ELIZABETH: [sitting] The weather is exquisite! Have you been to Tasmania before, Francis?

FRANCIS: First time. Thank you for letting me stay here—

ELIZABETH: [waving this away] Our pleasure. Half the time we think we’re a separate country from the rest of Australia.

The boys finish their lemonade.

PETER: We’ll go and clean up.

ELIZABETH: Make it snappy. I’d like you to meet Mr Turner.

The boys exit.

Did you speak to them about their trip?

WILLIAM: They’re determined.

ELIZABETH: They should consider something less hazardous.

WILLIAM: It’s part of the attraction.

MR TURNER emerges from the temple behind them, lost and confused.

ELIZABETH: That Francis, he’s a strange boy. I watched him playing tennis from the balcony. He plays with such ferocity.

WILLIAM: It’s why I like him, he’s had to fight so hard to get where he is.

MR TURNER: Hello?

ELIZABETH turns around.

ELIZABETH: Mr Turner! [Rushing to his aid] Stay where you are.

MR TURNER: Where am I?

ELIZABETH: On the steps of the temple.

MR TURNER: Temple?

ELIZABETH grabs him and escorts him to the chairs.

ELIZABETH: I’ve been looking everywhere for you.

MR TURNER: [still confused] I thought I was in the garden, and then…

ELIZABETH: Sit down… Some lemonade? [Pouring it without waiting for an answer] You seem flustered.

WILLIAM: How are you, Mr Turner?

MR TURNER: Is that you, Mr Archer?

WILLIAM: Yes.

ELIZABETH: [putting the glass in his hand] There you are. You certainly won’t be going home empty-handed, Mr Turner. The Greek tragedy wrought a financial miracle.

MR TURNER: I was lost.

ELIZABETH: Excuse me?

MR TURNER: I thought I was in the garden. I smelt roses. Flowers. And then I stepped into another world. I felt like Alice in Wonderland. I said ‘Hello’ and it echoed all about me. I was lost. I thought I was dead.

The Archers have no idea what he is talking about.

SCENE THREE

The wilds of south-west Tasmania, evening. Two lanterns sit on the ground. FRANCIS, tired and dirty, rests against his knapsack looking at a map in the frail light cast by the lantern. He eats some biscuits.

FRANCIS: [to himself] Jesus…

Silence.

[Calling] Are you alright?

No answer.

Peter?

PETER: [off] Coming!

FRANCIS returns to his map.

FRANCIS: Could be anywhere… anywhere.

A noise comes from the bush behind him. FRANCIS looks.

Peter?

Silence.

Is that you, Peter?

Silence. There is nothing. FRANCIS returns to his map. PETER enters from another direction, exhausted and dirty.

PETER: Got bloody caught up in the Bauera.

FRANCIS: The what?