Page 49 of Lost In Kakadu

The satin ribbon around his precious letters was smooth and silky between his fingers. He didn’t want to end it all here. With just one thing on his bucket list, the abrupt realisation that he might not fulfil it, had him clenching his fists. His mind raced along with his heart.

He looked for his satchel. “Abigail!”

Abigail turned at the sound of Charlie’s faint voice and dashed to his side. His eyes were wide and fearful. “Are you okay?”

“Can you get my satchel, please?”

She reached across his body, careful not to touch him as she lifted the heavy satchel by its broken strap.

“My journal’s inside. Can you get it?”

She removed a leather-bound journal and was surprised by its weight. A thin strap wrapped several times around it kept it shut.

“Open it,” he urged.

She unravelled the bindings and as several pages spilled out the side, she had to counterbalance it to keep them in place.

“Go about three quarters in.”

Using her fingernail, she divided the book and opened to a page covered with masses of erratic writing. An intricate drawing of a leaf adorned the left-hand corner, and a scattering of words were underlined. She read a few of them: Obovate, Falcate, Rhomboid, but nothing made sense.

“Keep going, more to the back.”

She turned the pages, frowning at the array of words, hand drawn sketches, computer generated images, tables and photos.

“Stop! There it is!”

She placed her palm against the spine of the book, folding it open. At the head of the right-hand page the words ‘Filantaria minoxa’ were printed in large, handwritten letters. Underneath it was ‘Australia’s Antioxidant Answer AAA’.

A flurry of text interspersed with random collections of numbers and a couple of sketches covered the rest of the page. The left side displayed a hand drawn map, and she recognised the word ‘Kakadu’ but couldn’t make sense of anything else.

“What is it?”

“That, my dear, is the solution to our problem.”

Abigail studied the map again and wondered if Charlie could help them find a way out. But even if he knew where they were, how on earth did he propose they would travel? He could barely talk let alone walk. “Charlie, I don’t think?—”

He silenced her with his hand. “All we have to do is find that plant.”

Abigail frowned. “Um, what plant?”

“That plant. The Ozioxidant, as I call it. It’s the antioxidant I told you about. It’ll help me get better, so I won’t be a burden to you.”

“Charlie, you’re not a burden. You’re injured.”

He stared at her like she’d proposed marriage. “That’s the reason I’m here. Have you heard of the Goji berry from China?”

“I’ve heard of it.” Abigail flicked over a page but had no idea what she was looking at.

“Those little berries possess amazing antioxidant qualities and I believe my little berry—I call it the Noxa berry—will blow them out of the water.”

“How will you find it?”

“It’s taken me years to get to this point. My notes are all there. I’ve interviewed hundreds of Aboriginal elders and reviewed their cave drawings. I know it’s in Kakadu. Here. Let me show you.”

Charlie delved into a series of in-depth explanations about his notes, but after a while he must’ve realised Abigail had no comprehension ofwhat he was saying. He sighed. “At the very least, I have information in here regarding other edible plants in this area.”

Her eyes lit up. “Can we eat the mushrooms?”

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