Cline found a baby under the pier, so we met there to drown it. Meredith came, too. She wore a new hat and shirt and I saw where her wings were beginning to grow. Meredith said that we should not feed the baby, or it would try to kill us. It would be best to drown it before it grew any larger. Cline's face was slipping and he poked at the baby with a long piece of metal.
We wrapped the baby in an umbrella and walked into the ocean. Cline pushed it into the floor and swam down to wake up the Fish. They took the baby, and I thought of the Vagrants. I thought of their claws and black teeth and cleft noses. The Vagrants were not allowed to have eyes, so they did not know how they appeared. I wished I had no eyes, but not loud enough that Meredith or Cline could hear me. After Cline finished killing the baby, we wanted to eat.
Meredith took off her hat while we ate, and I saw her face. I thought to ask her if I could take part of it, but I thought better. Cline saw me and smiled. He knew what I wanted to do, and he smiled.
Let's have a laugh, Cline said. I knew he aimed to trick me, maybe make my teeth fall out.
What do you suggest? Meredith said. Her voice looked orange and round and her breath fell on the table.
Let's wake the dogs. Cline said. His father hated dogs, and held them up on spears in his yard until they slept. I looked at Meredith, who put on her hat. She rose to leave, and I tried to help her with her dresses, but she ran away too quickly. Cline laughed.