“I’ve been Marno for quite a while,” Mira said. 🍃
THE BOOK OF TAD
PAGE 95
UNDER THE RACING SHELF 🌿
TurboTAD looked down. She had balanced two leaves over her eyes and was waiting for him to notice.
He laughed so suddenly that Pondling laughed too, without knowing why.
Sora moved the food nearer. “It was a very patient performance.”
“The nose is difficult,” Mira said.
They ate while the builders eased the first catch. A narrow stream escaped beneath the racing shelf, cloudy with old dust. Finley stayed beside the plate, calling positions as Nibble found them.
By the end of the meal, the stream had cleared. Mira had eaten one of Marno’s eyes.
TurboTAD joined the builders. Marno asked him to support the loosened cover while Nibble inspected beneath it. There was no need for speed. The heavy slab simply had to stay level.
Inside lay a packed tangle of dead fibres and rounded grit. Nibble eased out one strand. Several more followed, trailing through the gap like an unravelled nest.
“That’s been collecting a long time.”
“Can you clear it?” TurboTAD asked.
Nibble peered deeper, then tucked his tool into the tangle.
“Yes. And I’m leaving a way to clean it again.”
He passed the first filthy bundle out to Zale. From the shaded hollow, Mira’s uncovered eye watched it emerge.