Two Apart

There are others climbing up the side of the waterfall in Butterfly Valley.

Bunny, Steve and Arthur wait their turn.

Now they are climbing up a rope ladder.

It's repetitive, climbing up a rope ladder, so they converse.

Steve tells Bunny, who is below him on the ladder, more about the twin prime conjecture.

What it is, says Steve, is this. Prime numbers two apart, like three and five, eleven and thirteen, and so on, continue to appear indefinitely. That's the conjecture.

Oh, says Bunny. And do they?

Yes, says Arthur, from several rungs below.

Correct, Arthur, says Steve.

What a show off! Bunny decides to pay proper attention.

So this guy has proved that prime numbers two apart continue to appear indefinitely? asks Bunny.

Not exactly, says Steve.

Bunny sighs. This is just like maths at school.

What then? asks Bunny.

He proved that there are infinitely many prime numbers separated by less than seventy million, says Steve.

It's a start, says Arthur.

Exactly, Arthur, says Steve.

Bunny kicks Arthur lightly in the head.

Soon they reach the top of the waterfall.

Wow. An awesome view. They sit and gaze at it.

Three Tiger Butterflies flutter past in the sunshine. Then two more, eleven, thirteen..........

They may do so indefinitely.

But it is time for Steve, Bunny and Arthur to climb down.

Fatal Serenity And Rare Tiger Butterflies

This is Butterfly Valley. Orange tents and wooden huts on the beach, which is pebbly. Tourists in shorts. Boats, canoes and kayaks, a snack bar. Steep rocky cliffs. A valley, a waterfall. Butterflies.

Like it? says Chucky.

It's pretty, says Bunny. What can you do here?

Find serenity, says Chucky.

Yeah, says Steve. And diving and climbing, and eating fresh seafood, and there's a cinema, and entertainment workshops and personal development seminars.......

Personal development seminars. That is quite disappointing. Bunny puts them out of her mind.

I want to look for the butterflies, says Bunny. And climb up to the top of the waterfall. Coming Arthur?

I'll come with you, says Steve. You don't want to climb up the waterfall without a guide. It can be fatal.

Fatal? An adventure. Arthur decides he will come.

Chucky stays with the gulet, and Bunny, Arthur and Steve head up into the valley.

They see several butterflies. The butterflies are black and white striped. Rare Tiger butterflies. Cool.

There's thirty five types of butterflies here, says Steve. Dunno where the other ones are.

Wow! says Bunny. Wow! It's so peaceful. Arthur? Don't you love it too? Arthur?

Arthur has been lagging behind.

Sorry, says Arthur. Thinking about my conjecture.

Woohoo! says Bunny. What's your conjecture?

Yeah, Arthur, says Steve. What's your conjecture?

I should be heading to France, says Arthur. And the proof is, that it's already June.

Wacky! says Steve, but that's not a conjecture. A conjecture is a proposition that's unproven.

This is a proven conjecture, says Arthur.

Steve looks unconvinced, but Bunny is worried. Does Arthur want to leave Turkey already?

You can't go yet, says Bunny.

No, says Arthur, but soon. And I'll need a bicycle.

Live the moment, Arthur, says Bunny. Look we're getting close to the waterfall.

They are. The cliff sides draw closer together and block out the sun.

There are ladders and ropes....

Are you ready? says Steve. Let's go up.

Synchronicity On The Way To Butterfly Valley

Arthur and Bunny meet Chucky and Steve at the marina early next morning.

They climb on board the gulet and set sail for Butterfly Valley.

Soon they are floating along in the sunshine, on the clear blue Mediterranean water, passing palm trees and rocks and ancient Lycian tombs, with their lids all askew.

Arthur wants to stop and look inside one of the tombs, but Chucky and Steve want to keep going.

You guys'll love Butterfly Valley, says Chucky. It's so cool there. Like I mean really awesome.

Are there butterflies there? Bunny asks.

Mega numbers, says Steve. At this time of year.

What time of year is it? asks Arthur.

June, says Bunny.

Already? says Arthur. He starts doing calculations.

So, says Bunny, are you guys naturalists or what?

Nah, says Chucky. We're mathematicians. What about you?

I'm a.... an editor, says Bunny. I do a lot of work for Velosophy, the philosophy and cycling magazine.

Oh yeah, heard of it. Awesome! says Steve. What about your French guy?

He's a poet, says Bunny. He's famous.

Yeah, what's his name? asks Steve.

Arthur Rimbaud, says Bunny.

Ha ha, laughs Chucky.

No, says Steve. He really looks like that dude in the photo.....

Yeah, says Chucky. It's him! That's so awesome!

Do you guys only ever say awesome? asks Bunny. You know why I like Arthur?

Arthur looks up.

It's because he NEVER would EVER say awesome, says Bunny.

Yeah, well he's a poet, says Chucky. And now I know why you're an editor.

