Now what? asks Terence.
There's no more water, says Camus. And your feet are still muddy. We'll have to wait till they dry.
Into mud socks, says Terence.
Yes, says Camus. But really, we need to get moving.
Put me in something, says Terence.
Good idea, says Camus.
He looks on the back seat of the police car, for something to put Terence in, like a police sack.
But there is nothing.
He opens the front glove box. Aha!
Blue rubber police gloves, in a sealed packet.
He opens the packet.
Here, put these on.
Terence starts putting the gloves on.
On your feet! says Camus. Like glove socks.
Terence isn't sure he wants to wear blue police glove socks.
The fingers will be floppy.
It's only till we find a tap, says Camus.
Terence puts the police glove socks on.
How do I look? asks Terence.
Like a strange bird, says Camus. A strange bird with empty blue toes.
Terence dances an empty-blue-toes dance.
Stop that, says Camus. Get into the car and we'll continue.
Okay, says Terence. How far to the tap?
There should be one at the next carpark, says Camus. Keep an eye out.
Now Terence has two jobs. To look for a tap and Roo-kai.
The sea is morning green, beyond the mud flats.
The sky is not yet bright blue.
A bird flies over.
Stop! cries Terence. That might be Roo-kai.
Camus stops the police car.
The slender-billed bird lands on a clump of button grass, nearby.
Don't get out! says Camus.
He imagines Terence getting mud on the police gloves. Another hold-up.
Is it him or not? asks Camus.
Terence pokes his head out of the window.
Not him, says Terence.
Not who? says the bird, a slender-billed thornbill.
Roo-kai, says Terence.
Are you looking for Roo-kai? asks the slender-billed thornbill.
Yes, says Terence.
Did you think I was him and then realised I wasn't? asks the slender-billed thornbill.
Yes, says Terence. Why do you care?
I don't, says the slender-billed thornbill.
Well anyway, have you seen him? asks Terence.
No, says the slender-billed thornbill.
Which is not strictly true, because he has.
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