The Voyage by Douglas Falk

Author:Douglas Falk [Falk, Douglas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mascot Books
Published: 2020-01-13T05:00:00+00:00

10

“What on Earth is that thing?”

Oscar Milton stared at the creature in awe. He had never laid eyes on a creature so obscure looking.

“It’s a wombat, sir. A marsupial.”

“Thank you, Allison. Fascinating creatures!”

Allison Ellsworth reached for her handbag on the floor and started poking around, until she found the item she was looking for. She pulled up the iPad and Googled for quick facts about wombats.

“The wombat is the number one highlight here at Caversham Wildlife Park, sir. Along with the koalas, which are equally as popular. People from all around the world flock to this very spot in order to see a glimpse of them. It’s a pilgrimage of sorts. They are most beloved,” she said and cleared her throat. “Oh, and the word wombat comes from the language of the Aboriginals.”

“Interesting, interesting. Unfortunately, I don’t think we have the time for an Oriental language crash course today.”

Oscar turned around from the wombat enclosure and took his beige cap off his head. He looked up to the sky. There was not a cloud in sight, and he felt as if the Sun was soon to burn his skin to a crisp. He stroked his long sweat-dripping beard and donned the cap again.

“I guess this is how it would feel like being thrown into a furnace. What’s the time, Allison?”

“Noon. 12:03 to be precise.”

“It’s been that long? Christ. We better head back. The convention starts at two. I can’t strut right into the convention looking as if I just came back from a tour in Amazonas where I had to machete myself forward for three weeks straight. I need a shower. I would gladly have spent more time here wandering amongst the koalas, penguins, and the rest of the exotic animals, but I am needed elsewhere.”

They walked out of the zoo through the main entry gate, and Allison phoned for a taxi, which arrived almost immediately.

“Peppers Kings Square Hotel. It’s on Wellington Street,” said Oscar.

“I know the way,” said the driver calmly and drove away from the zoo.

Left-side traffic. I’ve been here for five weeks, but I still can’t get the hang of this thing. And before that, Indonesia a whole week. My learning curve is steep indeed. I’m getting old.

As he let is mind wander off to the convention, his skin began to crawl at the thought of the speech he had to give. All of a sudden, the iPhone in his pocket buzzed.

William! And he’s calling me from…Australia? William’s here? A technical malfunction, no doubt. My son’s back home in Sweden, en route to Ystad.

“William! There’s something off with my phone. It says that you are ringing me from hereabouts, down under!”

“Your phone is telling it true. There is no bug or malfunction, I can tell you. I am here, Dad. In Australia…Perth. And I need your help.”

Allison noticed that her boss was in a state of complete bewilderment and confusion from whatever the caller had said to him.

“But, what are you doing here? Did you lie? Did you lie to your mother?”

The other line was dead silent for a long moment, until he spoke.

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