The next continent was Australia5.
He had previously marked out Melbourne as his chosen pit stop.
The Quantas passenger aircraft was being loaded on bay forty-six.
Edan hid himself.
Like any busy airport, GIG was a hive of activity. Vehicles of all sizes drove in and out in quick succession.
Contents were transferred and papers signed.
Aircraft engineers carried out routine on the ground physical inspections. Cabin cleaners tidied up any mess left behind by previous passengers. To the outsider, airport operations may look manic but each team knows what they have to do. Getting the plane ready for its timely flight was too important to sabotage.
Edan waited like a lone vulture, patient.
He'd done this before.
He understood what he planned to do was dangerously risky. Nothing guaranteed.
All he hoped was the same level of good luck he had the previous time.
With no money in his pocket, he'd spent a few months in Rio than he'd planned.
Who could have known it would happen to him? But it did.
He'd slept rough.
He'd been hungry.
He'd begged money from strangers to buy food in order to survive.
It also taught him a few hard life lessons.
Some people were generous to a stranger. Some were absolutely rude. Others? Well, they crossed pavements to avoid him.
His communication skill didn't help his situation very much. He hardly spoke nor understood any Portuguese.
He had experienced the stark reality of hard living. He knows for sure how an easy life can suddenly become a nightmare with unexpected outcome.
This will be lesson 101, notable for anyone who may desire the lure of a foreign land.
Enough speaking knowledge of the local language is essential to making a sensible conversation which may help save a life.
Presently, it was getting late.
The sun had already set a few hours ago and his legs were hurting from standing. Yet there seemed no end to the amount of personnel milling around.
Then, they closed the loading bin. It was an indication the aircraft was loaded.
Edan was gutted.
The last time he tried, it worked out perfectly. He was so confident it would be easy passage again he did not consider the possibility of a return trip to the airport if he was unable to board. Meaning, he'd have to sleep rough again and he hated it.
But tomorrow's stories were yet to be written. So, with a new day comes new hope that he would find a way to get on board. Then he heard two people arguing.
One was bald and stocky. Mid thirties maybe. His partner in crime was younger and looked like he spends enough time in the gym lifting weights.
His upper arms were as large as Rambo's biceps.
Both were shouting over each other.
Bad language was thrown right, left and centre without thought.
Edan believed a punch-up was imminent.
Although he was fairly amused by this kind of vexed bravado, he had no idea what was being said or what the commotion was about. One thing he did know for sure was that something must have gone terribly wrong somewhere.
The younger one was swinging his right arm round and round as though he was about to lunge into his opponent.
Edan crouched down and watched in total disbelief as the two kept up the rant.
He recalled what his father once told him: "people who often use bad language to express an argument usually have limited vocabulary of words to choose from."
Then the aircraft's luggage bin door swung open again.
Edan rose to attention.
A third person wearing yellow visibility jacket joined the party.
They were all talking loudly and pointing fingers aggressively at each other.
The one who came out last wearing the visibility jacket jumped into the ramp truck and drove to position the ramp at the base of the aircraft's open luggage door.
The bald one still talking, raced up the ramp and disappeared into the plane.
The gym guy wasn't impressed.
He tapped his feet on the tarmac irritably while he waited.
Moments later, Edan noticed as one, two and three suit cases landed on the base ramp. It was his moment of realization.
Obviously one or all of them had made the mistake of loading baggage that was not supposed to be on the aircraft.
A button was pressed and the ramp belt reversed into descending mode.
The bald guy stood at the door with his hands akimbo. He watched the gym guy unload the baggage off the bottom end.
Afterwards, he sat on the ramp with his legs stretched together in his front taking the slow ride on descent.
He was half way down the ramp when the same third party switched off the motor. The bald guy sat suspended on the ramp.
He fumed with rage and hurled more abuse at the naughty driver. Poor baldy.
Two against one isn't usually a fair fight.
The driver and the gym guy both laughed as they drove off with the discharged load.
Edan felt sorry for baldy.
Baldy looked down from the ramp.
