Snake Maps

The last leg, on American Airlines. Miami to Bridgetown, Barbados.

I must say, says Griff, it takes a long time to get to Barbados.

Not as long as it used to, says Gaius.

True, says Griff. But I shall be glad to relax when we get there.

We must hit the ground running, says Gaius. In search of the racer.

But we should follow up the address Katherine gave us, says Griff.

A luxury hotel, scoffs Gaius.

Where her relatives are staying, says Griff. We might offload Terence.

Gaius has been thinking himself about offloading Terence.

Griff is a genius!

He settles back in his airline seat and shuffles his notes.

His eye falls on the map of Barbados.

Hmm. It seems a bit out of date. There are no towns denoted, only plantations, and there are tiny drawings of men with guns, on horseback, chasing black slaves.

We must obtain a new map, says Gaius, the very minute we land in Bridgetown. This one is ancient.

So I see, says Griff. It looks like that fool Ligon's. But let us look closer. He may have indicated the locations in which he saw snakes.

Good thinking, says Gaius.

They pore over the map of the island of Barbados.

Wild pigs and donkeys, camels and cows. Rocks and trees, neatly planted.

No snakes.

My own map was much more detailed, says Griff. As I recall, the towns, churches, forts and plantations, the sugar works and mills, locations of rocks under water, and roads, were all on it.

But you don't have it with you, says Gaius.

I don't, says Griff.

And no snakes were delineated, says Gaius.

They weren't, says Griff.

Why are you looking for snakes? asks Terence.

It's a particular snake, says Gaius, which is thought to be extinct.

I know what that means, says Terence.

Good, says Gaius. No doubt Nose has explained it to you, as she herself is endangered.

No, says Terence. Sweezus told me. It means you're back like you were before you were manufactured.

I suppose that's as good an explanation as any, says Gaius.

Manufactured? says Griff.

Well... says Gaius. Perhaps Sweezus was being specific.

Are we there yet? asks Terence.

Almost, says Gaius. We'll be landing in forty minutes.

Yay! says Terence. Then I get offloaded.