Eternity Coming And Going

It's six hours to Wagga Wagga, where they plan to stop for the night.

Pastor Moon is driving, with Charles Red-belly and Olive Python on the front seat beside him.

In a Toyota Ute.

...

Darkness falls. Pastor Moon turns on the headlights.

They converse, to stop falling asleep.

...

The Chinese tell the time by looking into the eyes of cats, says Charles Red-belly.

Get away! says Pastor Moon.

I remember, says Olive. It was the first page I ate. My favourite.

Pastor Moon has not read Paris Spleen. He is baffled.

You look baffled, says Olive. Don't you know Beaudelaire?

I read nothing but scripture, says Pastor Moon, but I have a strange sense of freedom tonight. As if I'm on holiday. Tell me about Beaudelaire.

He loved cats, says Charles Red-belly.

But they don't tell the time, says Pastor Moon. How does that work?

I don't remember, says Charles Red-belly. Something to do with eternity.

Ah, says Pastor Moon. Eternity. There is no such thing.

Easy to say, says Charles Red-belly. But what if it isn't a thing?

Olive wants to settle it. She feels a bit sick anyway.

Blurp! She brings up a fruit bat.

Oh dear, sorry. She retches again.

A crumpled page emerges, soaked in snake bile.

Is that it? says Charles. The cat page?

I think so, says Olive. Uncrumple it.

No thank you, says Charles. No doubt the print is obliterated.

Well, I feel better, says Olive. It was indigestible.

I can well believe it, says Pastor Moon.

.......

Wagga Wagga, way past midnight.

They pull up at Wollundry Lagoon.

We'll stop here and sleep until morning, says Pastor Moon.

He opens a flask. They all have a drink of green tea.

Did Unni make it? asks Olive Python.

Too right she did, says Pastor Moon. Powerful tea, this. Good for me.

He sighs, and leans back in his seat.

Unni said you used to be different, says Olive, hoping to find something out.

Yes, says Pastor Moon. I used to be different. I firmly believed in the Coming.

And now you believe in the Going, says Charles Red-belly. Like we do.

I hadn't thought of it that way, says Pastor Moon. Do I believe in the Going? Depends what it is I suppo...zzzzzzzzzzz.....

It is late and the green tea was laced with whisky.

Will he wake in the morning with a new found belief in the Going?

Or the time-telling talents of cats?