Drawing The Line

All the accessible sardines have been eaten.

Gaius goes outside and returns with an apple.

Excellent! says Denis. The perfect thing for cleansing our palates.

I don't suppose you have a knife? says Gaius.

Every sea captain has a knife, says Captain Baudin.

He produces a knife from a tiny drawer set into the side of the table.

That knife would have been useful earlier, says Denis.

What for? asks Captain Baudin.

To prise the sardine tin open, says Denis.

I draw the line at that, says Captain Baudin.

I hope you don't draw the line at slicing an apple, says Gaius.

Not at all, says Captain Baudin. We sea captains are experts at slicing apples.

He tosses the apple in the air and catches it on the tip of his knife.

Woo-hoo! says Terence.

How many slices? asks Captain Baudin.

None for me, says Ageless.

None for Terence, says Gaius.

Can I go upstairs and look at the light? asks Terence.

Captain Baudin ignores him.

So, three slices, says Captain Baudin. One for me, one for Gaius, one for Denis.

He places the apple on the table in the puddle of sardine oil, and divides it into three equal pieces.

CAN I? asks Terence.

I'll take him, says Ageless. Is there anything special we should know?

The light has been decommissioned, says Captain Baudin.

What does that mean? asks Terence.

Darkness, says Ageless We may as well not bother.

Pas du tout! says Captain Baudin. Take my torch with you. Flash it over the ocean. That's what I do.

Yay! says Terence.

Captain Baudin hands Terence his torch.

Terence and Ageless proceed up the narrow stairway.

Leaving Gaius and Denis to eat (or not) their sardine-flavoured apple.