The smiling man finishes his snag then gets another one. Loads up a plate and grabs a second beer. Sits and takes his time, stuffing his face. “Can’t tempt you, then?” he mumbles through his mouthful. Mad Boy just sits, still as the rocks. “My food not good enough for you?” the big fella laughs. “‘Well, no worries, if you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. No biggie for you, eh? Go on, fill your boots”. There was a long silence. Mad Boy stood up. Grandad’s stopped breathing, and I want to shout “Don’t do it!” but I can’t move or breathe. Mad Boy walks towards the BBQ while the big bloke grins wider than the Cheshire cat. He reaches out his hand, like he’s going to grab a snag and even Mr Smiley looks tense. The walls of the gorge start leaning in. And then Mad Boy flips the BBQ over and scatters the food, food that spills, slides away like sand. He kicks the esky, and it turns to dust. Topples the table, scattering leaves and twigs where salads once sat. All illusion. He turns to the big fella, who is looking smaller and smaller. “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’.” The big fella shimmers and twists. The smile is gone, and his face is a rictus of hatred. The willy-willy rises again from the ground, lifting and covering them both and, when it retreats to the far end of the gorge, all that is left is Mad Boy, hugging his knees and murmuring words of thanks and praise. The tree’s got no leaves left and the cocky’s looking pretty ruffled. “We need to take that boy home, Grandad, get him to a hospital,” I say. “We’re going crazy with him.” “Not yet,” the old man says. “Not yet. It’s not finished yet. Don’t be afraid. He’s a strong one.” Mad Boy rebuilt his fire. The flames dancing on the rock faces, like a rave without the music. A silent corroboree moving around him, keeping him safe. He slept. We slept. Mad dreams and Grandad singing all night. In the morning, bright light and the smiling man back again. 29
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