Cockatoo

by Christopher Cummings

  ‘I hope I don’t meet those crooks again, and not in a place like this. Danny and Marco might not be very nice to me if they catch me alone,’ she thought. What that ‘not very nice’ might entail was the sort of dark nightmare she preferred not to dwell on. But when the vehicles slowed and turned left onto one of the gravel roads in a very lonely stretch of apparently uninhabited bush her anxiety went up a notch.

  There was a gate with a lock but Mr Creswell had a key and opened it, then closed it behind them. “We have permission from the owners to be here,” he explained. “So we should have the place to ourselves.”

  ‘Oh, I hope so!’ Tina thought, looking at the bush on both sides of the road. Apart from the road and a barbed wire fence there was no sign of settlement. To ease her fears she asked, “What do we do if there is an accident? Do we have mobile phone communication?”

  Her mother answered that, checking her own. “Yes we do,” she replied.

  Feeling slightly easier Tina sat back and studied the bush as they drove away from the highway. After a kilometre or so they came to some low hills and then drove across a low causeway with water on both sides to another low hill.

  Her father gestured at the hill in front of them. “This is an island joined to the mainland by a causeway,” he explained. “We are camping on the island.”

  That sounded nice to Tina but when they got there instead of unloading and setting up camp at a nice little beach all they did was drop both boat trailers and then her father turned the vehicle up a bumpy rough track to a level area a hundred metres up on the side of the rise. “Why don’t we camp down at the beach?” she asked.

  “Because there are crocodiles in the lake. You kids keep well away from the water and when you are near it keep an eye open for them.” her father explained.

  “But isn’t the lake freshwater?” Garth queried.

  “Yes it is, but Crocodilius Porosus is quite happy to live in it,” he replied.

  “How did they get here?” Garth asked.

  “They just walked up the river. They had hundreds of years to do it. They have always lived here and after the dam was built they have multiplied,” their father explained.

  “Up from where?” Garth asked.

  “The Gulf of Carpentaria.”

  “But that is hundreds of kilometres away isn’t it?” Garth said.

  His father nodded and said, “Yes. But they are just big lizards remember. They can walk on land. So just believe me and be careful. Now, hop out and help us set up camp.”

  Tina and Andrew climbed out and Tina looked around. Almost at once she revised her negative opinion of the camps site. From the level area she could see out the other side of the island as well and the view was most impressive. “Oh, you can see for ever!” she cried.

  Andrew joined her with a map and they studied the scene. The lake stretched off to the south, west and north west for many kilometres. There were other similar islands, including a big one a few kilometres to the south which was also connected to the mainland by a long causeway. In the far distance was the rugged line of mountains which Andrew now named as the Hann Range.

  “The lake isn’t very deep,” Tina commented as she observed large tracts or reeds in swampy bays and inlets. There were also hundreds of dead trees sticking out of the water. “And lots of birds,” she added.

  The next hour was taken up with setting up camp. This included four tents, a ‘fly’ between four trees, tables, folding chairs and a barbeque. Only when all was ready did the group prepare for fishing and bird watching. Then they walked back down the hill to the boats. These were prepared and then launched. Andrew was able to assist with this and quickly showed himself to quite skilful. “I have a boat licence,” he explained.

  “And years of training as a navy cadet,” Tina’s father added. The evident approval in his voice really pleased Tina. ‘Dad must like Andrew,’ she decided.

  But then Andrew wanted to go fishing with the men. That disappointed her but she realised that she had never explained that she did not particularly like fishing. They had not discussed bird watching either so she did not know if he would be interested. Rather than deny him the chance to go fishing she hid her feelings and when he asked if she was coming she said yes.

  Reluctantly she climbed into the motor boat and moved to sit beside Andrew. Garth took up a seat in the bows and began splashing his hand in the water as they floated out from the beach after launching. Tina’s father at once called out, “Garth! Get that hand in the boat before a big croc grabs it; and do up your life jacket.”

