Evocative Shoe

Terence has landed on the southern bank of the Embley, thanks to the crocodile.

All it took was a flick of his tail. Waves were generated.

Lap lap.

The crocodile turns his attention to other objects.

Terence climbs out of the tinny. The bandy bandy follows. They plod through the mangroves.

Stop! says the bandy bandy (after the shortest number of plods ever).

I can't do it!

Terence picks him up. Drapes him over his shoulders.

You keep a look out, says Terence.

The bandy bandy keeps a lookout.

Mangroves. Climbing swamp fern. Beak-rush. Swamp box.

He is bored. He is hungry.

He only ate half a blind worm. The smallest half. And how long ago!

He hoops and twists on Terence's shoulder.

Don't look out BACKWARDS! says Terence.

You'll be glad, says the bandy bandy.

Why? asks Terence.

I see Gaius and Humboldt, in a tinny.

I'm not glad, says Terence. This is just me and you. Me mainly.

You'll be glad because the crocodile is behind them, says the bandy bandy.

No way, says Terence. I'm not glad my friends might be eaten by a crocodile. I love them.

Shall we go back? asks the bandy bandy.

Not yet, says Terence. But remember I said I'm not glad.

Okay, says the bandy bandy. Want to know something else?

What? says Terence.

If we see a rock or a log, we should look under it, says the bandy bandy

You'd make a good parrot, says Terence.

They keep going.

Meanwhile back on the river the crocodile has nosed up to the tinny in which Gaius and Humboldt are travelling.

Croc alert! say Humboldt.

I feared as much, says Gaius.

The croc nudges the tinny.

Gaius looks over the side.

Let's not have any trouble, says Gaius.

That's not why I'm here, says the crocodile.

I wouldn't trust him, says Humboldt.

May I see your footwear? asks the crocodile.

A strange request, says Gaius. Mine? Or that of both of us?

Yours, if your name is Gaius. says the crocodile. 

Gaius leans back in the tinny and raises a foot, high enough to be visible to the crocodile but not overhanging the water. That would be foolish.

That a CROC? asks the crocodile.

It is, says Gaius.

What's it made of? asks the crocodile.

A type of foam resin, says Gaius. Ethylene-vinyl-acetate. EVA.

EVA, says the crocodile. That's evocative.

He floats away dreamily. EVA.

He hasn't asked what they feel like to wear.

He's sure they'd be comfy.