Red Black-Eyed And Bony

Baby Pierre thinks it must be night time.

But how would he know?

It's dark on the benthic sea floor.

He can feel the sea grasses moving, this way, that way.

Hrch-hrch, is that what they say?

No, that's not the sea grasses.

It's Didier, who has come down to mock him.

Hrch! Bonsoir little pebble. Dark isn't it.

Baby Pierre ignores Didier.

But perhaps that is foolish.

He might know the time.

What time is it? asks Baby Pierre casually, as though he is asking the general surroundings.

Who wants to know? asks Didier.

No one, says Baby Pierre. But if someone did, what time would it be?

Time to ask what the time is, says Didier.

Don't tease him, says Ruby Sea Dragon.

Did anyone else drop by this afternoon? asks Baby Pierre. Someone pretty?

No, says Didier. Just the net, yesterday.

I'm pretty, says Ruby Sea Dragon.

She is, agrees Didier. Red, black-eyed and bony.

Are you waiting for someone? asks Ruby Sea Dragon.

Yes, says Baby Pierre, I'm waiting for my rescue.

Can I watch? asks Ruby Sea Dragon.

Yes, says Baby Pierre. It should be any minute.

Can I bring my friends? asks Ruby Sea Dragon.

Yes, says Baby Pierre.

He thinks it will be nice to be surrounded by pretty red sea dragons.

.........

Ageless is aghast to learn that Baby Pierre has fallen overboard.

And nobody seems to have cared.

He fell in? says Ageless.

Yes, says Andrew Dempster. We didn't worry too much. We thought Arthur would see him.

And he didn't? says Ageless heavily.

No I didn't, says Arthur.

And then a storm blew up, says Mary-Emily.

Excuses, excuses.

Sylvia and Ted the ecologists are listening. They don't like what they hear.

Someone has drowned and no one has done anything.

Shall we call the coastguard? asks Sylvia.

No, says Ageless. I'll rescue him.

You! says Gaius. I thought you couldn't go down there.

Yeah, says Sweezus. Too deep.

I don't normally, says Ageless, but in the circumstances.

Do be careful, says Kobo.

Skewers! says Ageless, taking manly charge of the situation.

He is looking at Arthur. Does Arthur still have the skewers?

Arthur reaches deep into his shorts pocket. And pulls out a handful of skewers.

Ageless takes the skewers, and wrapping the red patty pan round them skitters into the roiling spitting shallows. Seconds later, he disappears below the black surging waves.

Good, says Gaius. I'll be glad to get Baby Pierre back without doing anything.

Sweezus, Arthur and Ferdy, Kobo, Brianna and the Dempsters feel much the same way.

Even the ecologists Sylvia and Ted have to agree it's a happy solution.