He could easily have made a jump for it, but he didn't. He was terrified.
Instead he rolled on his stomach and managed to slowly push himself downward until he was at the foot of the ramp.
Like a wounded bull he madly charged off in the direction of his deserters.
Edan could not believe his good luck.
Just when he thought his chances of getting any closer to the aircraft was next to zero, this handsome opportunity was literally thrown open for him. He charged forward as fast as his legs could carry him. Up the ramp and into the plane.
As he got his breath under control, he heard some commotion outside.
At first, he thought the quarrelsome gang had realized they hadn't closed the aircraft's luggage bin.
Hence had returned probably to complete the job, he assumed.
Inside, he saw stacks of freights similar to the one he'd used as a hide out in the flight from New York.
He went speedily from one to another, yanking on the door handles. Nothing happened. The voices outside sounded ever closer and he needed to hide urgently. He heard feet running up the ramp. Someone was definitely coming up the ramp. If he wasn't so sure before, he was now. He pulled again. One handle snapped open. He slid in quickly and shut the door.
"You haven't been drinking again Olem, have you?" Chuck Dibie said in a tone riddled with soft sarcasm as they rushed in.
Edan on the other hand was breathing hard and fast after his run.
His heart was throbbing like a misfired boat engine and he was pouring with sweat.
He tried to hold his breath.
As he did, he knew it was a bad idea. It was not going to work. His spare hand flew across his face instead, covering both his mouth and nose in order to hold back the wheezing from his breathing.
"Shhh!"
"Don't shhh me young man," Chuck said aloud in protest. "You must know by now that when you drink, you see doubles."
Olem did not respond.
He was focused. His ears were alert like a hunter sensing a cunning prey.
Inside the freight, Edan too could hear foot movements. Then nothing. He would hear voices again. And then quiet.
He suspected they waited for him to make a sound that would betray his hide.
Olem was convinced that he saw someone. But with Chuck being more of a nuisance than helpful, he wasn't so sure.
Chuck was about to say something when Olem glanced sharply at him. He raised his hand to Chuck which was a signal not to move and to be quiet.
Olem strained his ears for any minor sound or movement. Nothing!
Like a diligent amateur detective, he stuck his ear against a few random freights. They were cold and lifeless.
He listened intently.
Again, nothing!
And then without any warning whatsoever, he banged rapidly on the last one causing Chuck to scuttle for safety in fright.
"Come on Olem. Good try. Even you could see there's nobody here but us."
Olem rolled his eyes at him and grunted.
Maybe he must have seen wrong.
Maybe it was time he got his eyes checked.
Finally, but with great reluctance, Olem joined his mate and they made their way down the ramp.
Shortly thereafter, Edan heard the baggage bin door close.
Another narrow escape, but he made it.
The flight was long and tiring. One he'd never wish to do again under the same circumstance.
Thirty-five-hours flight was a long haul.
And with a few stopovers along the way, it felt like a never ending painful expedition.
He couldn't use the bathroom at leisure but was under no pressure to go.
As for food and water, luck was on his side. He had the small pleasure of a few bars of chocolate and two bottles of still water he'd brought along.
That apart, his other companions when he last checked were pitch darkness, all sorts of baggage and loaded containers.
A few times along the way his sleep was interrupted.
With each waking moment, he was soon to realize the journey wasn't yet over.
Two occasions were the most dramatic in his mind. One was what he believed was a sharp drop in altitude. As if the aircraft had taken a nose dive without control.
As if plunging a few hundred miles out of the sky before it steadied.
The incident had lasted only a few seconds, but it frightened the hell out of him. Another was air turbulence.
That was weird and terrifying in one unit.
It felt as though the aircraft was ploughing through rough tarmac on flat tyres over joined-up speed bumps.
The impact was terribly violent. The entire aircraft was so badly shaken; he thought it would all come apart.
Thankfully and to his relief, it didn't.
When eventually he heard the sound of the luggage bin swing open, he still wasn't sure whether it was another stop-over or their final destination.
