He Is Coming

Tangerine is inside a sack under the desk at reception.

Reception is calling someone, on the phone.

Yes... no... I don't know....okay, first thing in the morning.

He glances down at the sack. All quiet.

He'd better head back to the beach. Cook is gesticulating. The pickled cucumber and coleslaw salad with raisins and cherries won't get out there by itself.

He has only taken a step when Gaius and Griff drift past the desk, heading for their bicycles.

Reception remembers that both men are natural historians.

(It's his job to remember).

Mr Hughes! Mr Secundus! Got a snake here. Want to see it? It might be a rare one.

Gaius is not alarmed, though he should be.

Griff is. He nudges Gaius. What if it's the Barbados racer? She was invited.

Reception is opening the sack.

Tangerine is lying as if dead, as a safety precaution.

Gaius pokes her. Lifts her up.

She dangles.

Most interesting, says Gaius. It could well be a Barbados racer, or Erytholamprus perfuscus. On the other hand, they are often confused with Mastigodryas bruesi. Let me examine it further.

He presses the back of her eyes.

Mastigo has large eyes, says Gaius, and Duvernoy's glands. which contrary to common belief are not filled with venom, but its secretions are nonetheless toxic.....

Griff nods, as though he knows these things also.

Reception is itching to get away to deliver the coleslaw.

Gaius is squeezing Tangerine in her privates. Aha, A female! In a way, this is a pity, as the male Mastigo has a hemipenis, retractable and spiked, which I should have liked to examine, never having seen one.

Tangerine shivers. She has seen one.

But, says Gaius I come to the conclusion that this is most likely a Barbados racer, and as such, a rare find, Well done, Reception. May I take charge of it? I'll deliver it to the University Biology department in the morning.

Yes, sir, says Reception. Only too happy.  May I go now?

Of course, says Gaius. Leave it to me.

Griff nudges Gaius.

He whispers: What of our egg plan?

True, says Gaius. We'll leave the snake here with Ageless and Kobo. At least we can be sure where she is now.

Tangerine has no objections.

......

Back again? says Kobo. What happened?

A thrilling adventure, says Tangerine. Has Mastigo turned up yet?

Not yet, says Kobo.

Who's this Mastigo? asks Ageless.

Her romantic tree snake lover, says Kobo, and father of her eggs. He is coming.

What, Kobo? You know he's not coming........