the reflections in the water, of the shoreline, and of boats at anchor.

  ‘We are travelling over troubled water Charlie. This is where the energies meet. There is an energy flowing from the valley and another energy flows along the creek. I can feel it. Bad energy is from the island ahead. Charlie, when did the people die? Death is present. Something has not been resolved Charlie. Humans don’t understand death. Spirits are eternal. C
harlie, did you bring some drinking water? It is getting hot and I want a drink of water.’

  ‘Escere, sit back here alongside of me. Let’s just glide along and feel the energy.’

  ‘There Charlie, there. That is where the past and present meet. Something happened on that shoreline many years ago. And up over that sand hill was where it started. It is almost as though a turning point in history was fought here with warriors fighting.’

  ‘Escere, I felt it too. I just felt the energy. Why do we feel it and not others?’

  ‘I see it and feel it Charlie. The islands in this creek tell many tales. The islands were for food. Nobody lived on the islands. People came and went and caught fish and goannas. But nobody lived on the islands. The bones there now were put there to hide the dead.’

  ‘I’m getting it now. Hide the evidence. A massacre. Many died fighting a battle they would never win. Died without honour. That’s it. They died without honour.’

  ‘Charlie, I want to meet with the spirits of Barren Island but first we must walk there around the trees. Just the two of us.’

  ‘Yes, just walk in silence and go back home again.’

  ‘Before we do Charlie, there is something I must say. I don’t know why, but I must say it. We live in allegory and that is our future.’

  Charlie and Escere approached Barren Island on the kayak. Both felt the energy rise as they approached. Today was the day of awakenings of the dead and today Escere was to have her claim, to be the top of the pecking order, challenged. Charlie and Escere stepped onto the sand and walked closer to the trees. As they approached, Escere stopped and said,

  ‘Hold it Charlie, this energy is not good to be here with.’

  Charlie turned to Escere and said,

  ‘Are you a cat or a mouse? I will leave you here if you are not as strong as a dog.’

  Escere’s eyes widened. Escere’s back arched and eyes opened further,

  ‘I see it Charlie, I see the ghost.’

  ‘So? Has it killed you? See if it answers you and tell me what you fear?’

  ‘No, no more ghosts.’

  ‘Mr ghost, I assume you are appearing to my friend because you don’t like cats. Is that the reason?’ Charlie said.

  ‘Why have you returned? What do you want from this island? This island is the island of the dead and we want to remain here. Why? Why do you want to disturb the dead?’

  ‘Is this the only island of the dead?’

  ‘No, it’s not. There are many places besides islands where the dead are.’

  ‘Are there different dead? Are you different to other dead that happened in life gone by, of other life-times?’ Charlie asked.

  ‘Our dead are here because of a massacre. We died before our time, before our destiny was fulfilled. Leave now and take that cat with you.’

  Charlie scratched his paws into the sand and made a pattern.

  ‘This pattern is my writing. My words. The tide will return and wash them away. When you realise the ebb and flow of life, your destiny can be fulfilled. We will return. We will discuss it then. Until then I see no reason to discuss your situation again.’

  Charlie beckoned to Escere to return with him and both got on the kayak and ventured to mid-stream.

  ‘Why did you speak to the ghost like that? The ghosts are seeking retribution and you go and upset them. I’m not going back with you. Next time you go alone or with Oscar.’

  ‘Your time will come Escere. Cats might know things but dogs do things.’ Sometimes it takes a dog to get things done. Go back to Penny’s lap and purr to get more milk.’

  Charlie and Escere returned with not one word spoken again. Escere hopped off the kayak leaving Charlie to nudge the kayak back to its place on the grass.

  ‘You have done well Charlie. Extremely well. You forgot about your shadow. Your shadow would have helped you on the island Charlie. Next time remember your shadow. Your shadow is what you fear. What is it you think you fear most Charlie? Go inside now and rest and wait for some other excitement of life to occur,’ Donella said.

  Charlie went up the yard and found a blanket on the veranda to lie down on. Charlie slept for the rest of the day.

  Penny returned home and changed from her school clothes. Penny then left to seek out Eloise Buchanan. Penny found her down towards the red beacon. Eloise Buchanan was sitting by the water’s edge. A bird flew in circles around her. A seagull. As the bird flew past it slowed in flight. Hovering, holding steady, and staring at her. Eloise stared back. Eye contact was made. Then the seagull lifted one wing tip to allow the wind to redirect its flight and the seagull flew off into another direction.

  ‘Hello Penny. The seagulls have a message to say we have to change direction. Walk tall girl, walk tall. You have changed Penny. You’ve cast aside your adult training wheels. I want to talk longer with you. I have a message to give you now that you think like an adult.’

  ‘Thanks Eloise. I’m thinking differently now but life is far different than what I saw before. Being an adult in mind and a teenager in body is difficult. Especially talking to adults or teenagers. I just want to live in my own Hollow Log alone and write and paint.’

  ‘Be a gregarious loner Penny. Life is fun that way. See you tomorrow afternoon on the jetty. We can have a long talk then about thinking as an adult. Thinking as an adult is the start to realising everything you see is all allusion or a shadow of reality. See you tomorrow.’

  Penny returned home and sat with Charlie on the back veranda. Oscar appeared and looked up the steps as though no one noticed his absence.

  ‘Oscar, are we being another Houdini? Take yourself for walkies again? You’ll get caught Oscar, going off on your own when we are at school. Go and get the sand off your coat. Jack. Oscar is back. You’ll have to hose him down again. He’s been rolling in seaweed again. Hose him off Jack. He’s not coming near me again with that stench on his coat,’ Penny said.

  Oscar got his coat washed and dried and everyone was happy. After dinner, that night confidence of things turning out for the better in Null was evident. Tom was happy business had picked up. Penny was happy her writings were accepted by the school teacher. Jack was happy the windsurfer project might happen. His efforts helping his father, in writing out the applications for permits continued. Betty was happy because her role in the Seafood Festival was important and it being only a short time away, Betty saw the Seafood Festival as solving many financial problems for businesses. The future of Null never looked better in spite of the two fishermen disappearing. Lights off and everyone went to bed happy.