Scene 9

There is hardly any stretch of water in the Northern Territory that is suitable for swimming. The rivers, creeks and lakes are dangerous because they are populated with hungry saltwater crocodiles. And in the Timor lake can be found (along with the crocodiles that wash the mangrove sludge off their scaly shells in these waters) a deadly type of jellyfish that can, in some circumstances, release a poison that can kill human beings.

All the more precious therefore is the sweetwater pool that lies so high that crocodiles do not, as a rule, get there. Maille washed the heat from various fires off his body under flowing water. The 12 tasks had been done – the circle closed. So Hing must now make some concession or the other, at least in the matter of the tomato sauce and the broccoli.

He dived under and as he swam around between the stones on the bottom of the pool, he heard how the waterfall tumbled in a thunderous gush of white into the pitch-black waters. Suddenly he felt like a crocodile himself, a feeling that reminded him of the story of the Namarrgan siblings – an aboriginal tale, which like all others of its kind, is unique, because it holds no moral, at least not for a western mind. Aboriginal tales neither make a didactic statement nor have a happy ending, they neither punish wrongdoings nor pass judgement on harmful social orders, nor do they clarify misunderstandings. The story of the Mala, the one narrated on Ayers Rock, is similar. The complete absence of a deeper (or, according to one's individual standpoint, higher) sense reminded Maille a bit about his own mission, which had taken him all over the planet in the last year and led him to do things, the motives of which he could barely understand.

As he rose to the surface of the water, his mobile rang – it was Marie, he knew from the ringtone. By the time he reached the phone lying on the bank of the pool, she had rung off. A little later he received a text message: «Work accomplished! Congratulations! Tomorrow 18.30 via Singapore and Dubai to Damascus. Arrival 09.30. M.»

The message left him simply speechless.

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