Denial

But Belle et Bonne was less than pleased with his composition.

Sweezus! she exclaimed. How can you do that to a poor little penguin?

I'm not DOING it, said Sweezus. I'm just writing it.

It amounts to the same thing, said Belle et Bonne. It's too shocking. I believe it's your injured head talking.

Don't remind me, said Sweezus. It still hurts. I hate birds.

Exactly, said Belle et Bonne. Let's see what papa and Uncle David think.

Sweezus recounted the story to The VeloDrone and Le Bon David.

Bravo! said The VeloDrone. I like it. Hee hee! Hitting the penguin on the head with a hammer. Now I see why you called yourself Mephisto. What's next?

Next, said Le Bon David, Mephisto will find that he has a problem.

Yes, said Belle et Bonne. He's committed a dreadful crime.

Apart from that, said Le Bon David. How is he going to get the dead penguin into a pie? Is he a pastry cook?

I was just.... I mean Mephisto was just going to smear the inside of the bag with penguin blood, said Sweezus.

No good, said Le Bon David. The penguin has to be cooked.

Alright, said Sweezus. He'll light a camp fire and cook it. No worries. As for the pastry, there are already pastry flakes in the brown paper bag from the pie he ate earlier.

Sweezus, said Belle et Bonne. That's so devious. I don't know you!

Belle et Bonne, said Sweezus. It's not ME!

Loafing

The VeloDrone and Le Bon David were waiting outside.

Sweezus! said The VeloDrone. I thought you were in Victor Harbor already!

It's a long story, said Sweezus. I'm composing it now in my head. Unfortunately the plot keeps on changing.

Excellent, excellent, said the VeloDrone. You must tell us all about it on the way. I assume that you're coming?

Yes, said Sweezus. Mephisto returns to Victor Harbor! he added dramatically.

Mephisto? said Le Bon David, Who's he?

That's Sweezus, Uncle David, said Belle et Bonne. He's made up this wizard name for himself, in the story.

Hardly a wizard name, said Le Bon David. More like the devil! I'm surprised at you Sweezus!

I'm dabbling in nihilism, said Sweezus.

Then call yourself Nemo, said Le Bon David.

Nope, said Sweezus, that would be mega uncool.

They got on their bikes and rode down the hill from Mount Compass in the direction of Victor Harbor.

I'm looking forward to whale-watching, said The VeloDrone. I've not done it before. Does anyone know how it's done?

I know, said Belle et Bonne. I've been following Whale Watch. What you do is, you stand on a cliff and you look out to sea, and try to spot whales.

And then what? asked Le Bon David.

Simple, said Belle et Bonne. If you spot any whales, you try and identify them, then you log in to Whale Watch. You record where and when you saw them, and what they were doing. For example they might be loafing, or flipper-slapping, or blowing.

How do you know if they're loafing? asked Le Bon David.

That's just what I was going to ask, said The VeloDrone.

So was I, said Mephisto.

We'll have to ask Victor, said Belle et Bonne.

The Bad Nihilist

No, Sweezus hasn't lost the plot, but his characters have taken on a life of their own:

Mephisto rode doggedly on, towards Mount Compass. A nihilist, he was examining his philosphical position. He had offered to take the blame for Nunghausen's crime, or misdemeanour. Then, having been apprehended, with Nunghausen, he had brazenly escaped, without Nunghausen. Was that consistent behaviour? No, it was not. Perhaps he should go back.

Yes, he would go back. He turned around.

Soon he was in the main street of Victor Harbor. There was the Camus family promenading on the foreshore.

Hey! called out Mephisto. Have you guys seen Nunghausen?

Who's Nunghausen? asked Camus.

You know, said Mephisto. Our friend. He was apprehended for eating a penguin pie on Granite Island.

Oh, NUNGhausen, said Camus, always quick on the uptake. I believe he's in the lockup, where he should be.

Steady on, said Mephisto. He hasn't done anything wrong and you know it.

We heard you escaped, said Francine. How come you came back?

I came back to rescue my friend, said Mephisto.

Some nihilist you turned out to be, said Camus, with a sniff.

Mephisto

We however are not interested in whale-watching. We want to know what has happened to Sweezus. Let's follow him.

Sweezus had not disappeared. He had merely ridden off quickly. He is now well out of Victor Harbor, cycling past the Urimbirra Wildlife Sanctuary. He is thinking about his brilliant escape, but he is not entirely happy.

It's good I've escaped, thinks Sweezus, but I've left Gaius in the back of a police car accused of a crime he didn't commit.

On the other hand, I've achieved my goal. I'm a full-on Nihilist Bicyclist. I'll start composing my article for Belle et Bonne and Marie.

And he began composing the article in his head:

The sunlight flickered through the trees at the side of the road. The Nihilist Bicyclist rode steadfastly on. He had left his friend in the back of a police car and escaped.

(That's a good beginning, thought Sweezus. Weather, atmosphere, a situation. Now for some philosophy.)

He had no feelings of guilt about what he had done. His friend had admitted to the crime as a joke. Or in annoyance. Whatever.

(I'd better give him a name, thought Sweezus. Not Gaius....ummm..I know, Nunghausen. Cool! What a name!)

And then he, the Nihilist Bicyclist....

(I'd better give him a name as well, thought Sweezus. Not Sweezus...ummm... yes, Mephisto, that'll do. That's brilliant! Now where was I? ).

Now where was I?

Oh no! Has Sweezus lost the plot?