But you guys don't act like mathematicians, says Bunny. Do some maths.

It's called math in our country, says Steve. Yeah well, we're both into number theory. It's pretty exciting just now.

Really? says Bunny doubtfully.

Really, says Steve. Did you know last month someone came up with a proof for the twin prime conjecture?

Yeah, says Chucky. Do you know what that is?

Bunny nods. She knows what twins are, at least.

And, here's something even more awesome, I mean amazing, says Chucky. On the very same day, can you believe it, the VERY SAME DAY, another guy came up with a proof for the Goldbach conjecture. The weak form, that is. What are the odds?

Bunny tries looks stunned at this amazing piece of synchronicity.

Arthur hasn't been listening. A poet doesn't need to. He is about to come up with a conjecture for which the proof has already been announced.

But the gulet reaches the landing cove at Butterfly Valley before it comes out of his mouth.

Meet Some Americans, Eat Turkish Cakes

Ageless is esconced in the Children's Zoo, in a tiny pond, moulting, in full view of the children.

He usually does his moulting in private.

It's not fair. Even the tadpoles are laughing.

Hehehe, giggle the tadpoles. We heard what you did. You stole a HAT.

A calumny, groans Ageless. I was misunderstood. The hat was for someone with cancer.

What's a CANCER? asks one of the tadpoles.

A CRAB, says Ageless. You ignorant polyp. Go away. I need privacy. Ooah, ouch, ffft, click.

.........

Baby Pierre is not happy.

I don't want to go to Hieropolis, says Baby Pierre. I want to stay here in the white water wonderland.

I'll go to Hieropolis, says Lavender. Gaius, take me!

You are no use to me in Hieropolis, says Gaius. It's because of your build.

I'm an augur, says Lavender. That's my build. I can tell you the future, Gaius. Baby Pierre can't do that.

Lavender, says Gaius, it's not the future I'm interested in, it's the past.

I can do.....begins Lavender.

But you have no SUBSTANCE, says Gaius. I am sorry to put it so bluntly.

Ha ha Lavender! says Baby Pierre. You have no substance, because you're just empty space.

Wrong! says Lavender. I'm a space in the shape of an augur. And this is the future. I'm going to Hieropolis with Gaius. We'll meet the Professor. We'll go into the Gate of Hell and discover ......something really really scary....and we won't be afraid!

Impressive, says Katherine. Gaius, I think you should take Lavender. What does her shape matter?

It matters, says Gaius. She can come, but it will make my planned experiment less reliable if I have to use her.

Hurrah! cries Lavender. I'm the one going! Not you Baby Pierre!

Baby Pierre is glad to have got out of Gaius's planned experiment. He is already dreaming of lying on his back in the shallow hot springs, while Katherine is soaking her feet.

..............

Arthur and Bunny are not the only ones kayaking. They meet some Americans.

Hi, say the Americans. We're Chucky and Steve. You staying in Kas?

Yes, says Bunny. We're just going back there.

So are we, say Chucky and Steve. It's nearly cake time in Kas.

When's cake time? says Arthur, feeling hungry.

Five o'clock, says Chucky. Race you back.

They race back to Kas where it's cake time. They eat Turkish cakes in a cafe with Chucky and Steve.

Wanna come with us tomorrow? says Chucky. We're goin' to check out s' more islands in a gulet.

Yeah, says Bunny. Yeah we do. What's a gulet?

Wooden yacht, says Steve. We' re goin' to Butterfly Valley. Should be awesome out there.

Doesn't sound very Turkish, says Bunny.

Nah, says Chucky. It ain't.

The Eighth Wonder

I do like ruins, says Bunny, paddling thoughtfully. They're so romantic.

She peers through the brilliant blue water to the sunken city below. It shimmers tantalisingly, stony, weedy, crusty, light, dark, fishy. She thinks she sees broken pots.

Pots! she says. Look down there, Arthur.

Arthur peers into the depths.

Amphorae, says Arthur. Want a piece of one?

I don't think we're allowed, says Bunny.

Who's looking? says Arthur.

He dives into the water and whacks off a piece of ancient amphora with his shoe horn.

He surfaces and presents it to Bunny.

Cool, says Bunny. A souvenir. Now let's get going.

They paddle away from the sunken ruins of Kekova, quickly.

.........

Gaius and Katherine have finally arrived in Pamukkale, and got off the bus.

How beautiful it is. The Cotton Castle. The eight wonder of the world. Cliff faces, formed out of stalactites and shallow basins of gleaming white calcium, filled with warm water from hot mineral springs.

Katherine has heard all about them. She can't wait to bathe her poor feet.

Gaius is not interested in the warm water pools. His immediate purpose is to meet up with Professor Francesco d'Andria, whose team recently discovered the Gate to Hell at Hieropolis.

