Drawing At Night

Here, says Gaius. Have a my pencil.

Is it the one that went up the lady's nose? asks Terence.

My only pencil, says Gaius. But I asked you to wash it. I trust you did so.

I did, says Terence. 

He remembers doing it. A quick dip in the fish pond. It should be all right.

Just don't lick it.

Now, says Gaius, I'm trusting you to finish this illustration of the giant barred frog. I have already completed the outline.

That's its head, says Terence. And those are its legs. Is it a dead one?

No, says Gaius. It's a live one, in good health. The dead ones are shrivelled and their skin is brown and patchy.

Okay, says Terence. 

Pay attention, says Gaius. The limbs of the giant barred frog have dark cross bars. The hind side of the thighs are black with large yellow spots.

How do I do yellow spots? asks Terence.

You don't, says Gaius. It's a black and white illustration, The text will explain it.

And an arrow, says Terence. Can I do the arrow?

No need for the arrow until it's completed, says Gaius. 

The lights will be dimmed now, for sleeping, says a flight attendant. You'll find blankets and sleeping socks in the storage pocket in front of you.

Bumhole! says Terence.

You can have a reading light, says Gaius. 

What use is that? asks Terence.

It's also a drawing light, says Gaius. I'll turn yours on.

Click!

Good! says Terence.

Gaius puts on his sleeping socks, and arranges his blanket. He closes his eyes.

Terence works on his giant barred frog.

First, the leg bars. 

He draws a series of parallel lines across the front and back limbs. Fills in every second section with scribbles.

Roo-kai leaves his seat opposite and tip-toes over.

That's looking good, says Roo-kai.

It's not finished, says Terence. I have to do yellow spots next.

Where do they go? asks Roo-kai.

Hind-side, says Terence. Where is that, though?

Back of the thighs, says Roo-kai. You shouldn't have done the bars all the way up to its bottom.

Wah! says Terence.

It's only in pencil, says Roo-kai. You can rub those ones out.

If I had a rubber, says Terence.

Hasn't Gaius got one? asks Roo-kai.

He's asleep, says Terence.

There's a kid up there with a pencil case, says Roo-kai. I'll ask her.

She'll be asleep, says Terence.

Then I'll borrow her rubber, says Roo-kai. Anything else you want while I'm there?

A yellow, says Terence. 

Okay, a yellow, says Roo-kai.

He heads for the girl with the pencil case.

Terence continues to darken the leg bars which won't be rubbed out.