Joey, the Boy from the Sky

By Fairbanks

Joey, the Boy from the Sky
By Fairbanks


Synopsis

It is like a fairy tale, a modern-day fairy tale. The first part of this story is a mystery which builds to an absurd fantasy premise that the reader is encouraged to accept. To give it away would spoil it. The rest of the story is a quest for justice and for resolution. It is a story about a wholesome relationship between a man and a boy.

The story reiterates universal truths about hope and about looking forward in life, as in this quote from a victim character at the end of the story: We must not wallow like pigs in the mud, feeling sorry for ourselves and blaming. But at the same time, we must never forget!

The eccentric story is set in outback Australiaand Aboriginal Australiaand then in the nations capital, Canberra, and then preposterously in the Kalahari in Botswana.

The central (title) character is a young boy-hero emotively but also realistically presented. Joey takes a large host of other characters and the worldand the readeron a yellow-brick-road adventure which captivates and inspires. Joey and his mentor / father figure, Adam, are rescued after The Escape by an Aboriginal family in the outback and then journey through an epic saga, trying to resolve an impossible quest to save Joeys people. In the end, the story is more than a quest but also a reflection on hope and inspiration in life.

Always there is Joey. And everyone loves Joey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Aug 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524516437

Fairbanks

Fairbanks He lived for a spell near Melbourne town, till a Saturday bushfire burned his home down; then what had been an itinerant centre stay became a permanent home for wandering, work, rest, and play. And now this ex-chalkie, he camps and he writes and he talks in cafes and markets and street corner walks, of life in the bush and life behind doors to help us see truth, our land, and ourselves.

Book preview

1

The small lizard, Ctenophorus isolepis: Central Military Dragon, scrabbled in a grass clump nearby, drawing the attention of the dozing boy. It darted agilely from under cover, swooping on a hapless greenish bug which it held cross-wise in its mouth before deftly chewing and swallowing its morning tea. The brown, pale-striped lizard darted on further into the sunny open and turned its head in an inquiring manner, surveying the boy; it ‘waved’ its front left leg several times as if in greeting. Billy watched in silent fascination; he wriggled a finger in return greeting to this curious Earth-creature. Emotion welled inside his thin breast and a tear seeped out of one sun-blinded eye, dripping part-way down his pale gaunt cheek. The fleet-footed lizard scampered again, back into the shadow of the tall grass where it struck a statuesque pose.

Billy roused himself from daze and summoned what energy he could muster to shuffle his bag-of-bones body closer to the mouth of the small sleeping cave, towards the welcoming sunshine. This Earth-sunshine felt so comfortingly warm, burningly warm, on his pallid, albinotic thin skin. It was so blazingly bright! It hurt his eyes terribly, accustomed to dark and dim luminescence all of his life. A flushing pink tinge on his exposed face, arms, and spindly legs was indication of sunburn. Adam had warned him and Joe about sun exposure, insisting they had no more than 5 minutes exposure at any one time, and no more than 30 minutes per day. Billy lay with the sun just reaching his covered chest but not his face, and he slowly stretched one stick-like bare arm and pointing finger towards the sheltering lizard.

Suddenly, from nowhere, a grey-brown streak zoomed out of the sky and snapped up the waif’s new friend. The falcon: Falco longipennis flapped its pointy wings silently and landed atop a dead branch protruding from nearby on the cliff face. Another of Nature’s morning teas in action.

Billy’s breath caught in his ribbed chest in stunned surprise. He exhaled a thin wailing cry; tears flowed; weak sobs welled. The emotion reminded him of his brother, Frankie, who had been left behind. He reverently touched the dusky-coloured beanie he wore constantly now, a parting sacred gift. Billy fell back into a dazed doze. Several flies crawled unhindered across his pale face, then clustered on the dirty bandage wrapped around his bony right leg.

On this, their third day since The Escape, Adam Croix had set off at first light with the younger but stronger boy, Joe, in search of water and assistance. He knew that they had come to a crisis point where he just had to find some help, risking discovery. Both of the boys were getting weaker as the harsh reality of their new surroundings took effect. All three of them were suffering from dehydration. They’d had virtually no food for two days, just a few insects and small bush creatures that Adam had collected from their cliff-face hideout area, eaten raw. Each also sported a ragged sore on their thigh where Adam had crudely dug out the implanted tracking device that would have led their captors directly to them; they had gleefully smashed the electronic implants into silicon grains and dust. With no way to clean the wounds, infection had set in. If he couldn’t find help today Adam was sure the boys would not last long, and his own days were numbered too.

