Not Drowning Sleeping

Later that night....

Mrs Hume and Professor Freud are asleep. At least Farky hopes so.

They are in the same room, in a bunk bed. Professor Freud is on top.

Farky is on a rug on the floor. He can't sleep.

He does what dog's do that can't sleep. Never mind what that is.

Zzzzzzz. He falls asleep.

Farky dreams.

He dreams he hears a regular squeaking noise. Mrs Hume turning over. That's all.

He drifts into deep sleep.

He is standing up on the end of a surfboard. Arthur is at the other end.

Farky plunges his nose into the crystalline water. He opens his eyes. What is this? A shark! A shark with pointy shark teeth.

Do I smell blood? says the shark, swimming closer.

Blood? Farky's not bleeding. Is it Arthur? His scabby old knees? No, Arthur is upright and whacking the shark with a paddle.

Suddenly Farky remembers his blood orange red lips. Not blood at all. He is safe. He wakes up.

It's amazing, how dreams work, thinks Farky.

It's like you're just making it up.

........

Meanwhile, in Midge's van, it's a bit of a squash. Midge and Belle et Bonne are on one blowup bed, Sweezus, Surfing-With-Whales and Arthur are packed like sardines on another.

Man, says Surfing-With-Whales. This is just like old times.

Not quite, says Sweezus.

Huh-huh, yeah, not quite, says Surfing-with-Whales. We're older now.

Arthur is not older now. He is just seventeen. He feels uncomfortable wedged between two thirty-something year olds.

Mind if we go top and tail, says Arthur.

Go right ahead, says Surfing-With-Whales. But don't bend your knees.

It's insupportable. Arthur must be able to do what he likes with his knees.

He decides he will sleep on the beach.

He gets out of Surf Fink, and walks down to the shore.

He likes the solitude here. The roar of the waves, the glitter of the moon on the water, the sound of .....shit!..... Gaius's voice!

Arthur! Is that you, Arthur?

Arthur wades into the sea.