The Road And The Moon

Right! Early dinner, says Elodie. Where shall we go?

I recommend the Water's Edge Café, says Carolyn. They do a great rabbit gnocchi.

Thanks, says Elodie. We'll try it.

They head out to the HiLux.

I'm off, says Baby Pierre. He gets on his bike and zooms away, heading for Lake Clifton.

I wonder how long it'll take him to get there? says Elodie.

He should be there by Thursday, says Gaius. Even Wednesday, with a favourable wind.

He's plucky, and loyal too, says Elodie.

Not to us, says Sprocket.

Good point, says Gaius. I was depending on him to help me locate peacock spiders.

And he's meant to be directing my video, says Sprocket.

You'll have to do it yourself now, says Elodie.

Yep, says Sprocket.

They arrive at the Water's Edge Café, find a table and look at the menu.

Rabbit gnocchi for me, says Elodie.

Me too, says Sprocket.

I'll have the spaghetti,says Gaius. No wait! It comes with cherry tomatoes!

So what? says Sprocket.

Poison, says Gaius.

He orders rabbit gnocchi.

When the three rabbit gnocchis arrive at the table, Sprocket takes out his phone.

Ker-click. A photo of three rabbit gnocchis.

Elodie shakes her head.

Meanwhile Baby Pierre is cycling northwards, and thinking.

He thinks about what he will say when he gets to Lake Clifton and locates his friends. Perhaps they will blame him. But it wasn't his fault. Not entirely. Everyone forgot them. But he is the one turning up. He slows down, to think harder.

What would Ageless do? Ageless never takes the blame for anything. Ageless gets in first. Ageless would say to Mouldy and First Dirty and Second Dirty: Look what you've made me do.

Yes, look what they've made him do.

But hey ho.

Baby Pierre speeds up again.

He makes up a song of the road.

O road O road
Long and wide
O moon O moon
Round and green

Just the road
And the moon
And the wheels
And the soft gravel edges.