It Might Seem That They're Lying

There, says Terence. Now your bowl is next to the window. Don't forget that.

I won't, says Alexander-Yellowsun.

Is it better to die next to a window? asks Terence.

O yes, says Alexander-Yellowsun.

Why? asks Terence.

Because of the light, says Alexander-Yellowsun.

Terence thinks about friends that have died.

Most recently, Alexander-Times-Roman, who Terence stepped on.

Saint Roley's brother, who floated out to sea on a cardboard.

Frog, who fell out of a window.

Gaius returns with the water.

At last! says Gaius. It took me forever to find Kierkegaard a plaster. Now whose bowl is which?

The crabs don't answer, in case it might seem that they're lying.

Never mind, I remember, says Gaius. The control bowl is nearest the window.

He tips fifty millilitres of normal seawater into the bowl nearest the window.

Alexander-Yellowsun starts to climb in.

Wait! says Gaius. You are not the control crab!

But I was in this bowl before, says Alexander-Yellowsun.

You were? says Gaius. Then there's been a mix up.

No, there hasn't, says Terence. I swapped the bowls after they got out, so she could be nearest the window.

Why ever did you think she should be nearest the window? asks Gaius.

For the light when she dies, says Terence.

A poetic concept, says Gaius, but it has resulted in the inadvertent dilution of her microplastic-rich water.

Just add more microplastics, says Alexander-Yellowsun. I can handle it.

You do look quite chipper, says Gaius. I expected you to be wilting.

My number of viable eggs has decreased, says Alexander-Yellowsun.

That was due to mishandling, says Gaius. Nothing to do with the microplastic concentration.

They want a photo, says Terence.

No time for that now, says Gaius. I must do some quick calculations.

He goes off to find paper and pencil in order to work out exactly what proportion of microplastic mixture he should add to the non control bowl, to make everything right again.

Terence has stayed with the crabs.

Frog fell out of a window, says Terence. He fell onto the paving bricks and died. All his seeds were spread out in a pattern.

Frogs have seeds? says Alexander-Red-Hook. You surprise me.

Terence explains that Frog was a withered tomato.