Edan braced himself.
He listened and waited.
He was tearfully overjoyed when he heard the sound of the crane latching onto the luggage bin door.
By all account, this has been the worst journey he'd ever made in such condition. He got up and felt cramps in his legs. But it was nothing compared to his upgraded desire to get out and get on.
It wasn't long before the cargo unloading exercise began.
He heard people talking. There were two voices at least, maybe three.
But it was a little while before he felt his freight being moved. Later, he felt the freight being lowered into a carriage cart.
Edan heaved a sigh of relief. Even then, his heart was beating faster than Usain Bolt could run one hundred metres.
As the cart drove away with its hidden occupant, Edan bravely cracked open the door and peeked out.
He was greeted by the most amazing rays of sunlight. The sight of which brought back longing tears of home to his eyes.
It also gave him comfort and hope because guess what, he'd survived what has been the longest most uncomfortable journey of his entire life. He shut all that out of his mind. He needn't be distracted, not now. He'd rather think ahead.
The cart drove through an unexpected bump. It rocked and threw Edan.
He banged his head onto the side panel of the freight. It was an accident but didn't feel very nice.
He wanted to growl but didn't. If he did, he may risk drawing attention to himself.
That was the last thing he needed.
Not with his illegal hiding in a freight and hoping not to be discovered. He gritted his teeth. It was the sensible thing to do under the circumstance. It also helped make his sharp pain go away.
Then the cart stopped moving. He heard voices approaching. He waited. He knew he was the stowaway that no one else knew was there. If the door was ever opened, his armour was the element of surprise. He tensed, and his heart beat raced.
He didn't have to wait too long though.
Shortly after, the door swung open. Two men stood in front of him with eyes wide. Their jaws dropped open in shock.
"Out of my way!" Edan screamed.
One of the men fell backwards. He had his hand clasped to his chest as though having a sudden heart attack. The second jumped aside as Edan charged forward and made a run for it with suitcase in hand.
Stunned, he looked in the direction of the stowaway. But rather than chase after the fleeing young man, he rushed to his mate who was still rolling on the floor.
"Are you all right mate?"
His mate grimaced. "Give me your hand please. Help me get up."
"Shall I call first aiders or an ambulance?"
"No need," said the first man as he rose to his feet.
"Are you sure you don't need seeing to?"
"No! Thanks. I thought I saw bright lights when it happened. It must have been the shock of the unexpected," he replied.
"As long as you're sure."
"I'm fine. Honest. Thanks anyway."
Then he turned around.
"Did you see where the stowaway ran off to?"
"Yea, he headed south. I'm sure he was frightened too. Poor lad! It really touches my heart to see the level of risk some of these people are willing to take to find a better life," said the second man.
"We'd better alert security."
"You think that's a good idea?"
The first man stared at him. It was a dirty stare, as though he said something he shouldn't.
"What? The son of a bandit nearly caused me a cardiac."
"I know. But the poor thing was frightened as we were. Could you imagine being holed up in a container like this for however long the flight took to get here?"
"No, I couldn't imagine it. Honestly, I don't want to imagine anything as far as that weasel is concerned. He's broken our immigration rules, fact. You may have sympathy for this kind of people. Seriously! I don't," said the first man almost in anger.
"Are you not being too hard on the young man without knowing his story?"
"It may seem so, Steven. But the world is not even for all. Some people have more hard time than others. Believe me, I get it. But you don't allow smugglers into your domain without permission. The young man might have the most heart-breaking story to tell. Nothing wrong with that. But he should tell it to the right people and in the right way. FACT! You don't give room for anyone to steal into your country, period. Because that's what it is. That's why there are land, sea and air borders. OK mister Samaritan, tell me this? What would you do if you found a stranger in your home eating your food uninvited?"
The comparison struck a chord.
Steven winced at the thought and spat on the floor. The thought of helping out those in dire need has always been a noble idea.
In practice however, it usually is difficult to fulfil.
The word stranger and uninvited suggests roguish crook. Hence, the thought of such being too comfortable in his home in one sentence wasn't going to go down too well.
