Dead Even

Terence is back at Maricruz's house with Nina and Feebee, and the young Pesquet's parrot.

Maricruz is asking where they have been.

We went to Parque Loro, says Nina.

Terence rescued a parrot, says Feebee.

That's me, says the Pesquet.

Did you want to be rescued? asks Maricruz.

I agreed to be rescued, says the Pesquet. It's not quite the same thing. It remains to be seen whether I want to stay rescued. But I do have a dream.

So do I, says Terence.

What is your dream? asks Nina.

To go on a ferry, says Terence.

You gave up that dream to rescue the parrot, says Nina.

No I didn't, says Terence. I'm doing that next, and my parrot will take me.

The Pesquet is taken aback by this claim.

He is just a young parrot. It's his first day away from home. He misses his mother and father, and Enrico.

Balus bugarup!

Guess what that means.

.......

Sweezus, Arthur and Ying have boarded the ferry from Santa Cruz to Las Palmas.

They stand near the railing. The sea churns. Two black and red parrots fly overhead.

Sweezus is on his phone, checking out beaches.

Las Palmas, a coral barrier lines the beach and shelters swimmers. Fuck that!

Sounds nice, says Ying. Perhaps I'll go swimming.

No wait, says Sweezus. El Confital! Wild, rough and rugged.

Maybe after we meet up with Gaius, says Ying.

Mother Pesquet alights on the railing, next to Arthur.

Baleful vulturine eyes stare into blue eyes.

Blue eyes reach into their pocket, and pull out two sea urchin spines.

Mother Pesquet retreats to join Father.

I don't trust that blue-eyed one. And no sign of dear Pesky, she sighs.

Patience. They will lead us to him, says Father. We must follow in their wake.

The sea churns. The vulturine parrots fly in the wake of the ferry.

A few passengers are mildly surprised. The ones that expected to see seagulls.

........

Gaius and Kong have arrived at the hotel Kong booked them into.

Hotel Parque, near Parque San Telmo.

I thought, says Kong, since it was near a park and a bus station, it would suit us.

Good thinking, Kong, says Gaius. But before we go anywhere, we should search the corridors for spiders.

And other dark places, says Kong. Sealed rooms for example.

Yes, says Gaius. Let Daniel O'Connell out, will you.

Kong open the red Maja box.

The spicy soap scent wafts upwards.

At last! says Baby Pierre. It's been no fun in here.

I didn't know you were in there, says Kong. Glad to see you. Is Daniel O'Connell asleep?

Dead to the world, says Baby Pierre. Or dead, even.

Let us hope there's a difference.