Page 125 of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

‘There is a line which connects us to those we love, even if they are far away. Though we cannot see the line, it makes sure that wherever we are, we are always tied to them. You are still tied to her.’

My heart fluttered. ‘Even though she didn’t get on the boat?’

‘Yes. I cannot see where the line which connects you ends. But she wishes to be found.’

‘She does?’ I asked, a little stunned.

‘Hmmm,’ Yarran mused again, melodically. ‘You have much to do. Much to do.’

‘Do you mean that I should go looking for Elle?’

Yarran paused, as if contemplating his next words carefully. ‘The ancestors believe you have a destiny to fulfil. They will protect you, Atlas.’

‘Yarran, I really don’t understand.’

‘Sleep now. The ancestors will watch over you.’

The white light slowly turned to black, and I drifted into a blissful slumber. When I awoke, the room was dark. Inhaling deeply, I noted significantly less pain in my chest. I was in no doubt that my ribs were still very much broken, but I was able to breathe freely. I even found I could sit up and stand with relative ease. Buttoning up my shirt, I opened the door to the shack, and was greeted by the still of the outback night. The full moon shone brightly down onto the sea of shafts in front of me, depicting an alien landscape filled with vast craters.

The high-pitched squeaks and chirps of desert frogs echoed across the plain, punctuated only by the rare sound of a dingo howling. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and turned to see Yarran.

‘Yarran. I feel much better. Thank you!’ I gave him a thumbs up.

Yarran nodded and held out a pile of what looked like freshly picked herbs and flowers. ‘Drink down,’ he said, handing them to me.

‘Thank you. I shall.’ I dithered for a moment. ‘It was very good to talk to you earlier.’ He stared blankly back at me, and I berated myself for ascribing my dream to Yarran’s spiritual powers. ‘Anyway. I really do feel a lot better.’

Yarran turned and waved back over his shoulder. ‘Come,’ he said, and started to walk out into the open desert behind the shack. I followed him, and we must have walked for ten minutes or so, with the ground lit up before us by the brightness of the moon. Then Yarran stopped, and sat cross-legged on the dusty ground. I mirrored him. He pointed to the sky. ‘Ancestors,’ he said.

I looked up, and the sight that greeted me took my breath away. The stars shone down as I had never seen them before. An array of brilliant, twinkling majesty hung above us. Orion, Taurus, Perseus, Pleiades... The constellations themselves were ablaze with wonder.

‘Yarran... the stars... I have never seen them like this...’

‘Always here,’ Yarran replied. ‘But you don’t see. Spirit broken. Getting better.’

I was humbled by the sheer breadth of the shimmering sky. In that moment, I saw life in the dark and warmth in the cold. I turned my eye to the Seven Sisters.

‘Hello, old friends.’

I absorbed their splendour, silently apologising for forgetting all they had done for me during my life’s journey. After all, it was they who had delivered me to safety during my impossible journey as a young boy. Without them, I would be lying dead on a bed of Siberian snow. I still believed that the sisters had sent me Elle, and Landowski, and Brouilly, and Pip and Karine and Archie Vaughan. Not to mention Kitty Mercer and her brother Ralph.

‘All right,’ Yarran said, standing. ‘Home.’ Without so much as a goodbye, he continued walking away from the mines.

‘Hang on a moment, Yarran, the village is back this way.’ He waved me away. ‘Please, come back and stay the evening. We’ll take you home on horseback tomorrow!’

Yarran turned back to me. ‘No,you, home.’ He pointed up to the sky again.

‘Wait, you mean I’m supposed to go home? To Coober Pedy? Or did you meanhomehome? Switzerland? Yarran!’ I cried.

He paused and turned to me once again, a broad smile on his face. ‘Much to do.’

Those three words... he’d said them in the dream. ‘I knew it... Am I to go looking for Elle, Yarran?’ He continued to walk away from me, and did not turn around this time. ‘Please stop. I can’t let you disappear into the outback! It’s not safe!’

Yarran laughed loudly, and wandered off into the still Australian night.

Knowing it was a lost cause, I made my way back to my underground abode.

After my encounter with a member of the Ngangkari, I feel enlivened... dare I say, even hopeful? There is air passing through my lungs, which is more than can be said for those who I have lost. Father, Pip, Karine, Archie... I owe it tothemto get up and live my life.