An Unflattering Description of The Museum

The schoolboy, whose name was Tang, held Ageless in a remorseless grip.

Go on, said his friend Dragon d'Or. I bet you can't.

I can, said Tang. I saw Stephen Fry do it on QI last week.

Ageless couldn't believe what he was hearing. He quite liked Stephen Fry.

Tang began to stroke his back from nose to mid point rhythmically. Almost immediately Ageless found he had lost the ability to move.

Tang! called out his teacher. What are you up to over there?

He's found a lobster, miss! said Dragon d'Or.

Bring it here at once, said the teacher. Tang! Did you find this in the Marine Invertebrates Gallery?

No miss, said Tang. It was in here, looking at the fossils.

Don't be ridiculous Tang, said the teacher. It's obviously dead. Wait till Mr Lee has finished his fossil talk, and then we'll hand it in.

Ageless was outraged, but there was nothing he could do.

Mr Lee looked puzzled when he was handed the supine Ageless, and frowned at Tang and Dragon d'Or.

Nevertheless he invited them to come with him to the New Specimens Room, where the lobster could be properly identified.

Soon Ageless found himself flat out on a specimen table. He was starting to get some feeling back in his legs. He sat up. There were several people standing round the specimen table, including Tang, Dragon d'Or, their teacher, Mr Lee and Dr Suzanne Miller.

It's an arthropod, said Dr Suzanne Miller. But somewhat unusual.

I am indeed! said Ageless. And I am not accustomed to being treated in his manner. This would never happen in the library! However, forgive and forget, that's my motto. Now, can ANY of you people tell me where in this hotchpotch rabbit warren of galleries and staircases I might find some TRILOBITES!