Seeing The Futures

It's good that Terence has a job to do.

It keeps him out of the way.

He sits under the table in his stink bug costume, with scissors, coloured paper and glue.

He is making paper flowers.

But how do you do it?

Saint Roley wanders by.

Making the flowers?

Yes, says Terence. How about you do something useful?

Okay, says Saint Roley. What? Cutting?

No, I'm doing the cutting, says Terence. I need an idea for a shape.

I'm a shorebird, says Saint Roley. My ideas might not suit a curtain. Why don't I ask Nobby?

He goes to ask Nobby, who is practising his lines.

Nobby: O! What is happening?

Saint Roley: Nothing yet.

Nobby: Those are the words I say when I start rising.

Saint Roley: Sorry. Didn't realise. You need to sound more surprised. What type of flowers do you like?

Nobby: I've always liked fuschias.

Saint Roley: I don't know fuschias. What shape are they?

Nobby: They dangle from a purple knob, which splits into four or more petals like a skirt, and skinny little red legs poke out from under.

Saint Roley: Wow!

He goes back to tell Terence.

Terence gets to work with the scissors.

Saint Roley watches as the fuschias emerge.

The best ones look like leafy sea dragons, the worst look like male genitalia.

But maybe that's just me, thinks Saint Roley.

Terence takes an armful of his red and purple paper flowers to Nobby.

Look! says Terence. Futures!

Are they? says Nobby. Oh yes, futures. Thanks Terence.

Terence starts decorating Nobby, transforming him into a curtain.

How do I look? asks Nobby.

I'm not the one to ask, says Saint Roley. I've been too involved in the process. Ask Belle.

Belle is busy helping Sweezus rewrite scene one, but she comes over.

Her eyes widen, on seeing the futures.