The Rise And Fall Of Fact One

Felix and fourth female spider are so far behind we can't see them.

Perhaps they have stopped.

Third and fifth female spider are still following the bike tracks.

Time to drop in on Group A.

Baby Pierre and his two passengers arrive at the campsite.

The two passengers hop off.

Ar-Lu-Lun looks out from his new position as a prized specimen spider.

A glass jar.

The glass jar is on a rock, next to a Spiderman back pack, and a larger one, from Kathmandu.

Gaius's notes lie open, at page three.

First and second female spider run towards Ar-Lu-Lun.

They stop when they reach the glass jar.

Great excitement! says Ar-Lu-Lun.

Not really, says first female spider. Just an informal visit.

I meant about me, says Ar-Lu-Lun. There is great excitement.

Baby Pierre has dropped his bicycle a short distance from the jar.

He joins the two female spiders, face to face (through glass) with Ar-Lu-Lun.

Do you have to be in there? asks Baby Pierre.

I guess not, says Ar-Lu-Lun. There's no lid on my apartment.

Ha ha, apartment! laughs the second female spider.

Want to come out? asks Baby Pierre. We could arrange it.

No thanks says Ar-Lu-Lun. I'll stay here for as long as it takes.

The great excitement? says Baby Pierre. Let me guess. They think you're a new species. Where are they?

Comfort stop, says Ar-Lu-Lun. Raould needs to defecate. They're digging a hole somewhere.

Wooh! says Baby Pierre. Is that allowed here?

Raoul was in a hurry, says Ar-Lu-Lun. Anyway, they'll be back soon. The big story is, I might be Chinese.

First and second female don't think that could be possible.

But Baby Pierre is willing to consider it.

Yes, says Baby Pierre. And you could be from the moon, but how likely is it? What facts support you being Chinese?

Two facts, says Ar-Lu-Lun.

What are they? asks Baby Pierre.

It occurs to him that he has a vested interest. He found Ar-Lu-Lun in the first place. although Ar-Lu-Lun disputes this.

Fact one, says Ar-Lu-Lun, there is picture of me in Gaius's notes, or shall we say, a picture of one of my species. Maratus furvus.

Let's see, says Baby Pierre.

Yes, let's see, say the two female spiders.

Wait, says Ar-Lu-Lun. You haven't heard fact two yet.

What is it? asks Baby Pierre.

My name, says Ar-Lu-Lun. Where did it come from if I'm not of Chinese origin?

Fact two is less convincing.

Correction, it would be if fact one could be verified.

But where is the image in question, when it's needed?

It could be, worst case scenario, on page two.

 It could be that Raoul, in dire need of some paper, has hurriedly ripped off page two, before following his father.

And that fact one, at this very moment, is being rendered inadmissible.