Lying In The Dark

A few bubbles rise up to the surface.

I don't suppose you'd care to go down and fetch her up again, says Gaius. Just for a photo.

I don't think she'd come, says the Green Grocer Cicada.

You blew it, says Sweezus.

I did, says the Green Grocer Cicada. I shouldn't have lied.

Lied? says Arthur. You just used the wrong pronoun.

It wasn't that, says the Green Grocer Cicada. I told her I was a Blue Moon Cicada. She believed me.

She's an idiot, says Terence. And you're an idiot too.

You'll understand when you're older, says Sweezus.

It was dark, says the Green Grocer Cicada.

Yeah, says Sweezus. I've been there.

It's snowing again, says Terence. When are we going?

Brrrrrr-ch-ch, says a thin voice, not unlike the voice of the Elegant Parrot.

Everyone turns to look at the Elegant Parrot.

She is lying on her back in the snow, claws pointing upwards

My Parrot! cries Terence. O my Parrot! She's dying!

I'm not dying, wavers the Elegant Parrot, but I am used to the more temperate climate of the Coorong.

We'll head up to the Alpine Resort, says Sweezus. She'll be warm there.

We don't have time for that nonsense, says Gaius.

Yes we do, says Arthur. We have the time we would have spent here, trying to sleep in the snow.

I WAS sleeping in the snow, quite comfortably, grumbles Gaius.

Why does everything conspire against him?

But it seems he must bow to the general consensus.

They get on their bikes.

The Elegant Parrot is tucked into Sweezus's back pack, with Terence.

The Green Grocer Cicada is in Arthur's pocket, even though he is muddy.

The three riders set off along South Face Road, which joins up with the road to Mount Baw Baw.

It's no fun riding through snow in the darkness. The road is slippery and treacherous.

The only sounds are of squeaking through slush.

And snow falling diagonally.

And dinosaur teeth in a box, rattling.

And a Green Grocer Cicada, sighing for what might have been.

Arthur hears the sighs rising out of his pocket.

The road becomes steep.

They reach the intersection, and turn onto the Mount Baw Baw Tourist Road.

The road features one of the toughest climbs accessible by bicycle in Australia. The final climb of 6.2 kilometres rises 718 metres at an average grade of 11.5 per cent, maxing out at 20.3 percent.

Shit, says Sweezus. Maybe this isn't the greatest idea.

I find it quite bracing, says Gaius. And isn't this where they hold the annual Mount Baw Baw Classic? What an excellent preparation for the Tour. Well done, boys.

That's encouraging.

It's good to be led by a Roman.