Recap
- Karl tells Mal that he's got no stickability. Mal is very cross that he's apparently disappointing Karl.
- Catherine tells Stonie that he's helping her with environment day this evening.
- Karl tells Libby and Susan that he thinks Mal has signed up for a religious cult.
No.28
Libby finds the whole idea very funny and wonders if Mal will cut up bedsheets for ceremonial robes(!) Susan thinks they would have noticed, but Karl says that there is no "type" for a cult. Mal has been restless and lost interest in studying, so it all fits. Karl decides to go down to the Coffee Shop to confront Mal.
Coffee Shop
Karl is apologising to Mal for putting pressure on him about his University course. Mal is busy making food and tells Karl to get out of his way. Karl presses his point on "Druidic Light" calling him.
KARL: It's alright, I understand. You're not the first young person to get seduced by one of these cults.
Mal scoffs and assures Karl that he hasn't joined a cult(!)
No.28
Phil tells Susan that Melissa is settling in quite well. He wonders how long Melissa will be staying with them. Susan thinks the Drenths will eventually come round, and they do love Melissa and care about her education. In the meantime, Phil will try to keep things as normal as possible.
SUSAN: In fact, we could all use a bit of that, couldn't we?(!)
The Pub
Catherine and Stonie are looking at the menu. Catherine is a bit agitated and tells Stonie that she doesn't think he cares about environmental issues. Catherine wants to go to the media. Apparently one of her friends in NSW chained herself to a bulldozer, and they should do the same. And she's got a plan that involved Stonie.
By a wall, the next day
Catherine wants Stonie to abseil down the wall to display their environmental posters. He looks rather doubtful.
No.28
Karl asks Mal if he went out after work. He says he thought he'd give live sacrifice a miss(!) Karl goes on about University again and Mal sighs. Apparently Karl has had a lot of telephone messages from various University clubs, including the cult, so he now realises that someone was playing a joke on Mal. He apologises for accusing him of joining a cult. Mal still doesn't know what to do with his life, though.
Coffee Shop
Stonie is deep in thought. He starts asking Phil about phobias. Phil says he's claustrophobic and couldn't go into the vault when he was a bank manager. It was brought on by his brother locking him in the boot of a car when Phil was ten. (Phil has a brother?!)
Wall
Stonie is having a weird daydream where he's trying to encourage himself to abseil down the wall.
Coffee Shop
Stonie drops a cup and jumps out of his reverie. Phil is concerned and asks him what's going on. Stonie confesses that he's scared of heights. But he has no choice but to abseil down a building to impress a girl.
No.28
Karl and Mal are having a rational conversation about his University career. Mal says he feels like a lost cause, but Karl insists that he isn't - his course could lead to other interests. But Mal wants to drop out and do something else - he doesn't know what yet though. He agrees to think things through.
Building
Catherine and Stonie have arrived to do the abseiling. Mal comes along and tells Stonie off for pranking him by signing him up to loads of University clubs. Stonie says he can't tell Catherine he has a height phobia and looks up at the wall in despair.
School
Susan comes across Libby crying in the corridor. Apparently she's had a chat with Rochelle, and she said Rupert was all over her at the victory party. Susan says Libby shouldn't just take Rochelle's word for it.
Building
Apparently the Student Union have said no to the abseiling. Stonie is very relieved(!) and goes on a mock- rant about the Students' Union. Catherine suddenly says she lied and they actually said yes! Also, they're going to announce it over the PA system at lunchtime. Stonie looks very worried!
CATHERINE: Warriors for the cause, Stonie, that's us!
No.28
Libby comes in and asks Susan why there are careers leaflets handing around the living room. Susan says they're for Mal - he and Karl are getting on better now. Libby says she's lucky - she's known she wants to be a journalist for a long time. She thinks Mal is talented too, and Susan asks her to say that to Mal to encourage him.
Roof of Building
Stonie and Catherine are about to abseil. They connect their equipment. Stonie looks very nervous, but Catherine pulls him on to the ledge.
No.28
Libby and Mal are having a civilised chat about Mal's future. They also talk about Brett. Mal says he feels like the odd one out in the family, but Libby insists he has lots of skills. Mal says he doesn't know what he wants. He only really went to Uni because he thought it was expected of him. Libby says he should stop worrying what other people think, and concentrate on things he enjoys doing. He thanks her.
Building
Catherine plants a massive smacker on Stonie to thank him for doing the abseiling. Stonie looks starstruck and suddenly gets brave. They count down from ten and then start abseiling. On the way down, he tells Catherine he's never done abseiling before. Suddenly his rope slips and he hurtles towards the ground, screaming.