The Sparrow Flies North for the Summer (Valduggery)

Cowardise

"I spy with my little eye... something beginning with 'v'..."

"You have no eyes, Skulduggery."

"And?"

"And how are you supposed to play I Spy with no eyes?"

"Fine. I spy with my gaping eye sockets..."

"Haha."

"...something beginning with 'v'."

They were in the car, half an hour through their two and a half hour car journey home, and Skulduggery was trying desperately to stop Valkyrie moaning "I'm bored" every two minutes.

"I'm bored."

"You said that. Fifteen times already."

"Doesn't change the fact that I'm bored."

"Try to guess, then."

She groaned. "What was the letter?"

"V."

"Valkyrie."

"Wow, first try and everything!"

She rolled her eyes, trying not to smile.

"Okay, your turn."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes."

Sighing, she said, "I Spy with my little eye... something beginning with 's'."

"Sky?"

"Seriously Skul?"

"What?"

"Ugh, nothing."

"So it wasn't sky?"

"What? No!"

"Okay... hmm... sandwich?"

"Do you see a sandwich?"

"No..."

"Then why- you know what? Never mind."

"I give up. What was it?"

"Skulduggery."

He paused. "Oh. Probably should've gotten that, huh?"

"Just a bit."

They laughed.

"Ooh, I've got another one!" She exclaimed. "There's two words; the first begins with 'u', and the second with 'c'."

"Unhappy companion?"

"Close."

"Hmm...hint?"

"I loathe you because of it."

"Ugly car?"

"Bingo."

After getting of the plane, the pair had desperately searched for a car-rental place that was situated in Dublin as well as Galway so they could return it easily. In the end, they'd found one with one car left to rent; a bright pink mini with butterflies, hearts and flowers plastered over it. Needless to say, Valkyrie was not impressed.

"We seem to have a history of bad cars, you and I. The Canary Car..."

"The Oompa Loompa car..."

"Hey! No one insults my car but me!"

"And now this one, the... the..."

"So Ugly it Doesn't Even Deserve a Name car?"

"Exactly... The Sudedan car."