Tattoo

Time to go, Lavender, said Baby Pierre.

But Lavender was already at the front door.

Are you really my cousin? asked Baby Pierre, as they waited at the bus stop.

Your mummy's my auntie, said Lavender. So's Kobo.

They're not really sisters, said Baby Pierre. Mummy's a stone and Kobo's a fossilised clam.

I'm not a stone or a fossilised clam, said Lavender.

What are you? asked Baby Pierre. You look like a stone to me.

The stone part's not me, said Lavender. I'm the indentation.

You mean you're a hole? said Baby Pierre, astonished.

I'm the space where a shell used to be, said Lavender.

Baby Pierre found this hard to believe. She was saying she didn't exist.

Girls! he thought. They just make things up.

The bus came along. They got on. The bus passed some shops.

Oh look, Baby Pierre! said Lavender excitedly. Lords of Ink! It's a tattoo parlour! I always wanted a tattoo.

Baby Pierre was disgusted.

How can you get a tattoo, he said, when you're just empty space?

Lavender's face fell. Baby Pierre felt sorry.

I suppose you could get one on your bottom, he conceded.

But Lavender did not brighten up.