He’d failed.
The thought made him ache all over as he put the lock back on the door.
Angry tears filled his eyes again and he couldn’t see the screw or the screwdriver.
Why am I bothering with this, he thought. I couldn’t care less if they catch me or not. They can lock me in a cupboard between 8.30 and 5.30 each day for all I care. I deserve it.
He let the screw and the screwdriver fall to the floor and stood up.
Alistair grabbed them and started screwing the lock on frantically.
‘They’ll be back in ten minutes,’ he shouted.
Colin went upstairs and threw himself on his bed.
He’d failed.
He pictured Mum and Dad meeting his plane in Sydney, their weary faces lit up with hope and pride, waiting to catch sight of him walking towards them with the doctor who could save Luke.
Then seeing him, alone.
Their disappointment.
Colin buried his face in the pillow. He could never go back.
Later he heard whispering outside his room.
‘He’s just sort of lying there.’
‘Asleep?’
‘Think so.’
‘It’s delayed shock, I saw it on TV once, sometimes it can take weeks to crop up. Alistair, leave your scalp alone.’
‘Had to happen sooner or later, poor kid. Alistair, you heard what your mother said.’
‘Wonder if we should get the doctor in?’
‘No, plenty of rest’s what he needs, I’d say.’
‘I’m just worried he might be sickening for something.’
‘Let him rest.’
Don’t worry, Aunty Iris, thought Colin. I’m not going to get sick. Not now I’ve decided what to do.
Later still, as he lay in the darkness staring upwards, mind racing, he became aware of someone standing next to the bed.
‘Colin,’ said Alistair, ‘are you awake?’
Colin said he was.
‘I got the lock on in time,’ said Alistair.
‘Thanks,’ said Colin. ‘Sorry about that.’
‘And I didn’t tell them about your friend’s doctor friend.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Didn’t it work out?’
Colin told him.
‘Oh,’ said Alistair.
‘But it’s OK,’ said Colin, ‘because I’m going to university to discover a cure for cancer.’
‘Oh,’ said Alistair. ‘Brilliant.’
Colin switched on the bedside lamp.
He saw Alistair thinking about something and looking uncomfortable.
‘By the time you get to university,’ said Alistair, ‘won’t it be a bit, you know, for Luke. Late.’
‘No,’ said Colin. ‘I’m going tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow? But you’re too young. And you’ve got to pass exams before you can go to university.’
‘I haven’t got time for all that,’ said Colin, ‘so I’m starting tomorrow.’
‘They won’t let you in.’
‘We’ll see.’
‘If you change your mind,’ said Alistair, ‘I’ve got a new board game. Explorers. We could play it tomorrow.’
‘I won’t change my mind,’ said Colin.
Next morning Colin had changed his mind.
‘The Amazon?’ said Alistair, wide-eyed.
‘It’s a river,’ said Colin, ‘in South America.’
‘I know,’ said Alistair. ‘It’s miles away.’
Colin propped himself up in bed and opened the atlas. Aunty Iris had insisted he stay in bed all day and Colin, figuring bed was as good a place as any to plan a trip to South America, had agreed.
He ran his finger along the River Amazon.
‘There are ancient tribes that have lived there undisturbed for centuries,’ he said. ‘I saw them on TV. They make all their own medicine. I reckon in all that time, without being distracted by having to invent jumbo jets and microwave ovens and BMWs, they’d have discovered a cure for cancer.’
Alistair looked doubtful.
‘Ancient tribes know heaps of things we don’t,’ said Colin. ‘I met an Aboriginal bloke in the supermarket once who knew how to cure indigestion with bits of a lizard.’
‘And you’re going to go to the Amazon and find an ancient tribe and get them to tell you their cure for cancer?’ said Alistair ..
‘Yes,’ said Colin. ‘I’m leaving tomorrow.’
‘What if they haven’t discovered one?’
‘I’ll go to Africa, they’ve got heaps of ancient tribes there.’
Alistair stared at him.
‘Do you know how much it costs to fly to
South America and Africa?’ he demanded.
‘I’ve got my air ticket back to Australia,’ said Colin, ‘I can have stopovers wherever I like.’
‘Not if the airline doesn’t fly there,’ said Alistair.
‘AlI right,’ said Colin, ‘I’ll stow away on a cargo ship.’
Alistair stared at Colin again, then walked out of the room shaking his head.
Colin lay back and stared at the ceiling. He saw himself stepping off a cargo ship in Sydney and handing Mum and Dad the cancer cure in a small, jewelled bottle, and he saw the look in their eyes of relief and admiration.
Alistair came back into the room.
Here we go, thought Colin, what problem has he thought of this time?
‘Colin?’
‘Yes?’
‘Can I come with you?’
It wasn’t until that afternoon, when Colin was going through his pockets looking for his air ticket so he could ring Qantas and find out if he could have a stopover in South America, that he found the piece of paper.
He looked at it, puzzled for a moment.
Then he remembered Ted pushing it into his pocket in the hospital car-park.
And he remembered he’d left Ted with all the flat tyres. What if Ted had got into trouble for that?
Been arrested?
Colin looked at the piece of paper again.
It was Ted’s address.
He should really go and see if Ted was all right, specially after what Ted had done for him.
Can’t go now, he thought, Aunty Iris and Uncle Bob’ll be back in an hour.
I’ll go tomorrow.
After all, it would only mean putting off South America for one day.