Dead One Sorry

The name of the daughter is Spike.

Her mother and father have gone off to the bar on Deck 9.

Margaret and Katherine have gone to the Tasmanian Market Kitchen, on Deck 7.

Terence and Spike have remained behind, looking for bed bugs.

There's one! says Spike.

Catch it! says Terence.

It's dead, says Spike. I don't need to catch it.

Jinjing doesn't want a dead one, says Terence.

But it's heaps fresh, says Spike. Your grandma only just killed it.

She's not my GRANDMA! says Terence.

So the other one's your grandma, says Spike.

No they're just ladies, says Terence. One's David's mother and one's Gaius's girlfriend, but he doesn't love her because she's too bossy.

Who's Gaius? asks Spike.

He's my boss, says Terence. He's flying to Tasmania because he doesn't want to sleep with the ladies.

That makes sense, says Spike. And why's he going to Tasmania?

To looks for antelopes, says Terence. Tiny birds with spots on.

Those aren't antelopes, says Spike.

They're a type of parrot, says Terence.

I thought you already had a parrot, says Spike. What are we catching bed bugs for?

There are two parrots, says Terence. One is Jinjing and one is P. krameri. P. krameri's with Gaius.

You split them up? says Spike.

They don't like each other, says Terence.

Mum and dad might be back soon , says Spike. If we're going to sneak below decks to feed Jinjing we ought to get going.

But we've only got one dead bed bug, says Terence.

Too bad, says Spike.

She wraps the dead bed bug up in a tissue and shoves it into her pocket.

They sneak off, towards the stairs.

......

Jinjing is telling his story to his new friends, Shih Tsu and The Wombat.

I was a toy. I had a button. If a human pressed the button I listened to what she was saying and repeated it back. Sometimes I would trick her and say, Wippety-Whoo-Whaa! and she would think I was disobeying.

That's amazing! says Shih Tsu. I too am a toy.

I don't believe it, says Jinjing. You are so realistic.

A toy BREED, says Shih Tsu. I am bred to be hardy, perky, sweet-natured and tiny. My hair grows so long that sometimes prickles catch in it. Then someone must brush me.

And do they? asks The Wombat.

Of course, says Shih Tsu. And it's not always prickles.

You live an interesting life, says The Wombat.

Tell us your story, says Jinjing.

I'm on my way home to Tasmania, says The Wombat.

But before that, says Shih Tsu.

I was in Melbourne, says The Wombat.

Someone's coming, says Jinjing. Perhaps we'll get dinner.

I hope so, says Shih Tsu. Otherwise it could be a long night.

Da-daah! says Terence. We've got you some food!

Good! says Jinjing. You do know I have delicate innards?

Is that your parrot? says Spike.

It is now, says Terence. But it's changed from when I first got it. When I first got it, all it could do was say the last part of what I said. Now it can say I have delicate innards.

What have you brought? asks Shih Tsu.

A bed bug, says Terence. It's a dead one, sorry.

This is disappointing.