A Cry in the Dark Page #2

I'll just be sitting outside on this

rail here, all right? Just outside, OK?

Careful not to step on

any tracks, you blokes.

Whatever we find, there's no joy for you.

You know that, don't you?

I've seen what dogs do to lambs, mate.

That one there!

You're the parents?

How big was the child?

Nine weeks. Nine to ten pounds.

- Did you double-check inside the tent?

- Of course.

- What was it wearing?

- White jump suit. Everything white.

- It was wearing white.

- White jump suit. White matinee jacket.

Stay close to the camp

in case I need you, please.

Constable!

We want our daughter returned to us,

no matter what. We want her back.

Has anyone seen the head ranger?

Jesus Christ.

Torches on!

Group C, move down that way.

Group A, down that way.

The rest of you follow me.

Spread out, please.

Keep a straight line, arm's length.

The Bible says at the Second Coming,

babies will be restored

to their mothers' arms.

Mrs Chamberlain? I'm Bobby Downs.

I'm the district nurse here.

- How long's the baby...

- A little over an hour.

No, no, no. I'm gonna throw up.

Why aren't they searching just there?

It might have dropped it this close.

I... I couldn't bear that.

If she died because

we didn't look in the right place.

There.

The baby's finished. Finished, you know?

They've been out there for ages.

We should get you to a motel.

No, we have to stay here for the police.

Besides, we don't have the money.

Oh, look!

Uh...

People!

Folks!

It's my daughter you're looking for.

And, uh...

I want to thank you all

for what you're doing.

- I'm a minister of religion.

- A bloody parson! Jesus.

I know that nothing happens

in the world unless God allows it.

And...

I know that there's

little hope any longer of...

finding our little daughter alive.

But I am thankful that...

we will see her again at the R...

at the Resurrection.

Let us pray.

Lord be with these willing

and kindly people

as they help look for our little one tonight.

Help them look...

Mummy! Do I have to stay in here?

It's all right now, Aidan.

It's like a morgue in that tent.

There's room for that over here.

Oh, that'll be all right.

I always keep it down there.

Is this an expensive motel?

You don't have to worry.

I've spoken to them.

You can stay as long as you need.

There'll be no charge.

G'day. I've put you in room 34

at the end of the path.

There's your key.

We prayed for a daughter.

He gave us a daughter.

Why would he take her away?

They should have warned us.

The signs never said.

I'd have slept them all in the car

if only I'd known. If only we'd known.

There has to be a reason.

There's got to be a reason.

We slept her in the tent.

I zipped it up when I put Reagan down.

I should have zipped it up when I put

her in, even if it was only for a minute.

What are we gonna tell

our parents, Michael?

They never even saw Azaria.

- I'm freezing.

- You can't be freezing. The heater's on.

- What are you doing?

- Getting my sleeping bag.

- You can't do that. It's got blood on it.

- Yours has. Mine hasn't.

I'm sorry, but I'm freezing.

Heating or not.

I'm so cold.

She was so little.

Mummy!

Mummy!

I'm just praying that Jesus

will keep the dingo's mouth shut,

Iike he did for Daniel in the lions' den,

and he won't let him eat our bubby.

Oh, darling. She's so little.

Jesus wouldn't let her have any pain.

But our bubby had a little cold, you know.

It's so freezing out there.

Daddy and I believe

that bubby's dead, sweetheart.

And Jesus is going to

look after her now, wherever she is.

Till he comes to take us all

home to heaven.

And she'll be better

because Jesus will make her better.

She won't have the hiccups any more.

No, that's right.

You try to sleep now.

My God!

Michael, the police are here.

Sorry, Mrs Chamberlain.

No news yet, I'm afraid.

Will you be in later for me to bring round

a notification of death for the coroner?

Oh, yes. Yes.

Or in the office phoning our parents.

Thank you.

Michael, you'd better

ring your president too.

Mummy, where's bubby?

Just put in the name of the child.

Hi, Mrs Chamberlain. Thought you might

like some help with the boys.

Oh, thanks.

I got some Lasix from the clinic.

- Beg your pardon?

- Tablets. Help dry up your milk.

Oh, yes.

And, um... you'll be needing

this breast pump most likely.

Mr Chamberlain.

There are press calling.

I had the ABC radio on the line.

They insist on talking to you.

I don't know. What would you advise?

We were just about to eat.

We heard a cry out.

My wife hurried back to the tent.

She saw a big yellow dog

coming out of the tent. Over.

It was a dingo, Michael.

Not a big yellow dog. A dingo.

Azaria Chantel Loren. Over.

- What difference does it make?

- It's not right.

It had probably stalked the baby

as we'd been there the second night.

Listen to this.

To many

this is called Ayers Rock,

but to us it will always be Azaria's Rock.

- Is that you, Mr Chamberlain? Over.

- Speaking. Over.

I was wondering whether you could take

a few photographs to run with this story.

We can't get up there to cover this,

unfortunately. There's just no way.

You do want people to be warned

about the dangers up there? Over.

He wants me to take some photographs

for his newspaper.

You don't have to if you don't want to.

She'll never have a grave.

Nothing to remember her by.

Boys. Just stand in front of

the tent for me, will you?

Keep going, if you would. Thank you.

Mr Chamberlain, when you're ready.

We were very shocked, of course,

but at that stage we still had some hope...

Can we just do that again?

That's OK. I've done some journalism

myself. I think I know what you mean.

OK, right. Rolling. And... go.

Well, it was shocking,

but we just held out some little hope.

But when we saw

the spots of blood on the tent,

we knew as we looked

that this was a very quick event.

And this morning, when we saw

the sharp, ripped, jagged marks

on that very thickly-woven blanket,

that this was a powerful beast

with very sharp teeth.

lt was more than a domestic dog

that did this.

OK, stop it there. It gets boring after this.

Now run this. I want to cut to her.

- That won't cut.

- Yes, it will if you wait till after the pan,

and put his last line over

to disguise the question.

I want some good sci-fi music to go

over this to give it some atmosphere.

News is art, huh?

We knew that

this was a powerful beast

- with very sharp teeth.

- There's more to this than meets the eye.

- ..domestic dog that did this...

- Did you hear that?

l just yelled.

There wasn't time to go and tell people.

''Has anybody got a torch?

The dingo's got my baby. ''

A dingo! They must think

we come down in the last shower!

The parents, Michael and Lindy

Chamberlain, Seventh Day Adventists,

say they've accepted the baby's death

as the will of God.

They will leave Ayers Rock

tomorrow for their Mount lsa home.

Christ.

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