"Who's calling security, you or me?" said Steven.
"I am," said the first man.
In the meantime, Edan was in the queue heading down toward the exit escalators.
At the foot of the escalator he noted the presence of two bulky men in uniform.
No doubt they were security officers waiting to arrest him. With both muscled arms folded across their wide chest they looked the part, scary.
They stared directly into the faces of each passenger coming down the escalator like they knew who they were after.
For a moment, Edan panicked. There was only one way down. Going back up was not an option.
His heart was thumbing faster than ever before. Hold your nerve Edan, hold your nerve. Don't do anything silly to attract attention to yourself, he told himself.
Nervous though, he held his breath for a moment and managed to keep a straight face as he stepped off the escalator.
But only just.
His knees were weak. And as he walked past the officers he grinned.
Still expecting a tap on the shoulder or an arresting word to his ear, he carried on walking. Nobody said a word.
He took a well deserved deep breath to calm his nerves. But curiosity got the better of him. And then he did something stupid.
He looked behind him. It was for a split second. But when he turned forward, he walked straight into a tall, bulky looking Police woman. It felt like he'd hit a wall.
His suitcase dropped to the floor.
At that moment, his heart sank.
It looked like he'd finally come to the end of the road.
The thought of not completing his mission filled him with dread. All along he'd been determined to prove his doubters wrong.
But the moment he was spotted, it was game-over. He knew it was only a matter of time before he was apprehended.
Still, he believed he was going to get away with it somehow. Anyway, there was no point in regrets now. The journey so far has been a collective burst of adrenalin he would hardly forget. It has been an experience of a lifetime.
"Are you all right?" said the female officer. To Edan's surprise, her voice did not match her size. She was huge. At full standing height of about 6 foot 6 inches, she'd put most men to shame with ease.
So he'd expected deep and husky. What Edan heard was a small kindly voice.
He picked up his suitcase and waited to be read his rights of arrest.
"I'm terribly sorry," the officer apologized.
Edan recovered quickly.
His eyes sparkled. He wasn't being arrested after all. It was his best news ever.
Even so, he knew he would not be too comfortable until he was far away from danger zone.
He shot a quick glance at her and grinned.
"Don't be silly officer," he said nicely.
"I should be the one apologizing. It was me who wasn't looking where I was going. But I can see no damage done to either of us. That's a good thing, right?"
She smiled. Her face was really pretty.
"So where are you off to then?"
"Who? Me? Oh, the train," Edan stuttered. "I'm taking the train into town, why?" he said boldly without giving anything away.
He did not want to appear nervous or look suspicious or anything of such. Yet his heart was racing at two hundred and fifty pulses every sixty seconds.
"It's my job to ask questions," she told him in her charming small voice and with a smile. But chatting was really a bad idea. All he wanted was to melt into the crowd.
The approaching sound of the train was his cue. He politely excused himself and got on the train. As it drove away, he caught a glimpse of her rushing out to the platform.
Later, he heard: "Good day sir!"
There was something about the greeting behind him that made him curious.
To his ears it sounded innocent with child-like warmth. He was young, unmarried with no responsibilities. Yet he couldn't help but wonder what sort of parent would let their child wander off to stalk strangers in a public beach. So, Edan had questions.
He was intrigued. He turned around and stared ahead of himself.
"Lower. I'm down here," commanded the owner of the voice. He was small all right but suddenly sounded like Joe Military, the vocal commandant in a south-eastern army garrison. Massive voice over, he thought.
Edan did not expect what happened next.
He lowered his gaze as instructed.
The little man was standing twelve inches away from him.
He was looking up at Edan while his short arms rested akimbo on his hips.
OK, he was surprised just a bit.
But only because he had read somewhere that every grown up adult in Australia ate bush tuckers, was tall and bulky like angry hairy Larry.
For him, that story now seemed not quite as appealing as was told.
Besides, the evidence was standing right in front of him.
It goes to prove a universal theory, doesn't it? That not everything one reads or hears may factually be true.
