The Elegaic Feather

 Marx breaks off a chunk with his spoon.

The texture is certainly gelatinous. 

He closes his eyes.

Eats it.

Very nice, or it would be, if you didn't know it was blue.

Terence has returned to the window.

What is there that no one else will have seen?

The brown blur turns yellow.

Stupid window.

Wait. What about the special window?

The carriage attendant put his third best parrot through it.

She had even asked him if he wanted to see it.

And he had said no.

Where is she?

He looks back down the carriage.

She is talking to Grandpa, who has asked why the marshmallow is blue.

It's white and blue, she has replied. The colours represent the Australian sky.

Marx has then asked her about the means of production.

She has frowned.

Terence doesn't like his chances of getting her to show him the special window.

He will look for the special window on his own.

If only Roo-kai was here, but he isn't.

Terence tiptoes to the end of the carriage, and stops at a door.

A couple of passengers come up behind him.

Fancy a Furphy? asks one.

Sure do, says the other.

They go through the door.

Terence slips through behind them, before it closes.

He is in a short passage.

The passengers push through a door at the far end of the passage, on their way to the 828 Café.

But Terence stays here.

Yes! There is a high window.

The rock pigeon must have been pushed out through it.

Terence thinks he can see a single grey feather, stuck to the frame.

If he could reach it......

The door opens again. It's Grandpa Marx, Gaius and Pierre-Louis, heading for the café.

Grandpa bends down. His mouth is blue, which looks funny.

What are you doing here, Terence? asks Grandpa.

Getting a feather, for my drawing, says Terence.

Very enterprising, says Gaius. But you do realise none of us has brought ink.

Ink? says Terence.

The feather is not for a pen, says Marx, but for a distinctive object to add to his drawing. Am I right Terence?

Yes, says Terence. 

Marx does know everything, after all. Except about train tracks.

Pierre-Louis reaches up, retrieves the feather and gives it to Terence.

They head on through to the café, Terence clutching the feather.