Dark Shadows

Captain Baudin has sailed too far west.

He is singing tra lalala lalala etc, and does not realise.

Then he does.

Merde! says Captain Baudin, I am too far out in the deep ocean. I must turn south eastwards. 

A south wind is blowing.

He raises his sail.

......

Arthur and Louisa have hired surfboards and are paddling out to the reef break.

Winter's the best time here, says Louisa. But in winter it's freezing. Today's perfect.

Left or right break, says Arthur.

Left, says Louisa. There's a west swell combined with an offshore wind from the south.

They both paddle faster.

Watch out for rocks, says Louisa.

And sharks, says Arthur. I've surfed here before.

With Sweezus? asks Louisa.

Yes, says Arthur.

He stops paddling.

A dark shadow slides past his legs.

......

Sweezus has disembarked from the ferry.

He is cycling towards Stokes Bay.

At Emu Bay he stops for a break.

He gets off his bike and wheels it to a seat near the playground.

He takes a Power Bar from his back pack, and takes off the wrapper.

A bird alights near him.

He is about to shoo it away when he sees it's Saint Roley.

Hello, says Saint Roley. I didn't recognise you.

Nor me you, says Sweezus. 

Good disguise, says Saint Roley. Why do you need it?

I'm not meant to be here, says Sweezus.

No humans are, says Saint Roley.

Woa! Radical, says Sweezus.

Don't mind me, says Saint Roley. I'm bitter. Someone ran over the nest I built with my beloved and crushed our one egg.

That's fucked, says Sweezus.

True, says Saint Roley. I had hoped that egg would replace my lost brother.

Look at it this way, says Sweezus. It wouldn't have. Want a bite of my Power Bar?

Only if it's flavoured with mollusc, says Saint Roley.

It's not flavoured with anything, says Sweezus.

Then no thanks, says Saint Roley. Where are you headed?

Stokes Bay, says Sweezus. Arthur's there surfing.

There are sharks about, says Saint Roley.

No worries. Sharks and me are like brothers, says Sweezus.

Saint Roley doubts that.