My Dark Thoughts Exactly

It's stopped raining.

Sweezus is driving the camper.

Gaius is beside him. 

Terence is in the back with the corn chip packet containing the frogs.

How are they doing? asks Gaius.

How do I know? asks Terence.

Look in on them, says Gaius.

Terence opens the packet, which has been folded.

Are we there yet? asks Quiet-Tartus.

No, says Terence. Wait. Are we there yet?

No, says Gaius. It's ten minutes to Wingham.

Do we have to go there? asks Quiet-Tartus.

Yes, says Terence. There's a long log to look at.

Too right, says Sweezus. Tell them they'll like it.

You'll like it, says Terence.

And a Vampire jet, says Sweezus. In the same park. 

What's it doing there? asks Gaius.

Donated, says Sweezus.

It's the bats we're afraid of, says Quiet-Tartus.

Yes, says Shorty-Tartus. 

So stay in the packet, says Terence.

He folds it over, and looks out of the window of the camper.

They're catching up! shouts Terence.

The Mazda shoots past the camper.

Wittgenstein is driving. Arthur is beside him. Roo-kai is squeezed into the gap.

The windows are down to help the Mazda dry out while they're driving.

How is your bottom? asks Wittgenstein.

In what sense? asks Arthur.

Sitting on that towel, says Wittgenstein. Mine's wet.

Now that you mention it, says Arthur. Mine's wet too.

All that rain, says Wittgenstein. I wish I'd closed the window.

Look on the bright side, says Roo-kai.

Which is? asks Wittgenstein.

I found shelter, says Roo-kai.

You could have got into the camper, says Wittgenstein.

I needed to be alone, says Roo-kai.

So you sat here, letting the rain in. What were you thinking? asks Wittgenstein.

Dark thoughts, says Roo-kai.

I understand that, says Wittgenstein. I have dark thoughts too.

Me too, says Arthur.

They travel in silence, thinking their dark thoughts together.

Not the best way to deal with dark thoughts.

After five minutes, Roo-kai asks Arthur what his dark thoughts are.

Lately I've been too reliable, says Arthur. 

No kidding? says Roo-kai. Those are my dark thoughts exactly. 

Didn't you let Terence fall out of a tree? asks Wittgenstein.

But I'd volunteered to go and find him, says Arthur. I didn't have to.

Chaos, says Wittgenstein. You sought drama and chaos.

There you go, says Roo-kai. You weren't being reliable. But me, I've done too many messages.

And received little thanks, says Wittgenstein.

No thanks at all, says Roo-kai.

I would have thanked you if you'd come and told me the car window was open, says Wittgenstein.

Sorry, says Roo-kai.

They are almost in Wingham, where the bats come to drink, and the tallow wood log is.

They speed up.

 The smell of damp seats floats behind them.