Peace And Longevity

Letitia looks hard at the knowlesi.

The knowlesi can't hold his breath for much longer.

Huuuh, goes the knowlesi.

He's alive, says Letitia. And no straws, so his back legs aren't broken.

She scoops up the knowlesi.

I want peace and longevity! croaks the knowlesi.

Isn't that sweet, says Katherine. 

He thought you were going to cut him up, says Roo-kai.

Never, says Letitia. I just want some photos. In the old days we used to do toe clipping, hot wire branding, or tattooing. But now we have pattern recognition software.

Do frogs have toe nails? asks Katherine.

Err...no, says Letitia. We clipped the actual toes.

The knowlesi is shocked. How would Letitia like it if someone clipped her toes?

Roo-kai brushes a wing feather lightly over the knowlesi, to calm him.

Shall we take photos here in the Japanese Garden? asks Katherine. I'd like some.

All right, says Letitia.

Under those beautiful Japanese maples, says Katherine. With the leaves drifting down.

A bit arty, says Letitia. I'd prefer the knowlesi to sit on a rock.

There is a rock naturally dispersed in a random way under one of the Japanese maples.

They head there.

The knowlesi hops onto the rock.

Wait, says Katherine. A leaf is falling.

Click. What a beautiful photo. 

The brown knowlesi, with his golden iris, on the grey rock, the red Japanese maple leaf beside him.

Letitia takes a close up, without the leaf, for her thesis.

How about one of you with the knowlesi, says Katherine. You found it.

Okay, says Letitia. She sits on the grey rock.

Click.

It's a nice photo of the two of them. Letitia is smiling, and so is the knowlesi.

Letitia is smiling because she found the knowlesi.

The knowlesi is smiling because he won't be cut up.

Best Not Be Too Hopeful

A fine morning, with Queensland clouds.

Roo-kai is showing the knowlesi the Japanese garden.

Very nice, says the knowlesi. I should like to be buried on one of those islands.

If you were dead, says Roo-kai.

Ruurk! says the knowlesi.

Whereas I would not care where I was buried, says Roo-kai.

Are you Japanese? asks the knowlesi.

No, French, says Roo-kai.

So the French don't care.... begins the knowlesi.

No, just me, says Roo-kai. 

What a peaceful contemplative garden, says Katherine, coming up behind them.

Ruurk! says the knowlesi.

He's imagining he's died, says Roo-kai.

That must be difficult, says Katherine. Or maybe I'm wrong. Is there a frog afterlife?

Not that I know of, says the knowlesi.

This garden is named Ju Raku En, says Katherine. It means to enjoy peace and longevity in a public place.

There you are, says Roo-kai. Longevity.

En? says the knowlesi. 

That must mean a public place, says Roo-kai. Oops! Look who's coming!

It's Letitia.

She has seen Katherine, and come up to greet her.

Enjoying the garden? asks Letitia. Isn't it fine? All the rocks have been placed to appear naturally dispersed in a random way.

How clever, says Katherine. And I do love the four bridges to the islands. So Japanesey.

Yes, says Letitia. The lake represents the celestial sea, lapping the shores of the islands which are home to the immortals.

Very pretty, says Katherine. Oh look, swans.

Letitia has seen the swans already,

Instead she looks at Roo-kai.

Why is he squatting and why is he ruffling his feathers?

Why does he look guilty?

Something brown and slimy protrudes from his undertail coverts.

The knowlesi! cries Letitia.

Roo-kai slides way from the knowlesi.

No point hiding it now.

The knowlesi attempts to play dead, but best not be too hopeful.

No Need To Wash For Three Weeks

Wait here, says Gaius to the knowlesi.

Will Letitia want to see me? asks the knowlesi.

You'll have to pretend that you're dead, says Terence. 

Where are my straws? says the knowlesi.

No need for any such theatrics, says Gaius. We'll just tell her you died.

And we buried you in the garden, says Terence. 

I'd like that, says the knowlesi.

You can't, says Terence. You won't even be there.

But I like the idea, says the knowlesi. 

Have you seen the garden? asks Roo-kai. I flew over it earlier.

Is it lovely? asks the knowlesi.

