Chapter Sixteen
Coroboree
Stinkwood Island — Dusk
Int. Lighthouse — Dome Room — Dusk (Continued)
To the west, the sky has cracked open like a spilled can of red paint.
Shaken by his thoughts, Blake climbs down to see the others.
Sarah sleeps.
Danny has gone.
Blake steps from the arched door, stretches his body, yawns.
The sunset draws him closer to the cliff to get a better view.
As the sun dips to meet landfall, there is a fringe of solid black cloud that grows menacingly.
A swirling mass of water courses into the delta he’d seen the previous night.
He walks through the rocky passageway.
Ext. Lighthouse Shed — Dusk
Low voices murmur inside.
Blake peers through a gap.
Int. Lighthouse Shed — Continuous
Danny sits on a workbench beside Juba.
An oil lamp between them casts dancing shadows on their faces.
Budya squats silently near the door, watching.
Blake eases inside.
Blake
Secret meeting of the “Let’s Worry the Adults” club?
Danny
(startled)
Blake! We thought you were sleeping.
Juba
(grave)
We’ve been talking. About what happens next.
Blake
And what exactly happens next?
Budya
(speaking for the first time)
Juba must go back. Finish the old story.
Blake
Story? He’s just a kid.
Juba
(standing)
Feelgood says it’s my destiny.
Blake
Juba, you’re sixteen. Your destiny should involve fishing and cavorting.
Danny
But the paintings showed it! And Marwen came back after ten thousand years!
Blake
(sighing)
When you put it like that, it does sound like we’re well past rational decision-making.
Juba leads Danny to the workbench.
Drummer settles beside them, panting.
Wind gusts through gaps in the shed walls, making the lamp flicker.
Danny
What is it, Juba? You look scared.
Juba
Feelgood says the… takers will come for me.
Danny
Bullshit.
Juba
Danny—
Danny
I said bullshit.
Juba
(quietly)
I won’t be coming back. You can’t come with me. But I want you to know something.
He hesitates, looks away.
Danny
What?
Juba
(rushing the words)
I love you like a brother. Want you to have this.
He passes Danny his spear—carved wood, worn smooth by generations of hands.
Juba
My father’s spear. His father’s before that. Hundreds of years old. Only supposed to go to my children, but…
He shrugs helplessly.
Juba
Feelgood says it’s okay.
Danny grips the ancient weapon.
Danny
(voice breaking)
I don’t want you to go. Besides Mum, you’re all I’ve got.
Budya approaches, touches Juba’s shoulder.
Budya
Time.
She leads Juba toward the door. He looks back once at Danny, then they’re gone.
Blake sits beside Danny on the workbench.
Blake
There’s nothing we can do right now.
Danny
(wiping his nose)
That’s crap.
Blake
Maybe. But sometimes crap is all we’ve got.
Danny
Will you stay?
He puts his arm around Danny’s shoulders.
Blake
I’ll stay. Come on. Let’s check on your mum. Storm’s coming. We need supplies and I need to tell you something.
Danny looks hard into Blake’s eyes.
Danny
You’d better.
End of Chapter Sixteen