That afternoon, Doc took the old Dodge and the bunkhouse caravan into town and sold them. When he came back he gave Stewie his final pay and wished him luck finding work in Port Hedland. There was no point keeping him on with no tent to put up.
One by one, Nance took Hannah, Vytas and Cas aside and explained the situation. Zarconi’s was finished. She offered them each a payout from the sale of the Dodge and what cash was left from the tour, and suggested they head south and find work where they could. She and Doc would continue on to Broome to hand Gus over to Annie but they had no plans beyond that. The performers took the news in stunned silence.
Doc and Nance went to bed early that night while everyone else sat around a bonfire that Vytas had built on the blackened site of the fire. Hannah brought out a trayload of tea for everyone and they each cupped their hands around their mugs and stared listlessly into the flames.
‘This is not the end of Zarconi’s,’ said Vytas.
Cas looked across the fire and shrugged his shoulders. ‘I know this is tough for you Vytas, but I can’t see any future in this troupe.’
‘Look, Cas. Maybe for you it’s different. You have not been with Zarconi’s so long. But for me, I owe Doc and Nance. Many times, they have carried me. Is it fair, now, that I will not try and help?’
‘I feel the same,’ said Hannah. ‘At least, we should wait a bit longer, give it more time. Doc and Nance, they’re tough. They’ll bounce back. Things will turn around and I would like to be there for when they are ready to try again. Besides, there are worse things than a holiday in Broome.’
‘I don’t know,’ said Cas doubtfully. Effie glanced up at him with a frightened expression.
‘Please, Dad. Let’s just go to Broome. Muck around for a while.’
‘Effie, it’s not that simple,’ he said. He stood up and Gus realised he looked more worn than ever. There was a grey streak in his curly dark hair and his black eyes were wide and hollow. ‘I’ll leave you all to your conspiracy, but Effie and I will be heading south tomorrow.’
‘Dad…’ pleaded Effie.
‘Not now, Effie,’ he said. ‘Time we both went to bed.’
‘No,’ said Effie folding her arms. ‘I want to go to Broome.’ The firelight reflected in her black irises. Her mouth was fixed in a stubborn line. She looked so fierce Gus felt sorry for Cas.
‘We’ll talk about it in the morning,’ Cas said, wearily. He slumped towards their caravan and shut the door behind him.
There was an embarrassed silence.
‘Well,’ said Effie, raising her eyebrows questioningly. ‘So how are we going to save Zarconi’s?’
It took the better part of the day to drive to Broome. Doc and Nance looked both grateful and bewildered when the rest of the troupe announced they were coming too. Even Cas grudgingly admitted that he needed a holiday and that Broome was as good a place as any to take it.
As soon as the troupe had settled into a caravan park and they could sneak away, Gus, Effie and Buster headed for the nearest beach. Gus was dying for a swim but the tide was so far out that they couldn’t even see where the sea began. It was just a sheer silver and purple line beneath a sky the colour of flame. Kilometres of glistening mud flats stretched before them. Buster ran down to the watermark and started digging in the silty mud, barking at the tiny crabs that were burrowing out of his reach. Effie and Gus flopped onto the flat white sand and watched the sun set over the Indian Ocean. Just the smell of the sea was satisfying after six hours in the car.
Gus looked along the beach and spotted a camel train at the northern end.
‘Hey! Effie – check it out!’
Effie had been lying down in the sand looking dreamily at the sky. She gave a little groan when she saw the camels and rolled over onto her stomach, covering her face with her hands.
‘Wouldn’t you love a ride on one of them?’
‘No way. I hate them.’
‘I thought you loved all animals,’ said Gus.
‘Except camels.’
‘What’s the matter with camels?’
Effie thought for a while before answering. She sat up and stared at the camel train.
‘A camel killed my mum.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me before?’
‘Why should I? It’s not the sort of thing you talk about much. I mean – it sounds pretty horrible. I hate hearing about it. I even hate hearing my own voice tell it…’ Her voice trailed off and she sighed.
Gus gently put his hand on her arm.
‘I’m sorry, Effie.’
‘It’s okay,’ she said. She put her head down on her knees, mumbling something incoherent.
‘What was that?’ asked Gus, apologetically.
Effie sat bolt upright and stared at him angrily.
‘I said that was all bullshit and I can’t believe you’re so stupid that you believed it.’
‘What?’
‘What kind of idiot are you? You wouldn’t believe me when I said your uncle died on the trapeze, but you believe me when I crap on about my mother being killed by a camel!’
‘You’re twisted!’ said Gus, growing angry. ‘Why do you keep putting shit on me?’
‘Because you’re such a wimp and a traitor. You said you were going to help save Zarconi’s. You said we were in it together. And now you’re a bigger bullshit artist than me.’
‘I am not. I’m still going to help.’
‘Oh yeah, right. Like how? I sat up all night, talking my dad around, telling him how we had to come to Broome. Your sicky-poo mummsy-wummsy is coming to get you tomorrow and I bet you’ll go back to Melbourne without an argument. I’ve heard you on the phone. “Yes, Mum,” “No, Mum,” “Whatever you say, Mum”.’
‘Shut up, Effie! Just shut up!’
They were standing, shouting at each other. Buster was running round them in circles, yapping madly. Gus had never seen Effie so furious, he took a step back to put himself out of punching distance, tripped over Buster and lay sprawled in the sand.
‘You’re just like my mother,’ she shouted. ‘She gave up too! I lied about her being dead but she may as well be. She runs a stupid business in Sydney.’
‘I’m not like her.’
‘Yes you are! You’re gonna clear off and go back to your nice normal life and forget about me and everyone else, just like she did.’
‘Look, Effie,’ he said, dusting the sand from his hands as he got to his feet, ‘I’m not your mother and I’m not giving up. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but there’s no way I’m leaving Broome before I fly. I’m not going anywhere until you and me and Hannah have shown everyone what we can do.’