The First Face I Saw

That shouldn't have happened, says young Richard Ligon.

Tiny Sacrifice thinks the same.

The cotton bud was obviously not meant to be extra breakfast.

Now he can't move his body.

Is he dead? asks Griff. All that trouble for nothing.

Of course he's not dead, says Gaius. Hold his tail. I'll draw out the cotton bud.

No, I'll do it, says young Richard Ligon.

He pulls at the cotton bud, while Griff holds down the tail.

Pop. Out comes the cotton bud, and half a raisin.

Contamination, says Gaius. You'll have to swab him again.

But there is NO WAY that Tiny Sacrifice is having another cotton bud up him.

No way and never.

And he has gone off half raisins as well.

He curls up in a tight snake ball, mouth invisible.

Never mind, says young Richard Ligon. There are other ways of getting a sample. I'll run him across to the tissue culture and microscopy suites. Coming?

He plonks a glass beaker over Tiny Sacrifice, and slides a sheet of flat cardboard under the beaker. Then he inverts it.

Tiny Sacrifice is tipped upside down.

He vows that if he ever gets out of the beaker he will puncture young Richard Ligon.

Young Richard Ligon takes Gaius, Griff and Tiny Sacrifice across to a well equipped tissue culture suite.

Most impressive, says Gaius. I had no idea...

Yes, says young Richard Ligon. It's a good Department. It's also home to the Barbados National Herbarium and the Giant African Snail Project.

I should like to see the Herbarium, says Gaius.

First things first, says Griff. The tissue culture.

It may take a while, says young Richard Ligon. I can do it. Why don't you guys go for a wander? The Herbarium's that way.

Well, why not? It's not often you get to see a comprehensive collection of dried Caribbean plants.

And the walk should speed up the drying of Gaius's trousers.

Griff and Gaius leave the tissue culture suite and head off to find the Herbarium.

Young Richard Ligon removes the cardboard.

Tiny Sacrifice is ready. Like a coiled spring, he springs out.

Fuck! says young Richard Ligon as his finger is punctured.

That's for EVERYTHING! says Tiny Sacrifice, whose voice is developing.

Young Richard Ligon stops himself from crushing Tiny Sacrifice, although he deserves it.

Scientific reputation comes first.

Care to elucidate? says young Richard Ligon.

What's that mean? asks Tiny Sacrifice, who has a meagre vocabulary.

Anything, says young Richard Ligon. Give me a list.

The white stick, says Tiny Sacrifice. I hate you. I want my mother.

Yes! Now he's getting somewhere. Perhaps young Richard Ligon will publish a peer reviewed paper on the rediscovery of the Barbados racer. Starting with the mother.

Who is your mother?

The man with wet trousers.

No. He can't be your mother. She must be a female.

But he was the first face I saw.

Imprinting. Forget it. Look here, hold still, will you. One scrape, and then we'll go and find your mother.

Oo! Okay.

Tiny Sacrifice is no match for the ambition of young Richard Ligon.