As fate would have it, about the same time as the falcon had dined on Billy’s lizard friend, Joe spotted yet another new sound in this alien landscape which he indicated questioningly to the man. It was a minute before Adam also heard what he recognised as the sound of a motor in the distance. Soon a line of dust could be seen, marking a land vehicle’s progress heading in their general direction. Adam easily swooped the boy onto his shoulders and hobbled as quickly as he could out into the open and down the last of the hill, following a dry creek in a direction he hoped would intersect with the oncoming vehicle.

It was young Silas whose sharp Aboriginal eye spotted the waving boy on a man’s shoulders and alerted his father and uncle. The three were on a hunting trip, this being the season when bush turkeys nested and laid eggs. Silas could see this was surely no bush turkey, despite the flapping wing-like arms. Within a few minutes they found the destitute pair - a most unworldly of discoveries as they would learn.

As the hot sun approached its zenith Billy had been collected from the cave and the rescue vehicle was bumping along through the bush towards the family’s camp. Billy was curled up on the floor in the back seat of the old Land Cruiser where he slept feverishly with his head in wide-eyed Joe’s lap. Young Silas handed Joe the water bottle again, beaming brightly at the scared-rabbit pale boy in a flimsy girly dress. Joe looked as though his skin colour should be black, pale and sickly as he was, but the other child was amazingly white - whiter than anyone he had ever seen! Silas remembered a cool zombie movie he had watched last week and was fantasising that they had found two zombie boys wandering around in the bush.

Typically, the prescient Silas wasn’t far off the track.

Apart from heart-felt ‘thank-yous’ and requests for water and for help, Adam had not told their rescuers anything of their ordeal yet and spoke very little; neither of the boys spoke a word. The Aboriginal men were not concerned.

There is a whole long story to tell, and I don’t know how to even start. I’m just too tired and weak for the moment. Do you mind if we wait for a bit with that?

Yuwa. No worries, mate. That old lady, she make you a special tea when we get home, and you feel alive again more. Maybe you can tell story at campfire tonight. No worries, mate. You just rest. We get you home soon - no worries.

And so, by the light of a lively campfire in the middle of the desert outback, significantly under a blanket of blazing stars - and one timely shooting star - the amazing story was first told. The two boys remained silent, mesmerised by the glowing fire and the English babble.

Faint light was rising in the eastern sky as the fantastic telling was finished.

Adam was relieved that the first people he told the incredible story to were Aboriginal. He was very worried how he would make the general public, and significantly the authorities, believe his enigmatic tale. Aboriginal people were accustomed to belief in the illogical, the mystical, and the absurd. Their cultural traditions were full of such. They understood about the Unreasonable.

Adam and the two hapless boys were given resting quarters in the shade of a temporary bush-cubby after a hearty breakfast of bush-turkey eggs and turkey meat and fresh damper which the old lady and her two daughters prepared. Adam ate ravenously, but the boys were unable to contemplate such foreign food.

Do you have some milk, maybe powdered milk? Adam asked. The boys have never had solid food. They’ve never had cooked food. I think we’ll have to introduce them to it gradually. Maybe a bit of the damper soaked in milk. I think I can convince them to try that.

Yuwa, no worries. We got powder-milk. And a bit o’ honey too. That’s what mothers do for babies when tjitji start to eat food. The old weathered and dark face split into a warm and welcoming smile, revealing few teeth and many gaps.

We go get young Martha. She lost her baby when he was born dead last week. She got young titties all full o’ milk; and it would help her Sorry to give some of her milk to these two poor creatures. A tear welled in her good right eye.

She went on more quietly, almost in a whisper. I go find that leaf for making tea and for putting on them sores while you have little-sleep. Rosie took off a dirty bandana-scarf from her head and soaked it with water from the drink bottle, handing it to Adam. Put this on the weak one’s head, she whispered. I make tea for him soon’s I gets back.

