Being Dead Or Hunting

De Freycinet is heading for his dinghy.

He meets Ageless and Faith, who are on their way back to the campsite.

Sad news, says de Freycinet.

What is it? asks Faith.

About the two botanists, says de Freycinet. 

Yes, we know all about it, says Faith.

I believe Ageless made the grim dicovery, says de Freycinet. 

I did, says Ageless. 

I have volunteered to send back the coordinates of their last resting place, should I come across them, says de Freycinet.

I wouldn't bother with that, says Ageless.

They deserve a proper burial, says de Freycinet.

Best they remain in the sea, says Faith. And let nature take its course.

Nevertheless, says de Freycinet, hopping into his dinghy. I shall do it.

Want a shove? asks Ageless. 

Merci, says de Freycinet.

They give him a shove and he rows away, towards Whyalla.

De Freycinet looks over the side of his dinghy every few minutes.

The water is clear.

A few cuttlefish swim lazily below him.

One of them looks up

That's that lobster, says the cuttlefish to another.

It's a dinghy, says the other.

But he's in it, says the cuttlefish that looked up. He was looking over the side.

Maybe he lost his hat, says the other.

No, he was wearing a captain's hat, says the one who looked up.

Maybe he's looking for Jean and Carl, says the other.

They won't want him to find them, says the one who looked up.

How would he? They look just like us, says the other.

True, says the one who looked up. But he might think we're them.

Scatter! says the other.

They scatter.

But there's no need to scatter.

De Freycinet is looking for two dead ones.

Ageless and Faith return to the campsite.

Terence runs to meet them.

Ageless! Did you lie? asks Terence.

What about? asks Ageless. 

Roo-kai says he saw them after you said they were dead, says Terence.

Were they dead when he saw them? asks Ageless.

No! says Terence. They were hunting a crab.

How does he know it was after I saw them? asks Ageless.

Because he just got here, says Terence. And you got here BEFORE!

Roo-kai is mistaken, says Ageless.

Or you are, says Faith.

Or I am, says Ageless. But I'm rarely mistaken.

So what now? asks Terence.

Write them a nice poem, says Ageless. 

About being dead or hunting? asks Terence.

Why not both? suggests Faith.