My Precious-est Part

Terence has fallen into the zoo.

The parakeet has flown off.

Terence finds himself in an infant-shaped hole, next to a bustard.

Fortunately for us, (and the bustard), Terence doesn't know it's a bustard.

Where did you come from? asks the bustard.

Up there, says Terence, pointing.

Where? asks the bustard.

Wah! cries Terence, having noticed his claw has come off.

What's the matter? asks the bustard.

My claw! says Terence. Help me find it!

The bustard starts looking, then stops.

Wait. What does it look like?

A claw, says Terence, holding up his small cement hand.

Those are fingers, says the bustard.

YES! says Terence. Because they're not missing!

The parakeet flies down, to see what is happening.

What's happening?

He's lost a claw, says the bustard.

What does it look like? asks the parakeet.

A finger, I imagine, says the bustard. Although he denies it.

No! shouts Terence. It's my blood brother's claw. And he's got my finger.

How was I to know that? asks the bustard.

You could have asked, says the parakeet.

How to frame the question? asks the bustard.

A small crowd has gathered, including a junior zoo keeper.

Merde! says the junior zoo keeper. Un trou!

Help! says Terence. I fell off the balcony and ruined my precious-est part.

Is this it? asks the parakeet, picking up something curly with his beak.

It must be, says Terence.

Belle arrives, having run down the steps.

Terence! What happened?

Votre enfant? asks the junior zoo keeper.

Yes, says Belle.

Il a fait un trou, says the keeper.

And he's injured, says Belle.

Wah! cries Terence. My claw fell off, and now it looks different!

We'll fix it, says Belle.

She drags Terence up the stairs, back to the café.

He's lost his claw, says Belle, to the general table.

Claw? says Isidore, who is still at the table discussing teratology (deviation from normal structure) with Gaius. The child has a claw?

Don't get excited, it's not what you think, Isidore, says Gaius.