Underwater Stares And A Ladder

Lake Geneva, the surface.

Oscar is pulled dripping into the boat.

My bike! cries Oscar, looking demented.

A pith hat floats up to the surface.

My brother, says Oscar, looking sad.

Is he crying, or just dripping faster?

.........

Lake Geneva, the bottom. Terence has landed.

Three Walleyes form a circle around him.

All right, a triangle.

Don't STARE, burbles Terence.

'Stare' means nothing to Walleyes.

Don't what? asks a Walleye.

Stare? says another Walleye. What's that?

What does stare mean? asks the third Walleye.

A Northern Pike overhears him.

A type of ladder, says Northern Pike.

Oh, a ladder. Why didn't he say so?

So the Walleyes now realise that Terence would like to go up to the surface, thanks to the Northern Pike's facility with languages.

Remarkable. It could only happen in Geneva.

And luckily, there is a ladder.

.........

The tourists who have rescued Oscar are worried.

Where is his mother? Where is his bike? More importantly, where is his brother?

Terence's head breaks the surface.

He has climbed up an underwater ladder. It's the ladder that would (obviously) be there at the end of the walkway for maintenance purposes.

Phew, says Terence.

The tourists help him out of the water.

He sees Oscar crying. Boo boo.

Look, boy, says one of the tourists to Oscar. Is this your brother?

It is, but it isn't his bike. Oscar keeps on crying. Big baby.

The tourists start making a great fuss of Terence.

Are you all right, little fellow?

O yes, says Terence. It was just that it was the opposite of what I'm used to. I used to live in a palace.

Aha! You live in the Palais. The Palais de Nations?

Yes, says Terence. That's the one.

With your brother?

Yes, says Terence. We live in the Palais de Nations.

It's not really a lie, more a way of getting away from the fountain.

We'll take you there, say the tourists. It's just down the road. And we were going there anyway.

Terence hopes it is dry.