Full Stomach Sees

Ronnie said WHERE IS, says Terence. Then he stopped talking.

The turnip, says Gaius. Where is the turnip?

In the oven, says Louisa.

I know that, says Gaius. I was suggesting it might be what Ronnie was asking.

Terence twiddles Ronnie between his thumb and first finger.

Is that what you were asking? asks Terence.

Ye..e..ss.. murmurs Ronnie.

Where are the parts of the turnip that Arthur cut off? asks Louisa.

Woe...says Ronnie.

Woe? says Terence. What does that mean?

Woe-woe-woe... repeats Ronnie. My friend was dissected.

Ronnie is slowly remembering what happened.

Where are they? asks Louisa.

Arthur checks the chopping board, where everything was until recently.

I must've tipped them into the cooking pan, with the good stuff, says Arthur.

Yuck, Arthur, says Louisa. I'll have to pick them all out.

Could you do it right now? asks Ronnie. 

I suppose so, says Louisa. I should stir them anyway.

She opens the oven again. Takes the pan out.

Come on, Arthur. Help me. You put them in.

Arthur picks out the dirty pieces of turnip with his fingers.

Hot! He drops them quickly onto the chopping board.

There are ten of them, curled up and small.

Put me down! cries Ronnie.

Terence places Ronnie on the chopping board next to the pieces of his friend.

Nothing about this looks promising.

Until.

There's a tap at Louisa's front door.

She opens it. It's Saint Roley, looking more contented than usual.

Where were you? asks Terence. Guess what? I've got a trumpet.

I could hear it, says Saint Roley. All the way down on the shore.

Were you eating molluscs? asks Louisa.

I was, says Saint Roley. And a full stomach sees things differently. I have returned to make myself useful.

Good, says Ronnie. Can you find any signs of life in these pieces of turnip?

For what reason? asks Saint Roley.

I made them a promise, says Ronnie. I mean the turnip. I made HIM a promise.

A promise. He made him a promise.

If there are signs of life, says Saint Roley, even the slightest, I will detect them.