In Warty Blotches

The frog's eye isn't ruined, says Gaius. 

But I don't have a black, says Terence.

Use my pencil, says Gaius. And press hard. But not too hard or you'll go though the paper.

Just keep going over it and over it, says Katherine.

Terence takes Gaius's pencil.

He darkens the frog's eye.

He can still see the yellow line underneath it.

He does some more shading.

How does it look? asks Gaius.

Good, says Terence. See?

Gaius looks at the dark grey eye with a trace of yellow running through it.

That's better, says Gaius. 

Let me see, says Katherine.

Terence hands the frog illustration to Katherine in the front seat.

Hmm, says Katherine. What you really need is a black pen.

I thought so, says Terence. 

We'll get one in Narrandera, says Katherine.

The shops will be closed, says Margaret.

At the motel, says Katherine. They're bound to have one.

Yay! says Terence. Hear that Froggy? Your black eye is coming. 

Meanwhile you may as well colour the rest, of its body, says Gaius.

I'll start on the blotches, says Terence.

He hands Gaius the lead pencil and takes a brown one from his box of coloureds.

Are the blotches supposed to be blotchy? asks Terence.

There's an intelligent question, says Katherine. Are they?

The upper blotches are generally smooth and shiny, says Gaius. The lower blotches are warty.

Woo! says Terence. Two kinds of blotches.

Do the warty ones first, says Katherine. 

Why? asks Terence.

It won't matter if Margaret hits a rock or another dead possum, says Katherine.

I'm doing my best, mutters Margaret.

I didn't mean that, says Katherine. But a few bumps won't affect warty blotches.

It might make them better, says Terence.

We'll see says Margaret. Have you started?

Yes, says Terence. 

He is soon covering the lower parts of the green and golden bell frog in warty blotches.

All the time hoping Margaret will hit a dead possum.

And Margaret is hoping the same.