Like Shenanigans

Terence has finished lamenting.

No one has come.

He'll have to deal with the problem himself.

He presses down with his elbows and knees.

Splurch! Splurch! Schluuurp!

He seems to rise momentarily and then...

...feels himself sinking.

Need a hand? asks Lucius.

I need my skateboard, says Terence.

It's right here, says Pontius. Shall we push it underneath you?

YES! says Terence.

Lucius and Pontius try to push rhe skateboard under Terence.

Am I on yet? asks Terence.

Lift your appendages, says Lucius.

I don't have any, says Terence.

What are those then? asks Pontius, nudging an arm and a leg.

Okay, I'll lift them instead, says Terence.

He lifts the arm and the leg that Pontius has been nudging.

And topples sideways.

The skateboard gets away.

Hang on to it, Lucius! says Pontius.

Terence stands up.

You could have done that before, says Pontius.

So could you, says Terence.

What? asks Pontius. 

Told me to stand up, says Terence.

We didn't think you could, or you would have done it, says Pontius.

I was lamenting, says Terence.

We didn't hear you, says Lucius, floating back with the skateboard.

I was lamenting in my head, says Terence.

Where are your friends? asks Lucius.

I don't know, says Terence. They're supposed to be coming.

And here they are now.

Terence! says Gaius. Get out of the water!

Guess what? says Terence. 

You fell in face-forward and lay there, instead of trying to stand up, says Gaius.

How did you know? asks Terence.

Little Mystic, says Gaius.

And nobody came, says Terence.

We came, says Pontius.

Ah, there you are, says Gaius. You need to hear this. It has been announced that the future is bright for maugean skates, and therefore salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour will continue.

The future is bright? asks Lucius.

It's seems that lately you've been increasing in numbers, says Gaius.

Some of us may have, says Pontius.

Exactly right, Pontius, says Lucius. It'll be those newbies.

All over the place with their shenanigans, says Pontius.

Are you still wanting a go on the skateboard? asks Gaius.

But skateboarding now seems like shenanigans.

The two old skates can't admit that they want to do that.