Common knowledge would suggest that many stories are terribly exaggerated over time to gain maximum effect.
It turned out there was nothing special about the Australian people.
They were no taller or shorter than anyone else. And not every adult was angry and bulky like hairy Larry.
As a matter of fact, they were just like most people he'd seen anywhere else.
They were ordinary humans with ordinary human needs.
"Hello, the day is a beauty to all things living and beautiful, isn't it? I feel so alive," he cheerfully said.
And then his face switched from soft smiley to sad trout.
Somebody was using this little person as a begging tool to swindle easy money from the kind and trusting.
In Nooruland, such practice was unlawful.
Therefore, without a second thought, Edan dropped on both knees to match the little person's level.
Peering eyeball to eyeball, he queried him:
"Where are your parents?"
"Excuse me?" retorted the little person.
Eden carried on like a retired headmaster and said: "I must say it is very irresponsible of them to let you out of their sight. They should know better. It isn't right to leave children to their own devices."
"I am the parent, wise guy. Thank you very much for noticing," said the little man.
He was a bit cross that Edan had assumed wrongly.
Edan withdrew sharply.
"What! You are? No! You are not!"
"Yes, I am!" said the little man, half raising his manly voice.
"Do I really look to you like I was born two weeks ago?"
"All right, grand-dad. Keep your jersey on. I am terribly sorry OK? It's a valid mistake," he apologised. But only in a tone loaded with sarcasm.
"You would be if you don't wipe that smirk off your silly face," threatened Shorty.
Edan smiled awkwardly.
He had not intended to cause offence. But it highlighted how easily anyone could get things wrong even with the best of good intentions.
Still, with both his knees deep in the sandy soil and leaning forward, he whispered into the little person's ear: "seen any girl with eyes like the full Moon around lately?"
Shorty was puzzled. He rolled his eyes dismissively. Then he did something which by all account he shouldn't.
He raised his short arm and pointed a finger toward a westward direction.
He had never before heard anything so non-sen-si-cal in his entire life, until now.
Edan handed him a coin. It was his peace offering and a secondary appreciation for his kindly direction. Shorty looked at the coin in his hand and clenched a fist.
"You have a good day sir. Be lucky and find your girl," he said.
Edan grinned and carried on walking until he came to a stretch of beautiful sands.
Slightly further, he thought he saw what looked like tiny shiny particles of Gold scattered before a stretch of flowing blue water. Wanting to check it out, he pushed a foot forward and then stopped.
If they were gold particles, the locals would have discovered it long before his arrival, he thought.
He was absolutely correct.
Amid the twirl and tumble of tidal waves, the chattering of voices and pleasant noises of children playing, he overheard someone shouting Middle Park beach.
Seconds later, he heard a friendly female voice from behind.
It provided a distraction.
"All right mate? Looking for something or someone?" she said in Australian English.
If truth be told, he was desperately seeking the girl with eyes like the full Moon. The girl in his dream.
Edan turned around swiftly and narrowly missed bumping into the stranger because she stood inches away from him.
What was it with the people here?
He took a step back to gain some personal space. He also wondered whether the 'in your face' invasion of space attitude was a tradition needing an upgrade. He wouldn't dare for fear of being spat at.
It seemed to be the impression those he'd met so far were impressing upon him.
Exactly what the little man did earlier on. Same thing he was witnessing here again with this girl.
Then he noticed her eyes.
Pearl green. They were the loveliest pair he had seen in a long time.
Her lips were full and kissable.
Still, when she smiled, he noticed deep dimples on both her cheeks.
It reminded him of another girl back in Nooruland called Millie with dimples.
With her hair neatly knotted in a ponytail, he noted that it swung out behind her ears anytime she moved.
"Yes, I am actually," he answered.
However, Edan was more curious with the colour of her eyes.
"I do not mean to pry, but are you wearing peal green contact lenses?"
"What do you think?" she replied.
"I am so sorry," Edan apologized.
