What Chance Throws Up

Next morning, early, they drive back to the Dismal Swamp entrance.

They look for the tents, in which they left Arthur and Surfing-With-Whales.

The tents are empty.

That's strange. They must have gone in already, says Unni.

It's not nine o'clock, says Rosamunda.

They'll be somewhere about, says Gaius. You girls wait. Stew, Ying and I will take the walkway down to the forest floor.

You still have to pay to go in, says Ying. It's twenty dollars. The slide is two dollars extra.

We'll see about that, says Gaius, striding up to the ticket office.

Can I help you? says Mohammed.

Yes, says Gaius. I am from the University of Tasmania. I believe Poppy has arranged free entry for myself and my students.

Sorry, says Mohammed. We're closed.

So much the better, says Gaius.

Mohammed looks doubtful.

Ring Ring. Mohammed gets a phone call.

It's the repair man, come to fix the Giant Slide roof cover which was inexplicably ripped in the night.

Mohammed walks off to let in the repair man.

Gaius goes back to the others.

Right, says Gaius. I know some of you will be disappointed, but the Giant Slide is closed for today.

Boo, says Terence.

Don't cry, Terence, says Unni. You couldn't go on it anyway.

Boo isn't crying, says Terence.

What do we do now, team leader? asks Stew.

We proceed as planned, says Gaius. Down to the forest floor, to look for the burrowing crayfish, and collect samples.

But how? asks Ying. Isn't it closed?

Wait for Arthur, says Gaius, confidently.

..........

Arthur and Surfing-With-Whales are at the bottom of the blackwood sink hole already.

But look at them.

Are they even awake?

Not really, thanks to the pills. They've been lying on the swamp floor, damp as anything, surrounded by burrowing crayfish.

But it's morning now, and daylight has penetrated the depths of the forest.

Pink-breasted robins and olive whistlers carol in the blackwoods and leatherwoods.

Pademelons hop over spotted tail quolls, landing on liverworts and fungi.

The devils have gone into hiding.

The masked owl has flown away.

Surfing-With-Whales groans.

Arthur wakes up and vomits. The vomit is watery and green.

The burrowing crayfish stop chewing.