Darker And Darker

Markus and Raoul prepare dinner.

The end of the day is approaching.

Baby Pierre rides through the gathering gloom, without a bike light.

Darker and darker. He passes third and fifth female spiders, who were flung off his spokes earlier.

They see him but he does not see them.

What does this mean? wonder third and fifth female spiders. Do we proceed, or turn back?

They consider.

Who will be at each end?

Ar-Lu-Lun and first and second female spider, at the far end of the bike track.

Baby Pierre, Gaius and the dead maratus cristatus at the start.

They decide to keep going.

Baby Pierre gathers speed.

He passes Felix and fourth female spider who are heading in the same direction as he is.

They see him but he does not see them.

Looks like we're on the right track, my darling, says Felix.

I always believed it, my darling, says she.

Baby Pierre arrives at Gaius's campsite.

Elodie has found a camp lantern, and the camp site is bathed in flickering shadows.

Gaius is talking to someone, on his phone.

No, says Gaius. I don't know. Gone to a protest meeting in Pemberton. Yes I will. Do you want me to give him a message?  Dedalus's dateballs! Are you sure? What day is it? Yes of course I am. Goodbye Sweezus, no doubt I'll see you in Brussels.

Baby Pierre skids to a halt in the sand.

Sand sprays onto the tin with the air hole.

It's the tin containing the other fifteen female spiders, unless they have gone back on their promise to Lavender.

We won't know, until someone lifts the tin and looks under.

Baby Pierre! says Gaius. What news?

Ar-Lu-Lun may be Chinese! says Baby Pierre. He's in a glass jar. Markus has invited you over.

I say! says Gaius. That would be a mystery worth solving! Shu! Come out of the camper, will you?

Shu emerges from the camper, where he has been rearranging the cushions. Arthur's head would go here. That's if he ever.....

What is it? asks Shu. Are they back yet?

Not yet, says Gaius. But Baby Pierre's brought some news. Ar-Lu-Lun may be Chinese. I'd like you to come with me to Markus's camp site.

I'll come! says Elodie.

I'd rather you stay here and keep an eye on the female spiders, says Gaius. And be here when Sprocket and Arthur return. There's a message for Arthur from Sweezus.

I could wait here, and she could go with you, says Shu,

But you have the advantage of being Chinese, says Gaius.

So it's decided.

Shu and Gaius tramp along the bike track towards Markus's camp site.

They do not have a lantern or torch.

They are busy discussing what's to be done if Ar-Lu-Lun turns out to be a maratus furvus.

They are not watching their feet.

Usually careful of such things, tonight they are careless, and squash several tiny spiders travelling on the bike track in various directions....