Kakadu Calling Read Free Page A

swimming in a shallow rock pool. They cooked the crabs on the fire, and then once again, built it up with wood and green leaves.

    Some time had passed when Bulak shouted to Namanji, ‘I can see smoke on the island! They’re coming for us!’

    The boys waited anxiously before they finally saw a motorboat heading towards the island. They sprinted down to the beach and saw that it was their father steering. They waved excitedly and as the boat pulled up, the boys went splashing into the water and hauled themselves up to give their father a hug. Their father took a good look at them and when he was satisfied that they were both all right, he dropped the boat’s anchor. He jumped into the water and together they went back up to the beach to sort out the fishing gear.
    Before they left, they pulled the canoe high onto the beach, way beyond the high-tide mark. They would return another day to pick it up. For now, the boys were keen to get home and see their family. As they motored back to their island, they could see all their family and friends gathered on the shore to greet them. Everyone was happy to see the two boys and they wanted to know what happened.
    â€˜It’s a long story,’ said Namanji. ‘Bulak and I will tell you later.’

Visit to the City

    M ardjibi lived with her family on a remote outstation about twenty kilometres from Oenpelli, a community in the Northern Territory.
    One day, Mardjibi’s father had an accident while he was working. He had broken his leg and because there were no doctors or nurses on the outstation, he had to be flown to hospital in Darwin by the Royal Doctor Flying Service.
    Darwin was the nearest city to their home and it was nearly 300 km away. Mardjibi and hermother, and the baby, Gillie, were allowed to go too, but Mardjibi’s older brothers would have to stay behind with their uncle.

    This was to be Mardjibi’s first ride on an aeroplane. When her mother strapped her into her seatbelt and the plane engines were starting, she became very frightened. Her mother held her hand and told her that everything would be all right. When the plane sped down the runway and took off into the air, it made Mardjibi’s stomach very fluttery and she squeezed her eyes shut. After a while, when she heard her mother and father laughing together, she began to relax. She even felt brave enough to look out the window.
    Way down below, Mardjibi could see beautiful billabongs with waterlilies and lots of birds swimming on the water. There were wild buffaloes too, and from so high up in the sky, they looked like small insects. Further on she could see anthillsof all different shapes and sizes. Their strange shapes made them look like people dotted across the country.

    It wasn’t too long before her mother said that they were about to land at the Darwin airport. Mardjibi looked down and saw tall buildings and roads, and cars going this way and that way. She closed her eyes, and clutched the arms of her seat as the plane flew down from the sky and landed on the runway with a big bump. They sped along and the plane finally came to a stop. Climbing down off the plane steps onto the airport tarmac, the ground felt hard and hot. Mardjibi was used to dirt under her feet, not this hard ground.
    An ambulance was waiting to take her father to the hospital, and Mardjibi and her mother and sister caught a taxi to their auntie’s house.

    Mardjibi’s mother had to do some shopping while they were in Darwin, as they all needed new clothes and thongs. The next morning they rode to the big shopping centre in a taxi. When they got to the sliding doors at the entrance, Mardjibi was very surprised to see the doors open by themselves. As they walked through, she got frightened that the doors would close and she would be crushed, so she let go of her mother’s hand and quickly ran through.
    The shopping centre was freezing cold and so were the floors. Mardjibi