Superb, says Roo-kai. It's a Japanese garden.

Is that so? says Gaius. What is a Queensland university doing with a Japanese garden?

Who knows? says Roo-kai. But it's a beautiful place to be buried.

Have I time to go and look at it? asks the knowlesi.

Of course, says Gaius, But don't let Letitia see you.

You could borrow a ninja costume, says Terence.

Good idea, says Roo-kai.

He and Terence leave the camper, and go back to the room where Katherine and Ludwig are talking to Sweezus about his plans for Team Condor.

Yeah, says Sweezus. Same rig as last time. Green and brown. You don't have to wash it.

Ever? says Katherine.

Well, not for three weeks, says Sweezus. 

Terence bursts in!

We need a ninja costume for the knowlesi! He's going to the Japanese garden.

I've heard about the Japanese garden from Letitia, says Katherine.

He wants to be buried there, says Terence.

Then he's not having my costume, says Quiet-Tartus.

It's a ruse, says Roo-kai. No one's going to bury your costume. Or the knowlesi.

So the knowlesi wants to see the garden he's not going to be buried in? says Wittgenstein.

Wouldn't you? asks Roo-kai.

A pertinent question. 

Black Day Black Night

Roo-kai appears in the doorway.

Where have you been? asks Terence.

Loitering in the kitchen, says Roo-kai.

We lost the knowlesi, says Terence.

I know, says Roo-kai. He went past the kitchen.

Why didn't you stop him? asks Gaius.

It was not for me to stop him, says Roo-kai. He'd have had his reasons.

His life was in danger, says Quiet-Tartus.

No it wasn't, says Gaius. But he may have thought so.

I'll go and look for him, says Roo-kai.

He's in the camper, says Arthur. The door isn't locked.

It may not even be closed, says Katherine.

I can probably slide it, says Roo-kai.

Can I go with Roo-kai? asks Terence.

Yes, says Gaius. If you see the knowlesi, tell it there's nothing to fear.

Nothing to fear, says Terence.

He goes down the stairs with his parrot.

They exit the building. 

The camper is parked nearby, the door is ajar.

As though someone has closed it with such a hard push it has rebounded.

Roo-kai pushes the door futher open.

He and Terence enter the camper.

Knowlesi! whispers Terence.

What? whispers the knowlesi.

You have nothing to fear, says Terence.

What does that mean? asks the knowlesi.

Sweezus won't cut you up, says Terence. That was in the olden days. Now girls do it.

Letitia! says the knowlesi.

Are you sure he said that? asks Roo-kai.

Yes, says Terence. 

How did you know I was here? asks the knowlesi.

Arthur told us, says Terence.

Right! I'm off, says the knowlesi. 

It hops to the door.

Leap. Bop. Straight into Gaius.

Dear me! says Gaius. Are you all right?

Yes, says the knowlesi. But it was a black day when I met all you people.

A black night, says Gaius. But you didn't mean that.

No I didn't, says the knowlesi. Anyway I was just leaving.

Stay, says Gaius. A plan has been devised for your safety,.

Yay! says Terence. I told you!

What is it? asks the knowlesi.

Sweezus and Arthur will be taking the Mazda back to Adelaide, says Gaius. They need to get their bicycles in order, for the Tour. Ludwig and I will be taking take the camper further up the coast, looking for gobies. You are welcome to come with us. We'll tell Letitia you died.

Is that right? asks Roo-kai.

That's the short version, says Gaius. 

I mean morally, says Roo-kai. And what about science?

Let us leave the decision to the knowlesi, says Gaius. 

The knowlesi likes the idea of telling Letitia he died.

Valuable Only To Science

Arthur walks in.

Everyone is lifting things up.

Arthur! says Gaius, dropping a cushion. Did you come up the stairs?

Yes, says Arthur. It's the only way to get up here.

Yes, I know, says Gaius. Forgive me, I'm flustered.

We've lost the knowlesi! cries Terence.

Perhaps Arthur saw it on the stairs, says Katherine. Have you seen a small slimy brown frog?

Yes, says Gaius. Have you?

Not on the stairs, says Arthur.

Anywhere else, bro? asks Sweezus.

