Conversation · Lilienne's Twin

Why does he have to be such a binoclard? It's just a funny word!

The boys seem less happy now.

"We didn't hear that word. We heard other bad words..."

"It's a mystery. You'll have to find out yourselves."

"Oh..." The boy looks uncomfortable, at the jetty toward his mother.

"We didn't hear that word. We heard other bad words..."

"It's a bad word. The worst word."

"Oh..." The boy looks uncomfortable, at the jetty toward his mother.

Preach it, brother! Spread the good word fuck all over town!

"Bad words? What bourgeois mentality, to deem certain working class words bad."

"Bou... what?" The boy gently tosses his rock at the rock tower, and misses. "Was that a bad word?"

"Nah. I just thought it was funny to say."

don't know why it's funny..." The boy frowns.

"Bourgeois? Yes. One of the worst, child."

"Don't say more bad words!" The boy frowns.

"Okay. What happened?"

"Okay kids, tell Kim here what happened with the voices."

"The one we heard say a bad word?" The boy shrugs. "Okay. The voices were like..." He scratches his head -- then seems to remember.

"'It is time at last, my nasty speedfreaks! Our brotherman is about to grow up!'"

"'DJ Flacio's big boy debut single is here! Buckle up, because this is the fastest trash that you're ever gonna hear.'"

"'Turn up the volume, blow those speakers out. Now here's---'"

"I understand." The lieutenant's eyes are wide in surprise, despite his calm voice. "Thank you. Let's have a word when you're finished, detective."

The boy picks up a rock. Then another. He looks at you and blinks.

"You guys look identical."

One of the boys nods, the other one looks at his brother and shrugs.

The stone-kicking one becomes frantic all of a sudden, as if that's something to be scared of -- the obvious fact that you just stated.

"He looks just like me," the other one says.

"Bye." [Leave.]

"Yeah, I said that."

The boy doesn't answer. His brother throws another rock. Both of their hair is covered in some kind of dirt.

The rock-kicker was just being shy, but now he's enthusiastic again.

"You're bad with kids," the lieutenant remarks with evident glee.

"I am, yes."

"Don't worry, everyone is." He looks at the little scruffian, then at you. "How about we do some police work now? We're not getting anything here."

"It's impossible to be good with kids, they're too stupid."

"You're right there." He looks at the little scruffian, then at you. "Let's see if we can find some police work, shall we? We're not getting anything here."

"And what are you, Kid Master General?"

"Maybe I am?" He grins. "Now, how about some actual police work? We're not getting anything here."

"Children are stupid."

"Maybe you're stupid!"

"Don't say that, he's a po-leees oooffi-ser," his brother whispers.

"Ha-ha," the scruffy-haired little kid laughs, as though in agreement.

"You're stupid," the other one tells him, suddenly very serious.

"I'm just gonna leave now. I'm gonna leave and not talk to you anymore." [Leave.]

Just a second ago, the first one was laughing. Now he's doing something with his lip and his gap tooth.

It looks like he's sad. Because you're going or... who knows, really?

There's no system to this.

"Bye." [Leave.]

"You're being random!"

"You're stupid," the other one repeats, still deathly serious.

The secrets of understanding the tongues of children have been lost to you a long time ago.

"Okay, how about the policeman asks you something else now?"

"Okay." The scruffy-haired boy squints up at you.

"Bye." [Leave.]

"You must be Lilienne's twins."

"Mhm. Lily's our mom," says one of the twins.

This one doesn't say anything, kicking the concrete with his worn-out sneaker.

"Lily's our mom," explains the other one, tongue still lolling out of his mouth.

"Bye." [Leave.]

"I already said that."