Midnight. It's dark.
Gloria is flitting back to the cabin.
On the way she sees Sweezus and Arthur, walking slowly.
She stops near them and hovers.
Hey, says Sweezus.
Hello! says Gloria. You're just the fellows!
Sweezus knows what this means.
It'll be about Terence. Or about the delivery. Or yeah, maybe Gaius sent her. Lost his pencils.
What's up?
Brace yourselves. Ageless has been taken hostage, says Gloria.
No kidding? says Sweezus. Where?
Back there in the river, says Gloria. He's moulting.
Who thinks we'd want him? asks Arthur.
Kambel, says Gloria. He'll release Ageless in return for Terence's frog pen.
My frog pen, says Sweezus.
Your favourite, says Arthur.
They both snort with inappropriate laughter.
Perhaps there was a pub in Weipa, after all.
......
They arrive at the cabin.
Arthur opens the door.
Terence is working on his clay lumps.
Guess what? says Terence. I'm only going to make one pot. You guys can share it.
I don't want one, says Arthur.
Not YOU! says Terence. Sweezus and Gaius.
Thanks little buddy, says Sweezus. You all on your own?
YES! says Terence. Except for stupid Kobo and Pinky in the plum box.
Sweezus looks into the plum box.
The ladies are sweetly entwined.
Gaius and Humboldt are out, says Terence.
It's you we want, says Gloria. And maybe Kobo. This is about Ageless, and Kobo is his beloved.
She doesn't like him, says Terence. Ask me.
Okay, says Gloria. I'm going to ask you an important question. Do you still have the frog pen?
Yes, says Terence. Somewhere.
He's lost it, says Sweezus. How did I know that would happen?
I haven't lost it, says Terence.
That's good, says Gloria. Now for some sad news. Ageless has been taken hostage.
Kobo stirs in the plum box.
Ha ha, laughs Terence.
It's not funny, says Gloria.
It's not sad, says Terence.
Remember Kambel the crocodile? asks Gloria. He is the hostage taker. He will let Ageless go if you give him your frog pen.
Maybe I DID lose it, says Terence. He'll have to keep Ageless.
What's this about Ageless? asks Kobo, awake now.
A slight problem with option three, says Gloria. Don't you worry.
What are the other two options? asks Kobo.
Option two, another slight problem, says Gloria. No courier.
Option one? asks Kobo.
A swap. The pen for a parrot. Kambel rejected it on the grounds that he couldn't get hold of a parrot.
Do I get a PARROT? cries Terence. Yay! I get a parrot.
Except you've lost the pen and the crocodile doesn't have a parrot, says Sweezus.
And what about AGELESS? cries Kobo.
He's not involved in this one, says Gloria.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment