The Temptation Of Saint Roley

Arthur, can you take the guinea pig? asks Tilly.

Uh? says Arthur.

Your guinea pig, says Tilly.

Right, says Arthur. Can't she walk by herself?

She could have walked with Saint Roley, says Lydia, But he's flying to the bus stop.

I've got all this equipment, says Arthur.

He is not used to carrying equipment.

It seems not in the spirit of poetic derangement.

On the other hand, a guinea pig does seem more in the spirit. And she is half his.

Okay, says Arthur. Get in, guinea pig.

Princess, says Princess Pacchu.

She climbs into a boot.

They set off for the bus station.

Saint Roley is already there.

He sits on a seat watching the buses.

People get on and off.

Lucky them. They have all had their breakfast (he supposes). They all have a habitat that is not being unscrupulously developed (he also supposes), and if threatened, they can get on a bus and go somewhere.

Princess Pacchu will enjoy the bus trip, thinks Saint Roley. I shall sit beside her, and point out certain things. Then she will know she is lucky.

Simon, (with Gastro), Tilly (with two bags of tadpoles), Buzz (with the pool salt), Lydia (with spades), Gaius, (with a red fish-topped pencil), Sweezus (with ropes, ice picks and helmets), Arthur (with boots, and a guinea pig), arrive at the station.

Tilly dumps the tadpoles next to Saint Roley.

Look after these, says Tilly. We're off to grab a quick coffee.

Arthur dumps two pairs of boots. Sweezus dumps the rest of the equipment.

The humans go off to grab coffee, and see to the tickets.

Saint Roley eyes the two bags of tadpoles.

Surely, this morning, there was only one bag of tadpoles?

The tadpoles swim carefully, to avoid bumping into one another, because they are rapidly growing.

One or two stop at the plastic boundary, and look out.

Saint Roley regards the tadpoles, who resemble, in his mind, seductive molluscs.

He is tempted to stab a hole in one plastic bag. The water would run out slowly. The tadpoles would compress into a delicious slimy breakfast. And he would eat that breakfast. And there would still be one bag of tadpoles.....

But how to explain it.

He ponders the question....

Perhaps he won't need to.

The bag splits, and tadpoles spill onto the floor of the station.