  Garth pulled his hand back smartly enough but then scowled and fiddled with his ‘Personal Floatation Device’. Both Andrew and Tina had theirs on and done up and Tina was about to speak to Garth again when Andrew beat her to it.

  “Sailor, do what the captain says. Do up your PFD or you will be given fifty lashes and keelhauled,” he said in a very firm, no-nonsense voice.

  Garth looked at him in astonishment and for a moment sulky rebellion showed on his face. Tina braced for a scene but then Garth just nodded and bent to clip the PFD up. Then he said, “What’s keel hauling?”

  Andrew began explaining while Tina looked at her father in astonishment. A feeling of warmth swept through her as she realized that Garth both liked and admired Andrew and was willing to listen to him. Her father smiled back and turned to start the motor. A minute later the boat puttered out onto the glassy lake with a crew of happy people.

  Tina remained sort of happy for most of the afternoon but after a couple of hours of sitting in a small boat in the sun she began to get a bit peeved. Adding to her discomfort was the fact that she had not caught any fish and that Andrew seemed to be devoting most of his attention to Garth. That was all very well because it kept Garth contented with a lot of boy talk and fishing technicalities but it was not what Tina had hoped for.

  To occupy her mind Tina used her binoculars to observe and make notes on all the types of birds she saw. Luckily there were many and of a dozen different types. She noted the usual magpie geese, pied herons and brolgas plus a number of types of ducks. As well there were Australasian grebes, royal spoonbills and several types of ibis. Overhead circled a number of hawks and kites. Each time she spotted what she thought was a new variety she would consult her Fieldguide of Australian Birds to check on the distribution of that species and on details of their colouring and so on.

  The birds at least gave her some interest and enjoyment as the fishing and hot sun did not. She actually found it a relief when her father said it was time to head home. They had drifted a few kilometres by then and the other boat was a few hundred metres away. As they motored back to shore her father kept the speed to slow as there were a few dead trees and snags showing and from time to time they ran across muddy patches that were so shallow that the propeller churned up a swirl of mud. In other places they skirted patches of reeds growing in the shallows.

  “You could probably wade half way across this lake,” Andrew commented.

  Tina’s father nodded and said, “You probably could but I wouldn’t like to try if there are crocs around.”

  That idea lodged in Tina’s brain and she looked anxiously around. The water was very calm. The waves were barely bigger than ripples but it was just enough of a disturbance to make it difficult to detect a crocodile as it surfaced for a look or as it swam towards them. ‘I hope there aren’t any,’ she thought, taking her hands off the gunwale. For a few seconds she experienced the distinct impression that the boat was not big enough to be safe.

  Then she shook her head and told herself she was being silly. ‘Crocodiles don’t attack people in boats,’ she told herself. She had heard of them dragging people out of canoes, but could not ever remember hearing of that happening to people in power boats. But it still made her glad when they reached the beach and she was safe on dry land.

  The boat was dragged up by Andrew and her father so that its bows were beached. To do this they stood in knee deep water.
That got Tina all anxious again and she wanted to warn them about crocodiles. But rather than appear to be a nervous girl she said nothing and instead just carefully watched the lake. But she knew that was not liable to work. ‘Crocs attack from under water. You don’t see it till it lunges out at you,’ she thought. All she could hope to see was a swirl of mud or a ripple on the surface to indicate that the creature might be swimming fast in the shallow water.

  But nothing happened and the males seemed oblivious to her fears. Andrew looped the anchor rope around a tree and then went to help heave the Creswell’s boat up as well. So Tina could only really relax after they were all ashore and walking up the hill towards the camp.

  Her mother and Mrs Creswell were at the camp talking and reading. They looked very relaxed but also fairly bored. Seeing that Tina hoped that her husband wouldn’t just abandon her while he went fishing but she suspected that he might. ‘Men don’t seem to even be aware of things like that,’ she mused. Then she glanced at Andrew and wondered what sort of a father he might be. It was the way he was talking to Garth that prompted that idea and she knew instinctively that he would be a good one. Then she blushed, remembering what had to happen before she could become a mother.

  ‘I hope he is good at that too,’ she thought. Then she blushed again as she tried to imagine what it might feel like.

  A barbeque tea of steak, fish and sausages was enjoyed and then everyone sat around and talked as the sun set. Tina enjoyed that as it looked very beautiful with the reddish reflection across the still waters of the lake. Her happiness was increased by the way Andrew seemed to be accepted with no problems. He sat and chatted in a very relaxed way. She could only admire his easy manner and confident, mature way of speaking to the adults.

  As dusk settled in she glanced at the clear sky and noted that the stars were coming out. It was cool and promised to be cold later. She stood up and strolled over to the edge of the level area to watch the last of the sunset and to enjoy the still of the evening. As she stood there gazing out over the lake she hoped that Andrew would join her and wished that she and he were alone on the island. ‘That would be very romantic,’ she thought, hugging herself and hoping.

  But he didn’t join her. Instead he set to work lighting lanterns and washing up and generally making himself useful. From the edge of the darkness Tina watched him with a mixture or exasperation and affection.

  Then a sound caught her attention that at once drove thoughts of romance from her mind. It was an aero engine. She stiffened with fear and looked around. ‘A plane! Is it the crooks?’ she wondered.

  CHAPTER 16

  FEAR IN THE FOG

  For several seconds Tina seemed to freeze up as anxiety swamped her emotions. Then her questing gaze located the plane. It was coming from the north and sounded like a small twin engine aircraft. A flashing strobe light on the plane helped her eyes to detect it. Then she noted the green starboard wing light and other lights. Seeing the lights caused her to shake her head and relax. ‘No, the crooks won’t have any lights; and their plane’s motor is much quieter than that,’ she told herself.

  The aircraft flew almost directly overhead and a few thousand feet up. It appeared to be heading due south and Tina turned to watch. ‘Heading for Mareeba maybe?’ she thought, knowing that Mareeba was the nearest major airfield in that direction and that it was a busy place for light aircraft. With that in mind she looked out across the lake and noted the distant twinkle of a couple of lights and the glow in the sky that indicated where Mareeba was.

  Then another unpleasant idea came to her. Apart from those few lights many kilometres away there wasn’t another light to be seen. The entire shore of the lake and the mountains on both sides were in darkness. ‘We are certainly in an isolated place,’ she thought. She walked a few paces further from the camp and kept scanning in all directions, hoping to see a light. ‘There must be a station homestead or a farm house or something,’ she told herself.

  Then a tiny moving light came into view away across the lake to the south east. ‘A car, on the highway,’ she noted. Then the car’s headlights went out of sight and she experienced a peculiar sense of foreboding. ‘If the crooks know we are here they could come and get me,’ she thought. The knowledge that there was a locked gate was no comfort as she had already seen the crooks cope easily with such a thing.

  At that moment Andrew came walking towards her from the camp. “Tina? Are you OK?” he asked.

  Tina wanted to run to him, to hug him, for him to hold her. But she was too inhibited and could only croak an affirmative and then say, “I was just looking at the stars and the lights.”

  Andrew stopped next to her and she yearned for him to take her hand, to hold her, to show affection rather than just friendship. Instead he just said, “We are going down to the lake to look for crocodiles.”

  “Look for crocodiles!”

  “Young Garth’s idea,” Andrew replied.

  “Isn’t that dangerous at night?” she queried, walking with him as he started down the slope.

  “Yes, a bit. But we aren’t going far,” Andrew answered.

