He Was But He Didn't Do That

Baby Pierre arrives back at the camp site where Elodie is waiting for Arthur and Sprocket.

She is idly rearranging the dead maratus cristatus.

Some of his legs have dropped off.

Lavender is helping, because they keep blowing away.

She catches them and places them into her little shell segments.

It's very good of you to do this, says Elodie. I know those are your spaces.

Lavender doesn't mind having spider legs in her spaces, temporarily.

But it's nice to be thanked.

The dead maratus cristatus won't do it.

And now here is Baby Pierre.

It has taken him some time to drop his bike and walk over slowly.

It's not like him to be slow.

What's up? asks Elodie. You look dejected.

I am dejected, says Baby Pierre.

So are we, says Lavender. We're joining up a spider that never should have come apart.

Maybe not never, says Elodie. But he did die too early.

He's not the only one, says Baby Pierre. Remember Felix?

Of course they remember Felix. He looked like a clown, or a cat.

Felix! says Elodie. I thought he was going to spend the rest of his life as a hermit.

He was, says Baby Pierre. But he didn't do that.

What happened? asks Elodie.

Stepped on, says Baby Pierre. Along with his girlfriend. And a bit further along, two more female spiders, also stepped on.

This is terrible, says Elodie. Can you show me?

Baby Pierre goes slowly back to his bike.

Lavender, says Elodie, keep an eye on the tin with the fifteen female spiders. And if Arthur comes back while I'm away, give him the message.

Sure, says Lavender.

Elodie and Baby Pierre disappear into the shadows.

Lavender tries to remember the message.

Minutes later, headlights light up the camp site.

Arthur and Sprocket have come back.

They get out of the Hilux, laughing.

They walk over to the poncho.

They plop down, creating a breeze.

It's not their fault that spider legs float up and away in every direction.

But it is Sprocket's fault what happens next, to the tin.