Page 9 of To Kill a Bunyip


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  Penny returned home from Eloise’s cryptic encouragement and recovered from Father Fred’s Christmas decorations. Penny sat with Charlie as she was writing notes. Her computer lay idle. Her thoughts drifted to many places and possibilities. Penny considered what she had written before, the book she wrote in secret that her family had not read yet. Travelling Terrestrials and Galaxies far away was what Penny wanted to write about and she was stuck writing a book about a fishing village she wanted to leave one day because of inherent boredom. Penny decided to make her story one to change the reality of Null. Null, as part of a far away galaxy. Include her story she wrote of Oscar into the life of Null. That might get the drama into her book. As Penny thought along this theme for her book, her eyes slowly closed and she dreamed a storyline. When Penny woke from her dream, she picked up a pen and wrote. . . .

  ‘Charlie, would you like to go and bounce off the energies of life with me?’ Oscar said.

  ‘Oscar, are you a philosopher?’

  ‘No, philosophers know nothing and they are passionate people. Don’t trust passionate people Charlie.’

  ‘But Oscar, you are passionate.’

  ‘I’ll let that one go through to the keeper,’ Oscar said.

  ‘What does, ‘go through to the keeper’ mean?’

  ‘Listen to Jack. He plays cricket. I wrote a book. I wrote about cricket Charlie. Listen to me and be beside my side if you want to fit into society around here. Be careful of what Escere says. She thinks she knows everything. Cats do that. And always remember, I’m top dog around here,’ Oscar said.

  ‘So how are we to bounce off energies of life?’

  ‘Charlie, we are all energy, we decide our own resonance. What about we become detectives. And start our own detective agency. Hollow Log Private Investigations. That’s it. All we need is something to investigate. What do you feel Charlie?’

  ‘I feel goose bumps Oscar. I feel excitements. And I think I know where to go to get some crispy burnt bacon. The Lonely Poet cafe has a new cook and is always burning the bacon. Is that what you mean Oscar?’

  ‘No Charlie. Charlie we can investigate the dark side. The dark side of the universe. The dark side of the universe is where humans can’t go Charlie but we are dogs. I mean, we can go deep inside the dark side of the universe and solve a mystery. The mystery of Crab Creek and the stories told for thousands of years here about the full moon and the dreaded Bunyip. It rose out of still water and grabbed any child straying alone by the water’s edge. A beast not to be near on the full moon or new moon. It has teeth so large, as big as that gum tree. Its legs were so powerful it could grab a kangaroo and rip it’s innards out. What about we find a path to follow. A path that leads us to enlightenment?’

  ‘Sounds good Oscar. I like that. Everything around here is so quiet. Nothing seems to happen here in Null,’

  Oscar and Charlie looked at their paw prints and decided not to step into their own paw prints again. Each dog placed one paw against each other’s outstretched paw and agreed on a partnership of Hollow Log Private Investigations. Oscar and Charlie were now friends and equal partners.

  Penny put her pen down and looked at Charlie and said,

  ‘Well Charlie, let’s see what happens now. Eloise said to allow my inner self to guide me – she didn’t mention you Charlie – you just became my mentor and your thoughts are guiding me – Charlie would you like to go and meet Saggis, Head of the Milky Way? I think I can arrange that. You need a modern day Muse. Donella will be your Muse and I will get inspiration where I see fit. One writing competition coming up – but I have to think of an ending first.’