Adam conversed with the boys in their unique language - a composite language complete with lots of non-verbal signage, odd click-sounds, grunts - which he had picked up quite deftly in his three month incarceration; but predominantly he spoke with the young Joe as Billy was in a lifeless daze mostly. He explained as best he could that they were safe, and that these people would look after them, and that they should eat some before having a rest in the hastily constructed cubby which sheltered them from the blazing sun. He gently held the two close to him, and softly kissed Billy’s hot forehead. He doused the scarf again in water from the bottle and positioned it carefully under the pallid boy’s beanie hat.

In time further alien conversation was held, this time initiated by the boys. Even Billy rallied noticeably as the two engaged earnestly with Adam. The sing-song quality of their unusual speech intrigued the young Silas, who had only ever heard Aboriginal languages or the ever-dominant English. Indeed Silas had correctly discerned that the two boys were referring to himself.

I think even just that little bit of food has enlivened the boys, Adam said to Silas. They want me to ask you if you could cut their hair to be like yours, and also if you have any spare clothes which they could wear. They are most anxious to stop pretending to be girls, and to begin to learn what it is like to be boys. They’ve grown up always hiding their boyhood, as where they are from little boys are taken to the Green Room and are never seen again. Mothers hide baby and young boys for as long as possible. Boys are forbidden.

Akah! exclaimed Silas in utter disbelief.

Then he went on casually, Yuwa, I got spare T-shirt and trous’; but only one. Maybe we could make something for the little one from spare shirt from one of the men. What name that little half-dark one?

His name is Joe, though his female name has been Josephine - but we called him Josie. Billy’s previous name has been Bella.

Yuwa. I think Aussie way would be Joey. Joey, like a young kangaroo just peekin’ out the pouch. He smiled broadly at the two boy-visitors and reached his hand out and gently stroked Joey’s long scraggly girl-locks. But tell them that I don’t cut my hair; my mother does. Silas looked imploringly at the younger of the women, his mother Natalie.

It was from this astute and spontaneous comment from Silas that Joey received his name - a name that would become internationally known.

There was sincere warm joy throughout the camp as two alien ‘girls’ became two new Earth-boys. Gone were the long dress-like gowns the two had been wearing; gone were the flowing tresses. Gone also, in the discretion of the hut and with faint sounds of tears and whimpers of joy, were the crotch-straps that each of the boys had always worn to avoid their boyhood being detected by their captors.

Billy and Joey were born, released from the captivity that was all they had ever known.

Tears streamed down Adam’s beaming face. ‘It’s all been worth it, just to see this moment!’ he thought to himself. ‘Whatever else may happen in this unfolding saga, just to see these two free and alive, it has been enough. Let me always remember that.’ The three hugged tightly; and then Silas and old Rosie and then all the others joined them in a group-hug that lasted for minutes.

It was late-morning before the three retired to their cubby-hut to shelter from the sun and to rest. Adam led a whispered prayer between just the three of them: for the hero of their escape, Frankie - aka Francesca - and for the mothers and the other child-captives. ‘…And, Lord give special blessing to those sent to the Green Room. Let them know true peace. Amen.’

Six tired, tear-filled eyes finally closed in peaceful sleep.

2

No. I want to speak with the Police Commissioner himself! It’s been three weeks now, and it appears that my brother may have been missing for two or three months! I want to speak with the Commissioner! Someone has got to tell me what is going on.

I’m sorry ma’am, - Mrs Dixon. Commissioner Crow is in a meeting - as a matter of fact, a meeting to discuss the progress of this very case. I will have him contact you as soon as he is available.

Good. I will be waiting on his phone call - no email message this time, thanks.

What is your name, if I may ask? Celia Dixon went on. I would like to tell Commissioner Crow how helpful you have been and how sympathetic you have been in this crisis.

My name is Maybelle Stuart. Thanks, Mrs Dixon. I really will make sure the Commissioner gets your message and contacts you very soon. I’m sure they will find your brother.

Thank you Maybelle. You can call me Celia.

Yes, Miss Celia. Commissioner Crow will contact you soon.

Indeed, within the hour Celia did receive a phone call from Commissioner Crow.

He had little new to tell her. There had been no sightings of Adam, and his vehicle had not been found. Australian Customs had no evidence of Adam Croix leaving the country, and Qantas had no record of any airline ticket having been purchased in his name. CCTV camera footage from roadhouses across the NT had been checked, with no result. The last positive sighting of her brother had been at Wycliffe Well Roadhouse north of Alice Springs on 14 June, some three months ago. That was also the last time his bank accounts had been accessed, a routine fuel purchase.

