We Had To Drink Blood

The oystercatchers stare at the Babybel cheeses.

Is this our scrape? asks one, of the other.

It cannot be ours, says the other. We did not lay two red eggs in it.

What if it's the seagulls, getting their own back? asks the one, of the other.

If they were getting their own back, says the other, the scrape would be empty.

Good point darling, says the one to the other. And who lays red eggs around here?

No one I know, says the other.

They leave their sullied scrape, and move two metres sideways, to scrape out another.

.......

The sun will soon set. François-René and Arthur are deep in conversation.

It wasn't a serious poem, says Arthur.

Tell it to me anyway, says François-René.

Arthur recites the poem he made up in the Monoprix

En short et caleçon,
les enfants et bébés
croisent leur jambes
contre les pingouins

Curious, says François-René. Why the pingouins?

Baldy asked if he looked like a penguin, says Arthur.

He looks nothing like a penguin, says François-René.

He was trying on panda long johns, at the time, says Arthur.

François-René laughs, and opens another bottle.

Neither he nor Arthur notice that Terence and Baldy are missing.

Their little bare feet have felt the sun setting.

They have awoken.

They have felt nauseous, regretted the loss of their cheeses, and come up with a plan.

Come on, says Terence. The sand's up. Let's do it!

Okay! says Baldy.

They run.

.......

On the shore, Gaius and Belle are waiting.

There they are, says Belle.

Terence stops when he sees them. Baldy keeps running.

Uh uh uh, puffs Baldy.

Where are Arthur and François-René? asks Belle. And what's that you smell of?

We lost our weapons, says Baldy. We were hiding. We had to drink blood.

Blood, says Belle. I don't think so. I'll have a few words to say to Arthur.

Terence plods up.

We had a PLAN! Now it's ruined.

I could say the same, says Gaius. I have seen plenty of seagulls, but few other seabirds. And I still don't have a pencil.

Our plan was better, says Terence. But we lost our cheeses. They floated away.

We'll buy new ones, says Belle. That's easy. Tell me what your plan was.

Can't, says Terence.

He can't remember what the plan was exactly. But the Babybel cheeses were in it.

Eggs! says Baldy.  We were going to trick them.

Trick them? says Gaius. Trick the oystercatchers? With false eggs? Genius! Well done, Terence!

It was MY plan, says Baldy. I thought of it.

I'm the leader, says Terence.