Beset By Female Devils

It's Janice, with a torch. She shines it through the open widow on to Gaius.

He opens his eyes. Who is it? He is blinded and can't see a thing.

Janice says nothing. She swings her legs over the window sill and sits there, facing into the bedroom.

Gaius sits up on the bed.

Good! says Janice. You're not wearing dad's pyjamas.

Of course I'm not, says Gaius. Is that Janice?

Yes, says Janice. Do you know what would have happened if you had been?

Had been what? says Gaius. 

Wearing them, says Janice. 

No, says Gaius. What? 

Never mind, says Janice. You're not, so it doesn't matter. I'm going. Do you still want the window open?

No, says Gaius. You never know what might come in.

Janice swings her legs back over the window sill and jumps down to the decking outside.

Bang goes the window.

Gaius can't sleep now. Dad's pyjamas.....seagulls..... biscuits......! 

His stomach hurts.

He takes out his phone to call Arthur.

.............

Meanwhile, at Magazine Point, Sweezus, Jazzman and Pete are discussing opportunities.

It's fine for you Pete, says Jazzman. There'll always be snakes.

Yeah, says Pete Turner. And I'm not going anywhere. This is my country.

Yeah but it's different for me, says Jazzman.

Start something up, says Sweezus. You've got qualifications. 

Nah, says Jazzman. Well yeah, I've got qualifications.....but no entrepreneurial spirit, like you've got. 

You reckon? says Sweezus. I'm not sure. I never caught any cuttlies. 

You got a recipe, says Jazzman.

You got a recipe? says Pete. That's a start.

To this hotbed of high flying entrepreneurial discussion comes Arthur, back from his pee.

I saw wombats, says Arthur.

Blow me. And you're still with us? says Pete. 

They weren't too friendly, says Arthur

Never are, says Pete. Not now they've got mange. At least you didn't fall down their hole.

Arthur sits down on a rock. His phone rings.

It's Gaius.

Arthur, says Gaius. Where are you?

Out, says Arthur. Under the stars with the wombats. On the rocks. Near the sea.

Very helpful, says Gaius. I am in bed in a house overlooking the marina, beset by female devils stealing my biscuits and accusing me of wearing the wrong pyjamas and it now seems entirely possible my cocoa was poisoned.......

His voice fades. Arthur's phone has run out of battery.

Was that Gaius? asks Sweezus. Where is he?

With female devils, says Arthur. At the marina. Should we go and see?

Yeah, says Sweezus. Coming you guys?

Too right! says Jazzman.

Yeah! says Pete.

Who says there's nothing to do in the country after ten o'clock? Hell, make that midnight at least!