In his brusque manner, the Commissioner informed Celia that the head of Missing Persons Branch in Darwin, Sgt Patricia Davies, would be responsible for the case now and that she was the one for Celia to remain in contact with.

Police resources are stretched in the NT as you can appreciate, Mrs Dixon, but be assured that we are doing what we can and that your brother’s case-file will remain open. Sgt Davies will contact you as soon as there is any further information available. There is no need for you to contact my office. Please deal directly with Sgt Davies.

As soon as she got off the phone Celia texted her husband, Hugh: ‘Rude phone call with NT Police Commissioner. No news. We need to do something ourselves. Meet at lunch? Idea to discuss.’

Hugh had a pretty good notion of his wife’s Idea; she had already spoken about going to the NT herself in search for her lost younger brother. What he was a bit surprised at was the level of distress Celia was showing about the mystery. When he arrived at the Shamrock Inn for their lunch meeting he discovered Celia in the car-park, chain-smoking.

You’re not smoking in front of Danni, are you?

No, of course I’m not smoking in front of Danni. Don’t hassle me, Hugh. I’m just too stressed. Just one packet, to settle my nerves.

Doesn’t actually settle your nerves, you know. Makes you more hypertensive, raises your blood pressure.

Yah, yah. Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.

Over a delicious lunch of grilled fish and salad which Celia hardly touched, she outlined her proposal. She would take Danni out of pre-school for a week - … no more than two, I promise… - and they would fly together to Darwin. There she would meet with this Sgt Davies in person. At least she is a woman. That might help. She might be a bit more sympathetic than that rude Commissioner or those police from Alice Springs. She would then hire a car to drive to the last sighting at the Central Australia roadhouse. She also wanted to meet with Adam’s employer and workmates at the Legal Aid Centre in Alice Springs.

I remembered there had been some other disappearance up there in the Centre a few years ago, so I looked it up online. You remember. His name was Peter Falconio, and they never did find his body, even after someone was arrested and imprisoned for the abduction and murder. And I discovered there have been other mysterious disappearances, for years. It’s creepy.

Just don’t get yourself too worked up, Celia. It won’t help. You do what you think you have to. Go ahead. Go to Darwin. Talk to people; see what you can find out. I think it is a good idea to take Danni. It will help to keep you grounded. Hugh wanted to add a caution against getting her hopes up too high - ‘If the police can’t find him, you probably can’t either’ - but he kept this counsel to himself.

They agreed that she would book a flight for next Monday.

In the meantime, I’ll see if anyone in the office has any contacts in Darwin or Alice Springs that might be useful. Jordie knows everyone, and he gets back tonight from Paris. I’ll get a message to him to contact me ASAP. What did you say was the name of the sergeant at Missing Persons? Davis?

Davies. Patricia Davies, in Darwin. I have all of her contact details.

Celia went on, tensely. I’ll send her an email to tell her I am coming, and to organise a meeting for next Tuesday. If Jordie or someone was to contact her before then it might help. Thanks, Hugh. I’m just so worried. It is so unlike Adam to just disappear without contacting anyone. Something has happened! I just know it. If only I had told someone earlier. I should have known when he didn’t ring for Danni’s birthday in July. But I’d had the Conference and all, and I just figured he was on holidays like he’d planned and that he was out of range or something. Then Danni got sick and I was busy with her. I just didn’t realise that several weeks had gone by. By the time I finally officially filed a Missing Person’s report he had already been months missing.

Those people at Legal Aid in Alice should have done something when he didn’t return from the 4 week break he had! What’s the matter with people up there? It’s one thing to be laid-back and Territory-style, but this is delinquent! They’re hopeless! They always say that the first 48 hours are the most important. Huh! It’s been months! What hope have we got now?

Now, Celia - dear. Settle down. You’re ranting. Don’t blame the Northern Territory. I’m sure they are doing all they can. This will work out. You’ll see. But Hugh had no confidence in his own advice. And, you better lay off that wine a bit. It’s the middle of the day. You’ve hardly eaten a thing, and have had at least three glasses of that wine. What time do you pick up Danni from Pre-School?

2:30. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry. And I didn’t have three glasses; I only had two. And I didn’t like the fish. It was overcooked. I’m fine. I feel better now that I have a plan of attack.

