Angelina and Kierkegaard have left for Cape Jervis, by car.
Can I wait by the road for Arthur? asks Terence.
All right, says Gaius. Leave Ronnie with me. I want to make notes.
Terence hands Ronnie to Gaius, and fights his way out of the bird hide.
Crash, crash.
Gaius starts writing.
No. birds spotted in Stipiturus Cons. Pk.
Drat. No. birds. That looks ambiguous.
He inserts a small of.
That's better. No. of birds.
Under that, a list of birds spotted.
Southern emu wrens - 2
Yellow-rumped thornbills- 2
Southern boobook- 1 (heard at night)
White-plumed honey eater - 1
Red-rumped parrot - 1
Superb fairywren - 2
Latham's snipe -1
Of course, there may have been others. If he'd had Ronnie sooner....
He turns a page in his notebook and begins a new list
Birds to look for on Kangaroo Island.
Glossy....snap. Ronnie's lead breaks.
Curses. Where is that sharpener? Did she take it?
Meanwhile Terence has fought his way to the road.
Waiting, looking, down the the road, into the distance.....
Saint Roley drops down, and lands before him.
Guess what? says Terence.
You haven't changed, says Saint Roley.
Wrong, says Terence. This is more important.
You've lost someone? says Saint Roley. I can comfort....
YOU have, says Terence. But you actually haven't.
Go on, says Saint Roley.
Your brother is still alive! says Terence. Remember he floated away on a cardboard?
Yes, says Saint Roley. Years ago. He drowned. I long ago reached closure.
Like a door? asks Terence.
If you like, says Saint Roley. But one thing I do know, he's no longer a sentient being.
That's what you think, says Terence. But he had wings. Think about that for a minute.
There's something you're not factoring in, says Saint Roley.
What? asks Terence.
His faith in the Pointing Finger, says Saint Roley.
Ah! Here you are! says Gaius, who has walked to the road to meet Arthur. Where is Arthur?
Not far behind me, says Saint Roley. Hello, Gaius. It's good to be here.
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