Straight Up

 Chimborazo entrance! says the bus driver.

This is where Arthur and Sweezus get off.

They gather their ice picks, helmets and crampons.

Gaius follows them to the door of the bus.

Do you have room for one bottle of tadpoles? asks Gaius.

Yeah, we do, says Sweezus. We forgot to bring water.

And snacks, says Arthur.

Ha ha, laughs Gaius. Don't drink the tadpoles.

As if, says Sweezus. Anyway, how come?

Simon fears they will soon be too large to come out through the neck of the bottle, says Gaius. We were wondering if, on your way up the mountain, you might drop a few off in a stream. Make a note of their location, and check on their progress when you return.

Why can't you guys do it? asks Sweezus.

We shall be monitoring the tadpoles in the second bottle, says Gaius.

Okay, says Sweezus. Okay, dude?

Sure, says Arthur. Why not?

The bus rumbles off towards Guaranda.

Did they take it? asks Simon. Did they agree to make notes?

Yes, says Gaius. We can rely on them. At least, Arthur. Dear me, I hope Arthur has a pencil.

He still has mine, says Lydia.

........

Sweezus and Arthur have arranged to meet Paco their guide at the first refuge, to save hiring a taxi.

It's a three hour hike if they follow the road.

An hour and a half if they go straight up the mountain.

What do you reckon? asks Sweezus. Straight up?

Straight up, says Arthur. First let's ditch the tadpoles.

Sweezus looks around for a stream.

Just ditch them, says Arthur. We can say they all died.

It is fortunate that the tadpoles can't hear through the plastic Marzano bottle.

Sweezus twists the lid off the bottle. Upturns it, A few drops of water drip out.

Fuck, says Sweezus. They're stuck in the bottle.

If we get them out, says Arthur, we can use the bottle for water.

Awesome, dude, says Sweezus. But how do we do it?

Poke them out with a stick, says Arthur.

What stick? asks Sweezus.

Arthur feels in his pocket.

I couldn't help overhearing, says a fellow climber who has also got off the bus. Would you like some assistance? I have a knife.

The fellow climber, a stout woman, whips her knife out, and takes hold of the bottle.

She makes a neat cut in the part where the bottle widens out.

And tips the tadpoles onto the footpath.

You could probably rescue one or two of them, says the woman. Look, these ones have legs.

It's true. Some of the tadpoles have almost turned into Riobamban marsupial tree frogs.

Sweezus gets his phone out, and takes a photo.

It's a good outcome, except for the cut in the bottle .