Beware The Rising

How to describe Terence?

A cement infant cherub, covered all over in wild style lettering, except for the cutlass shorts which he got in Barbados.

Blood appears to drip from the cutlasses.

But it is only red paint.

The wild style lettering is hard to read, which is the point of it.

Gaius can't work it out.

Belle either.

See me? says Terence.

Yes, says Belle. What do the words say?

BUMHOLE, says Terence.

Oh my stars, says Belle. Do they really? Splosh How could you?

Splosh laughs, and sucks up the dregs of her frappé.

It doesn't say BUMHOLE, says Splosh. It says BEWARE!

BEWARE BUMHOLES! says Terence.

He is overexcited.

He runs a ring around Baldy.

How to describe Baldy?

A metal infant cherub, no longer orange, except for his pointing finger. On his head, elaborate curls, in bright colours. His body is covered in black and white dabs, which look like bird feathers. Across his tummy, in wildstyle lettering: THE RISING!

Who looks best? asks Terence.

Good question, says Gaius. I have a better one.

What? asks Terence.

It's not for you, says Gaius. It's for Splosh.

Fire away, says Splosh.

Would you consider joining my research team? says Gaius.

Done, says Splosh. These guys are proof of my commitment.

Crikey, Splosh, says Belle. You can't just use Terence and Baldy to prove your commitment. Anyway, what commitment?

Saving the oystercatchers from rising sea levels, says Splosh.

Bravo, says Gaius. I knew you'd come on board. I remember your wonderful work on the sepia apama, at Stony Point, when they appeared to be endangered.

That's all very well, says Belle, but what do we do about Baldy?

I'm coming, says Baldy. Where are we going?

Straight back to Le Puy-en-Velay, says Belle. You're going back to your mother.

Mama! cries Baldy.

He had forgotten her, but now he remembers.

Everything.

Including the pact with the clowns. Will she have killed them?

He can't go back with THE RISING all over his tummy, says Belle.

You couldn't read it, says Splosh.

True, says Belle. And I suppose it does look quite pretty.

And he looks nicer with curls, says Splosh. Don't you reckon?

What about me? asks Terence. Do I look nicer?

A passing family stops, and attempts to read him.

BEETLE? says dad.

BUMHOLE? says mum.

It says BEWARE, mum, says the youngest.