Katherine, says Gaius. We cannot lie about here, bathing and faffing. We must get on.

Gaius, says Katherine. I intend to do some bathing and faffing, as you call it. Say what you like. I'm not budging from here for two days.

In that case, says Gaius, we must part. Baby Pierre! Come with me!

Baby Pierre remembers Bunny's warning.

He tries to hide in Katherine's bag. But....

What about ME? squeaks Lavender.

So they are both found, and hauled out.

.........

Ageless is glowering. His shell feels all tight. Farid has dumped him in Jamila's office, on her shiny black desk.

Jamila is smiling, but not at him, at Farid.

Thanks Farid, says Jamila. You can go now.

What's the meaning of this? grits Ageless. Am I not free?

No you're not, says Jamila. I have received a formal complaint from those mothers. And a report of you stealing a hat. Not to mention terrorising the ice rink. You will have to remain here under surveillance for an indefinite period.

See if I care, says Ageless, deliberately scratching the desk.

Stop that! says Jamila. You'll go in the Children's Zoo. I can keep an eye on you there. What's the matter? You look a bit queasy.

Ageless does indeed look queasy. He is starting to moult.

Lobster On Ice

Ageless is lifted high into the air, above the ice rink.

Ha ha, lobster on ice, says a familiar voice.

Very funny, says Ageless, twisting to see who it is.

It's Farid.

Get these boots off me, says Ageless. And take me somewhere where it's warm.

That's why I'm here, says Farid, pulling at Ageless's blue skating boots with unnecessary vigour.

Watch it , says Ageless. You'll have my legs off.

You've got more, says Farid.

Is this the same Farid who was so pleasant to him previously?

Now he is rough and rude.

Come, says Farid.

No, says Ageless. I prefer to remain independent.

You have no choice in the matter, says Farid.

.........

Meanwhile, on the long bus ride to Pamukkale, Gaius is pondering the meaning of Katherine's automatic writing.

It was ARTHUR! says Gaius.

Pardon? says Katherine. What was Arthur?

Blue, Blue, says Gaius. That was Arthur's song. The one he played at the closing night concert of the Masters Games in Alice Springs! You were channeling Arthur.

I assure you I wasn't, says Katherine.

It all fits, says Gaius.

Not the feet, says Katherine.

'A week is a lifetime on the other side', says Gaius. That fits. Arthur is already utterly bored in Kas with that Bunny. He's wishing he'd come to Pamukkale with us.

You don't know young people, says Katherine, rubbing her foot. Are we there yet? I need to soak this.

She shows Gaius her foot. It is blueish.

...........

Katherine is right about Arthur.

He is not bored in Kas. Nor is Bunny.

They have hired two kayaks and are paddling down the coast towards the sunken city of Kekova. The sea is blue, the sun is warm, the coastline is the loveliest in the Mediterranean.

 If you like ruins.

How Automatic Writing Works

Katherine continues her automatic writing.

Her face is expressionless. Her orange pen flies over the paper.

Lavender and Baby Pierre pay rapt attention. Who is coming through?

Katherine writes, in a curious hand: A WEEK IS A LIFETIME ON THE OTHER SIDE> INSUPPORTABLE< IT IS> OH MY FEET ARE SO COLD> BLUE> BLUE>

She shivers and stops writing. Stares down at the notepad. Looks surprised.

Well I never, says Katherine. Look at this Gaius.

A week is a lifetime on the other side, reads Gaius. What do you mean?

Not me, says Katherine. Some one else has come through.

Rubbish, says Gaius. I saw you write it.

But she was all in a trance, says Lavender. It's a dead spirit!

Dead spirit, scoffs Baby Pierre. Spirits aren't dead, Lavender. That's the Twitcher.

I know it's the Twitcher, says Lavender.

How? asks Katherine. How do you know it's the Twitcher?

By the clues, says Baby Pierre. First, the Twitcher has to stay in the Dubai Aquarium for a week.

Why are his feet cold? asks Gaius, becoming interested again. It's hot in Dubai.

I know! says Lavender. He's nervous! He can't wait to go to Kas to meet his sweetheart, but he's scared she won't like him. He's getting cold feet.

Plausible, says Gaius. But I still don't believe it.

I need a cup of tea, says Katherine. I've come over all funny.

There's no tea on the bus. Gaius hands her a bottle of iced water.

Katherine gulps it. Her own feet are cold. Well, one is, particularly. The blue one. Perhaps she has been channeling herself?

It never occurs to her that she could have been channeling Ageless.

.......

Ageless is skating round and round the ice rink in the Dubai Shopping Mall, wearing his red knitted hat.

A whole WEEK here! grumbles Ageless. Insupportable! Brrr! My feet are freezing in these boots. Why do they only have one colour? I don't like blue.

Bump! he is knocked over by a speeding skater. He sits down on the ice and remains there immobile, until someone picks him up from behind.