The flight to Darwin from Canberra took up most of the day and was exhausting for both mother and daughter. Hugh had driven them to the airport before first light, fuelled by three cups of strong black coffee. After electronic check-in and depositing their bags onto the conveyor which whisked them off into the bowels of the modern building, the family sat down to an over-priced breakfast. Four-year old Danny was bubbling with excitement - so many new experiences. This was definitely better than school!

Danielle had started to cry when her little wheelie-suitcase with the yellow ribbon attached to the handle began chugging off on the conveyor. Where is it going? You said I had to look after it! What will happen to Teddy? He’ll be lonely all by himself! she cried, on the verge of tantrum. Hugh and Celia exchanged a quick glance, and Hugh had pushed past and grabbed Danni’s bag back off the moving belt. Well then maybe we should let Teddy stay with you, eh? You can look after him so he won’t be lonely. He fetched the stuffed bear from the suitcase and handed it to Danni. But don’t worry about the bag, he said as he replaced it onto the conveyor. They will look after it, and it will be waiting for you when you get to Darwin. Mum’s too.

Maybe it will get lost, like Uncle Adam. You should come with us, Daddy, and help look for Uncle Adam.

I can’t come, Danni. I have to stay and feed Felix and take him for his walk after work.

The imminent parting was trying for father as well as for daughter. This was the first time Hugh had been separated from his young family and it gave him a queasy feeling in his stomach - or maybe that was the three cups of coffee. He had to admit that he was not so sure about the wisdom in Celia’s plan now that it was actually happening. Maybe he should have taken time off work and gone with them.

Hugh took his wife’s hand in his over the restaurant breakfast table and she gave him a gentle squeeze of assurance.

Eventually it was time for departure.

Celia had suggested that Hugh leave them at the security gate rather than come through and wait with them in the boarding lounge. She was anxious for Danni, and was afraid that she might tear up or have a change of heart at the final boarding. I’ll text when we get to Sydney, and I’ll ring once we get settled tonight in Darwin. The two embraced heartily, little Danni holding onto Hugh’s trouser leg. Father bent down and held his daughter tightly. You be a good girl for Mum, he said, hiding his anxiety. And have fun! You’re going to ride in the big airplane! You can tell me all about it tonight on the phone.

After strolling bravely by herself through the security gate - they let her carry Teddy with her - Danni beamed and waved cheerily to Dad. Celia grabbed her daughter’s little hand and the two swung their arms gaily as they marched off on their adventure.

Gaiety had been replaced by weariness as they finally trudged, still hand-in-hand, through the arrival hall at the small Darwin airport. Danni nervously clutched Teddy closely. As they approached the baggage collection area Celia saw her name boldly printed on a sign held by a young woman smartly dressed in police uniform. ‘Ah, that Jordie,’ thought Celia. ‘I’ll bet he organised this.’ The two women smiled warmly and shook hands.

And, this will be young Danielle, the policewoman said as she reached out and shook the girl’s hand gently. Welcome to Darwin. Did you have fun on the airplane?

Yes, thank you. But it was a bit scary at first.

Yes, it can be scary when it takes off. Did you see the clouds when you were up in the air?

They looked like fluffy balls! I wanted to walk on them, Danni beamed. The policewoman giggled with her.

We’re here to find my lost Uncle Adam. Are you going to help us?

Well, yes, I hope so. Tomorrow morning I’ll come and get you and we can go to our office and see what we can do to find your Uncle Adam.

After retrieving their long-travelled bags - Danni squealed with delight when her yellow-ribboned bag fell onto the rotating platform - Constable Melly drove them through the city to their motel along the Esplanade.

The sun was setting across the wide bay as they settled into their room. The view from the large window on one wall was stunning. Look, Danni, you can see sailboats! Look at that one with the big red sails.

Danni gushed excitedly when telling Dad about their day:

…And we had dinner in our bedroom! This tall black man brought it to us on a trolley. He had a ring in his nose. He looked funny….

…Yes, but there was lots of people everywhere. We had to wait a long time. But I met a little girl - her name is Diana - and we played with Teddy and with her dolly. She is going to see her grandmother at some place where there is gold and where there is ocean.

Be sure to thank Jordie, Celia said in finishing up the conversation. "It was kind of weird