He said: "I shouldn't have been so forward. My father had the most challenging task of reminding me as a kid..."
"I'm not offended. It's all right, honest," she said, interrupting.
"You mean that?"
"Absolutely positive," she replied.
"Well, OK, great! That's good to know," he said with confidence.
"Are you?" he asked, still wanting to know. All he needed was her confirmation.
"No. Mine's natural," she told him.
"They are lovely," he said, complimenting her. Then he added: "Maybe you might be able to help after all. I am looking for a girl with eyes like the full Moon."
The girl with Millie's dimples smiled purposely as if she knew something he didn't.
Now, where was it she heard that sort of story before? She tried to act normal but the look on her face was priceless.
The question itself was funny but she did not wish to laugh out loud in his face.
"You're kidding me! Right?" quizzed the girl with Millie's dimples.
Edan shrugged his shoulders.
"Have you not heard?"
"Heard what?" Edan said curiously, excited.
She coughed gently to clear her throat.
Then she closed in. Yet again invading on his personal space.
"Let's just say the girl with eyes like the full Moon is an old myth," she whispered.
Edan's eyes narrowed.
He wanted to tell her to shush-off and to get lost. But he didn't. That would mean being rude to a stranger.
'Always be nice to strangers you meet on life's journeys. You never know who might shine a light in your path when darkness suddenly appears,' his father always said.
"And I'm fairly sure it's unlikely you would ever find her here, in Middle Park Beach or anywhere else for that matter."
She sounded emphatic. But Edan was not impressed.
How many more times would he have to endure people's negative comments?
Can't do it. It's a myth.
Can't find it. It doesn't exist.
Can't have it. And the like? They all say.
Oh, what a bore to his brain cells.
Anyway, just because someone holds the opposite view that King Kong was not a real King isn't proof enough to determine he actually was not.
It's just their opinion at the time.
Likewise, just because some people choose to be won over by a suggestion, does not mean the opinion can never be looked at again with new evidence.
Edan knew he was prepared to defend his dream girl's case anywhere, any place and against anyone, until such new evidence proves him wrong. Or he proves himself wrong by failing to find her.
He also knew something else – when not to start an argument on myths versus dreams.
Besides, it was not the right place or time.
Rather, the chanced meeting provided the perfect timing for him to take his leave.
"Thanks, it's been very nice meeting you!" He said as he continued on his mission westward. Still no sight of his dream girl.
The experience of his previous flight had left him with food for thought. Twice he'd narrowly escaped being caught, so he knew his good luck was beginning to thin out.
Something must now change.
He needed to review his situation quickly. He needed to ask himself serious questions and face up to a few hard truths.
Finally, he came to a decision.
A decision not taken lightly even though his pride was a bit dented.
But considering the level of risk he'd already taken and the path it was leading him to; he believed it was for the best.
He did what he should have done when he discovered he'd lost his father's credit card. He called his father and humbly requested his financial assistance. It would enable him to focus more on his mission without unnecessary hazards. Presently, he'd been through a bit of starvation.
He'd slept rough in places he didn't know much about when he had to. He'd begged the kindness of strangers for his daily grub.
Worse still, he'd broken international border controls knowing too well it was the fastest one-way ticket to prison, shame and a forceful removal if caught.
But in general, it had been an adrenalin pumping risk.
He'd enjoyed every bit of the chase while it lasted. Inwardly, he knew he was heading toward the end of his rainbow.
So, to settle back once again in the tube of an air passenger plane was sheer joy.
He would be back to sharing limited leg space but at least he'd speak with normal people instead of freights and baggage.
It was great again to be served and given in-flight half blanket in case he was cold.
He could listen to a variety of music channels with his in-flight earphone. Or watch movies to his heart's content.
Aircraft meals were usually OK mostly for the frequent flyer. For Edan, it brought back almost forgotten memories of his five long years boarding as a student.
In comparison however, the aircraft meals were a bit tastier than his old dormitory food he was served long ago, he observed. Only without the watery hurriedly cooked cheap black-eyed beans every Thursday.