Page 43 of Lost In Kakadu

“Four days!”

She peered through the dense canopy above in a half-hearted search for a rescue party. She wondered, and not for the first time, if Mackenzie had imagined that helicopter. After all, she hadn’t heard it.

Surely, that wasn’t the only search party they’d send.

Her mind drifted to her friends back home and how much gossip would be going on over her disappearance, but then she realised they weren’t even expecting her return for three more days. She sighed.

Several birds skipped along branches high in the canopy, flashing red underwing as they flew amongst the trees. Then as if a switch had been turned on, she heard their musical call. The harmony reminded her of the piped music in the elevator at the Palazzo Versace Hotel; sweet and peaceful.

Closing her eyes, she imagined she was back home, surrounded by her friends. They’d all be completely engrossed in every intricate detail of her horrific ordeal. Of course, some details wouldn’t need to be mentioned.

Suddenly a heavy object flopped into her lap, and she froze.

A giant brown frog with enormous eyes was perched upon her knee. It was the size of a bread plate, and its belly was a swollen grotesque balloon.

Shrieking, she jumped up and the frog landed with a dull plop on the rotting leaves ahead of her.

A scream tore from her throat and as she ran through the bush, a barrage of branches blazed long, red welts along her arms.

Mackenzie materialised before her with fear twisting his features and she crashed into his chest wrapping her arms around him.

“What happened?”

She gripped him like he was a life buoy. “A giant frog attacked me.”

“What?” He chuckled.

“It’s not funny. It was bloody huge. It landed on my lap.”

Laughing at her was exactly what Spencer would do.

But when Mackenzie stroked her hair, she realised this was different.He isn’t judging me.

“It’s okay. It was just a frog.”

“It wasn’t just a frog.” She pulled away. “It was huge, on steroids or something.”

Mackenzie laughed louder.

She began to giggle. “Itwashuge.”

“Do you want to show me? Maybe we can eat it.”

“Ooh, I like frog’s legs.” Abigail narrowed her eyes.

Mackenzie doubled over; his laughter echoed about them. “Oh my God. You’re so funny.”

She grinned at him. “Why?”

“You don’t eat mushrooms, but you’ll eat a frog.”

She shrugged. “They taste like chicken.”

His dark eyelashes clung together with tears of laughter and small wrinkles gathered by his eyes as he smiled at her. “Come on.” He nudged her ahead. “Let’s keep looking for water.”

“Okay, but don’t walk too far ahead of me this time.”

They arrived at the back of the plane and Abigail shuddered at the thought of the body inside.

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