Celesta

STRINGS

"Come here my dear, you look tired," she said.

Looking back down from the attic, his nose poked off the ledge. His little fingers wrapped around it, next to his nose, grubby fingernails and all, gripping tightly as he spread his belly-down weight across the floor. The tousled hair flung itself over his forehead, covering his left eye and creeping in on his right.

"Must I so soon mummy? I quite like it up here in the pitch dark - it's a bit more comforting than witnessing you and Pa go at it."

"What do you mean when Pa and I go at it?" she asked.

"You know mummy, don't be silly. The loud crashes, booms and yelps I hear when my door closes for shut-eye."

"I don't know what you're talking about my dear - you're being a bit silly right now you know. Come down now, let's get you back to bed."

"It's always bed mummy. It's always bed. But I don't want bed. I don't even need bed. What I require is that you and Pa sort yourselves before I relinquish my spot up here. Is that okay mummy? Is it?"

"Now you're starting to irritate me a bit my dear. Mummy doesn't like it when you do that, in fact she might even be a bit ticked."

"Oh that's just rubbish mummy, pure rubbish. You love me and can't ever not. So just do the same for Pa and I'll come on down from me perch."

"Percy. Now."

"No."

"Don't make me come up there young man. You are going to regret this my dear."

"No!"

"I am only going to ask you so many times my dear. I'm giving you chances and you're pushing them off the ledge without any good use."

"I think they're receiving quite a good use mummy. In fact, I think you might even be a bit ticked by me pushing of the rocks off the ledge. Does that irritate you mummy? Does it?"

"Percy. Be civil. I am your mother! Now come down here! Now! That's an order!"

"Are we being orderly now mummy? Like civil people? Am I your civil servant mummy? Your obliging little angel of a thing?"

"Percy don't be smart! Come now! Pa is going to get quite angry if you don't!"

"It's always about Pa, isn't it mummy? Can't you ever do something for yourself? Can't you make your own stands?"

"Percy, I am making a stand right now. And I am asking you - very politely - to come down before things turn sour. You haven't even had your goodnight's milk. How will you ever go to bed my dear Percy? Hmm my dear?"

"Mummy you can't trick me. I'm smarter than you even know. Really. So do me a favor and shush - I'm trying to create a peaceful atmosphere in my attic."

"Why you little..."

"Mummy! Manners."

"Manners?"

"Yes mummy. You were the one that taught me, remember? How about that for a bit-o-irony, eh mummy?"

"Percy!"

"...m-m-mummy?"