Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Thirteen) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris
The more we define our differences the more observers notice the similarities.
She remembers Iluka revving up her Super Soco as Liam helped her onto the back. Something rubbery and tight pressed against the skin of her abdomen.
“I’ve bungeed her to you,” Liam said.
“Let you know how it goes,” Iluka said.
Rita felt herself moving but not on the Earthereal plain.
She’s on a river of sand the colour of silver under a crescent moon. The river of sand piles into a hill under her feet increasing her perspective. In the distance are giant land shapes she thinks she’s seen in pictures but the light is dim and mist flows everywhere. Walking towards her are two indigenous men, naked but for bodypainting. These men represent the poison drawn out of Australia herself. She knows the one on the right is Bamapana a member deity of the Yolngu from the Northern Territory. Covering Bamapana’s chest and abdomen is a white crocodile but with its head facing down as its tail wraps up to Bamapana’s left ear. His deep set eyes are squinting and his yellow teeth are on display in a cruel smile.
Meanwhile, to his left, with his monstrous phallus swelling is Julana. She sees that Julana has a lustful grin and realizes what he intends when he rapidly digs into the sand. Rita grimaces. Julana is a rapist. She tries to run but her right calve muscle burns and refuses to let her move.
“Muldjewangk belongs to this island,” Bamapan says while continuing to walk towards her. “You don’t so Muldjewangk attacked and now you are here with me. I can’t stop what Julana is going to do to you but that could be it. Stay out of the business of Australia. The humans will all die but some of us can change into creatures that will survive.”
She sees a projected image of a coiled rainbow snake appear on Bamapan’s chest. “No,” she replies clasping her hands over her head. “Better tell your father Nijirana to come save you Julana,” she continues under her breath.
The change is more than she can handle and she may never be able to leave the Dreamtime again but she won’t let Julana defile her. “Wish you were here Marlo,” she whispers into the mist swirling around her. She calls to the soil of Australia to tell her what to transform into. Her eyesight grows wider. The strange sense of leaning too far forward fills her. Her body feels as though it’s wrapped around itself.
Julana bursts out of the sand before her. She sees an easy target and strikes.
“Your friend Zsofia is here,” she vaguely hears Aurora telling her. She starts to get up but Aurora pushes her back down. “Iluka said she used the salve in your dilly bag just in time. Australia is full of poisonous animals and plants. I should have warned you. I guess we don’t notice it because we grow up learning about them.”
“Hey Rita,” Zsofia says from the doorway to her basement apartment. Zsofia steps up to her with a cloth. Rita feels Zsofia’s hand wiping away sweat from her forehead. “You need to heal. Lots to do in little time.”
Blue Mountain Jenolan Caves background pic by Peter Samuel with Rita Walker body makeup by @amasonart Alannah Mason, model Taylor Norris, picture of model by Dan Watt
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