Saturday, October 19, 2024

Red Trees In The Sky

Gaius is at the airport with Terence, waiting for Surfing-with-Whales.

A Border Force officer comes up behind them.

Going somewhere? asks the Border Force officer.

Melbourne, says Gaius.

Not a problem, says the Border Force officer. As long as you stay in the country.

He walks off.

Surfing-with-Whales appears, with a very small back pack.

Hey! says Surfing-with-Whales. Good to see you.

You too, says Gaius. 

Guess what? says Terence.

What? says Surfing-with-Whales.

A policeman told Gaius to stay in the country, says Terence.

He wasn't a policeman, says Gaius.

I saw him, says Surfing-with-Whales. That's why I hung back a little. How come you have to stay in the country?

A small matter of a so-called coded manuscript I received with a frog, says Gaius. Baby Pierre had written it. 

A coded manuscript, says Surfing-with-Whales. Heavy!

It was simply the story of Baby Pierre's cycling trip across the Nullarbor with his cousin, says Gaius. No coded messages were in it, as ASIO will learn soon enough. 

Baby Pierre cycled across the Nullarbor? says Surfing-with-Whales. Respect!

It was a fantasy, says Gaius. He arrived here by plane, along with the tinker.

Okay, says Surfing-with-Whales. What's a tinker?

The frog was the tinker, says Gaius. 

Yeah, says Surfing-with-Whales, looking around. Have we got time for a coffee?

No, says Gaius. We'll get one on the plane.

....

They are now on the plane.

Terence is sitting next to Gaius.

Surfing-with-Whales is sitting across the aisle from Terence.

Surfing-with-Whales is playing Minecraft on his phone.

What are you playing? asks Terence.

Minecraft, says Surfing-with-Whales. You ever played it?

I'm not allowed, says Terence.

It's for kids, says Surfing-with-Whales. You just mine things and build stuff. 

I ruin things, says Terence.

Yeah you can ruin things too, says Surfing-with-Whales. Here, have a go. This is my patio. You can put stuff on it.

He hands Terence his phone.

The patio is made of large blocks of purple rock round the edge of a solid blue swimming pool with whale spouts blowing out of holes in the water. Spurt! Spurt! 

Terence doesn't know what to add.

Add some seats, says Surfing-with-Whales. And an umbrella. 

He shows Terence how.

Soon Terence is adding and adding. The umbrellas and seats are in the water. It doesn't seem to matter.

There are even red trees in the sky.

What are you doing? asks Gaius.

Minecraft, says Terence.

He shows Gaius his patio.

Very nice, says Gaius, but what is the point of it?

Adding, says Terence.

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