Eliminations

Kobo stares at the till.

She imagines a robbery.

Not her.

A robber.

A man.

He runs in and threatens her.

No. He ignores her.

He smashes open the till with a hammer, grabs a fistful of Bajan dollars and runs, dropping a twenty dollar note in his haste, which is now Kobo's, because she has found it.

The woman comes back with a small pair of pirate pantaloons.

Your friend back yet? asks the woman.

No, says Kobo.

Okay, says the woman. We'll wait.

........

Griff wakes up, when Nose noses his elbow.

Whaaa-tsis? splutters Griff.

I need.... begins Nose.

Ha-ha-ha! laughs Griff, seeing her in the cutlass shorts, which look funny.

What? says Nose.

You look funny, says Griff.

Nose is offended.

She is NOT going to ask this man for twenty dollars.

She stalks off, in the direction of Bridgetown.

Griff rolls over in his banana lounge. Then a thought hits him.

Gaius won't be best pleased to come back and find his bandicoot missing.

Griff hauls himself up, and heads off in the direction that Nose took.

Not a moment too soon, thinks Reception, dragging the banana lounge into the shade.

........

Gaius returns a few moments later.

Where is everyone? asks Gaius.

Gone off for the morning, says Reception.

Gaius flops down on the banana lounge, exhausted.

(Happily, it's now in the shade).

......

Ageless approaches.

Ach-hem, coughs Ageless.

Gaius stirs.

Gaius: Ageless! Where has everyone disappeared to?

Ageless: I might ask you the same thing.

Gaius: I've been up to Cherry Tree Hill, but found only a thread snake.

Ageless: Where's Kobo?

Gaius: I don't know. Where have you been?

Ageless: Out.

Gaius: May I enquire further? If only to eliminate places of interest.

Ageless: Down to the harbour. I bumped into a friend, an old sea dog.

Gaius: Is that why you smell of spirits?

Ageless: Aye. He invited me out on his vessel.

Gaius: What is the name of his vessel?

Ageless: The Revenge.

Gaius: I wonder....

Ageless: He purchased it with his own money.

Gaius: I assumed that to be the case.

Ageless: Yet he's a pirate. Ex-pirate.

Gaius: And he purchased his vessel? That is unusual.

Ageless: A gentleman pirate.

Gaius: Evidently. What's his name?

Ageless: Stede Bonnet. Like to meet him?

Gaius: I would. Perhaps he can help me locate a Barbados racer. It's proving difficult. The blind thread snake was most uncooperative.  Perhaps a sea snake would be more forthcoming.

Ageless: A sea snake!

Gaius: A long bow, I admit. But a sea voyage would be most refreshing.

Ageless: I can arrange it. My beloved would like it.

Gaius: Yes she would, but, Ageless, perhaps we should not include....

Terence (skidding across to the banana lounge, and stopping): HEY! I'm back! I had five blueberries and I talked to two pink parrots, and I fell in the water and I saw a steam mill with steam coming out. And the Colonel that lived there got killed in a duel. Pow! Where's my blood sister? When are we getting new shorts? These ones are stinky!

Gaius: .....Terence.