  Tina did not want to go near the water but everyone else, including her mother and Mrs Creswell, was walking down the track so she felt compelled to go. But she certainly did not want to go out in a boat. This feeling was reinforced when she stood at the lake shore five minutes later and looked out across the blackness. The water was rippling in the gentle breeze but to her it had an evil, malevolent feel to it.

  Garth and Mr Creswell did not help as they used torches to scan the water looking for the reflection of crocodile’s eyes. As the torch beams swung back and forth Tina looked but she saw nothing. But she could imagine the slimy saurians sliding quickly towards her through the inky ooze and she shuddered at the idea and moved back a couple of paces from the beach.

  The rush of wings attracted Tina’s attention and she glanced up, hoping to see the bird against the sky. ‘If it was a bird,’ she thought, knowing that the fruit bats- Flying Foxes as they were locally called- would also be abroad.

  Then the very distinctive sound of a Tawny Frogmouth Owl sounded from behind her. She turned and listened. At that moment young Garth began throwing stones into the water and the splashes interfered with her listening. To get away from the noise she walked a few more paces back along the road. This brought her to the end of the causeway and she stood and looked into the darkness.

  The swampy lagoon behind the causeway looked even more sinister than the lake on the other side. The water was quite still and the skeletons of the dead trees sticking up looked spooky. Tina shivered and wished she had brought her torch. But she stayed there listening as she heard the owl twice more. ‘Over among those trees on the far bank,’ she decided.

  She strained her eyes to see but then wondered if her eyes were playing tricks as the dark mass of distant trees seemed to blur and fade, then come into sharp focus again. A sudden waft of cool air caused her to shiver and she noticed a white haze drifting by. ‘What is that?’ she wondered.

  Plop!

  The sound caused the already tense Tina to twitch. Then she relaxed. ‘Only a frog or a fish,’ she told herself. ‘Crocodiles would not go plop!’ But it was enough to scare her. So was a glance along the narrow causeway and the thoughts that followed. ‘The crooks would have to come that way,’ she told herself. She did not believe they would come by boat in the dark. Thinking of that caused her another tremor of anxiety and she turned to go back to the others, knowing she was being silly and irrational by imagining such a thing.

  Only to get a shock. She knew she was only about fifty paces from where the others stood on the beach but all she could see was white!

  ‘Fog!’ she thought in astonishment.

  It had rolled in off the lake in just a few minutes and now completely surrounded her. The sound of the other’s voices could be heard but they were quite muffled and indistinct. Then she noted a faint glow and the shadowy shapes of tree trunks and
knew that was the glow of their torches. At that moment there was a bigger splash in the swamp behind her and the whole of her neck and arms prickled into instant goose bumps. Anxiously she glanced back over her shoulder and then started walking back to join the others.

  But it wasn’t that easy. Almost at once she found herself off the road and walking in knee high dry grass. Sticks crackled underfoot and she barked her shins on a log. A tree blocked her path and she came to a standstill and peered anxiously in the direction she thought the others were. She found that her heart was beating fast and she knew that she was scared.

  “Don’t be silly!” she told herself.

  Then a swish of wings close overhead made her cringe and when this was followed by a loud splash she actually jumped with fright. Then the mournful and creepy cry of a curlew sounded and shiver ran up her back. Another noise came to her and her heart hammered even faster.

  ‘Are they footsteps I can hear?’ she thought. She looked behind her and was sure she could hear boots on gravel and into her mind’s eye leapt an image of dark shapes, human shapes. And there was one just off to her right!

  “Tina?”

  Tina jumped with fright and then gasped with relief. It was Andrew. “Here I am,” she croaked.

  A torch came on and shone in her direction. Even though it was only ten metres away the fog was so thick that it was just a glow. Andrew walked over, lowering the torch beam to the ground so as not to shine it in her eyes. “What are you doing?” he asked.

  Tina was trembling with emotion by this time: fear and relief- but she was also ashamed of being scared of nothing. Not wanting Andrew to think she was a coward she said, “Just listening to the birds. I was just on my way back.”