Stab Twist Smash

Terence's new Hawaii shorts are dry, but the cutlass shorts underneath are still dampish.

The Babybel cheeses in his pocket have sagged into wrinkly ovals.

Baldy's panda long johns are draped over a heater.

Baldy gazes out of the window, while they're drying.

Look! says Baldy. Two islands! Can we go there?

I suppose so. The tide's out, says Belle. Will you come with us, Gaius?

What? says Gaius. Where?

The islands, says Belle. Grand Bé and Petit Bé.

I may as well, says Gaius. I seem to have broken my pencil.

Splosh will have one, says Belle.

Where is she? asks Gaius.

Gone up the coast to look at the Sculptured Rocks, says Belle. She'll be back later.

Am I dry yet? asks Baldy.

You are, but not your pants, says Belle. Perhaps Terence will lend you his Hawaii shorts.

Okay, says Terence. He takes them off, further distressing the Babybel cheeses.

Baldy struggles into the Hawaii shorts. They are loose at the waist and the bottom, but otherwise wearable.

Are we all ready? asks Belle.

They head off down the stairs, out of the hotel, down the stone steps and onto the sands.

They keep walking, until they come to Bon Secours beach, and a tidal pool, where children are playing.

The children stop playing. They have seen Terence and Baldy, who (we remember) are covered in activist statements: BEWARE and THE RISING (with black and white feathers).

One of the children comes over.

Are you a bird? asks the child.

NO! says Baldy. I'm an oystercatcher.

That's a bird, says the child.

Some of us are birds, says Baldy. I'm one that isn't.

They don't even catch oysters, says the child. They catch molluscs. They stab, twist and smash them.

We catch whatever we want, says Terence. You don't know everything.

You're not one. You don't have feathers, says the child. You've just got writing.

What does it say? asks Terence.

BEWARE, says the child.

Yes, says Terence. BEWARE I stab molluscs.

Don't be so silly, says Belle. Are you guys coming? The tide won't stay out for ever. Gaius is nearly there already.

They can see him, in the distance.

He has stopped to talk to two people.

One of them is Arthur.

Arthur! cries Terence, running forward.

Baldy runs too, but his Hawaii shorts hold him back a little.

Belle gets closer. Who is the other guy, with Arthur?

Dark eyes and black hair, with a kiss curl. A floppy white collar.

Could it be? Yes it could. Papa's arch enemy.

François-René de Chateaubriand!

Of course! Grand Bé is his island.

It's got to be him.

But.... he looks kind of youngish.