Legs Stiffen

Gotta go, aunt Gladys, says Surfing-with-Whales. My friends are arriving.

Are you having a party ...? asks aunt Gladys.

But Surfing-with-Whales has ended the call.

Gaius pedals up to the seat where Surfing-with-Whales is sitting sideways.

How's the ankle? asks Gaius.

Could be better, says Surfing-with-Whales.

Let's hope so, says Gaius. 

He called his mother, says Roo-kai.

Yeah, says Surfing-with-Whales. She was just starting reiki when her bread rolls caught fire so she aborted.

That sounds alarming, says Gaius.

But she had done some ommms, says Surfing-with-Whales. 

Which may well suffice, says Gaius. It seems to me the most important factor is belief in the process.

Hard to sustain through a crisis of bread rolls, says Surfing-with-Whales. And then I had to talk to some random cousin. And then my aunt Gladys.

How nice, says Gaius. I myself have no family. Which does have it's good side.

Lost my concentration, says Surfing-with-Whales. 

I'll make you a poultice, says Gaius.

Great, says Surfing-with-Whales. What's in a poultice?

Various ingredients, says Gaius. Bran, flour, earth, herbs, cabbage leaves ....of course not all of them are essential.

Gaius leaves his bike and the pullalong with Surfing-with-Whales and goes off in search of ingredients for a poultice.

A pleasant enough task. It's some time since he's made a good poultice.

So I'm stuck here, says Surfing-with-Whales.

Me too, says Terence. But guess what? Little Mystic and me're getting a horse each.

In your dreams, says Surfing-with-Whales. Yeah, cool. And I'm getting a motor bike.

I thought you were getting a poultice, says Terence.

Yeah, a poultice, says Surfing-with-Whales. Hey, how's Little Mystic supposed to ride a horse?

Perch on it, says Terence. 

Does he know you have to use your knees to tell it where to go? asks Surfing-with-Whales. 

Yes he does, says Terence.

But Little Mystic did not know!

His little legs stiffen.