Was it valuable? asks Arthur.

You've stepped on it, says Wittgenstein. Or why are you asking?

I didn't step on it, says Arthur. 

It's not valuable, says Sweezus, Well, yeah, it kind of is. But only to science.

It's his fault, says Terence, pointing at Sweezus.

It really isn't, says Katherine. Sweezus was remembering his school biology class.

Yeah, I was, says Sweezus. The girls wouldn't dissect the frog so I had to.

It's outrageous! says Quiet-Tartus.

I know, says Sweezus. I bet girls aren't like that now.

Who cares who DOES it! shouts Quiet-Tartus.

We're losing the plot here, says Wittgenstein. 

Indeed, says Gaius. What are we going to say to Letitia?

We lost your knowlesi, says Terence. But we'll get you another one.

Great, says Sweezus. Are they common?

Most uncommon, says Gaius.

Shit, says Sweezus. 

We might yet find it, says Wittgenstein. I suspect Arthur has seen it.

Okay, I have, says Arthur. But it asked me not to tell you.

Where is it? asks Terence.

In the camper, says Arthur. 

Wonderful, says Gaius. Where are the keys?

I didn't lock it, says Arthur.

Did you shut the door? asks Sweezus. 

Arthur doesn't remember.

Or he does. 

He can't always be trusted.

Toulymong

Arthur has woken at last.

He has looked around the camper.

Sweezus has gone.

Probably to meet up with Gaius and Ludwig.

He rolls off the bed, and slides open the door of the camper.

A frog hops inside.

Merde! says Arthur. 

You speak French! says the knowlesi.

(yes, it's the knowlesi).

And English, says Arthur. But not frog.

We can't all speak frog, says the knowlesi. 

We meaning who ? says Arthur.

Toulymong, says the knowlesi.

(his French pronunciation is somewhat lacking).

So anyway, says Arthur, not bothering to correct him, I don't suppose you've seen a guy wearing shorts anywhere?

Shorts anywhere? says the knowlesi. 

Not the shorts, says Arthur. Him.

What does he look like? asks the knowlesi.

Like this, says Arthur, getting his phone out and showing the knowlesi a photo of Sweezus eating a fig.

It's from some time ago, but it still looks like Sweezus. Eating a fig.

What's that? asks the knowlesi, with suspicion.

A photo of him, says Arthur. Have you seen him?

What's he eating? asks the knowlesi. It's my size and it's brown and patchy.

Arthur looks. It's a fig.

Phew! says the knowlesi. This guy cuts frogs up, you know.

He doesn't, says Arthur. He hasn't even cut the fig up.

He's EATING it, says the knowlesi.

Where is he? asks Arthur. 

Upstairs, says the knowlesi. If you go up, don't tell them I'm here.

I won't, says Arthur. Is there a room number?

I'm a frog, says the knowlesi. I don't pay attention to room numbers.

I'll find them, says Arthur. Are you staying in the camper?

Yes, says the knowlesi. I need to hide from Letitia.

Okay, says Arthur.

He throws on some clothes, gets out of the camper, enters the building and goes up the stairs.

It's clear which room his friends are in. 

The door is open and it's sheer pandemonium inside.

Recently Splatted

Katherine picks up the short silicone straws.

This is either good news or bad news, says Katherine.

Germs? says Sweezus. You should've left them there.

No, they were mine originally, says Katherine. Part of one straw.

So how come? asks Sweezus.

You'll see, says Katherine.

She knocks on a door.

Gaius opens, and Terence rushes out.

Hey little buddy! says Sweezus.

Guess what! says Terence. Our frogs won! 

I know, says Sweezus. That's pretty awesome. Where are they?

On the table, says Terence.

There are three frogs on the table, two of whom Sweezus knows. The third one is the knowlesi.

They are doing gleeful kneebends.

Good news, Katherine, says Gaius. Your straws were successful.

Or not necessary in the first place, says Wittgenstein.

That is an alternative explanation, says Gaius.

Successful? says Sweezus. Successful at what?

I squeezed the knowlesi, says Terence. And it zoomed away to the window and splatted.

Sweezus looks at the knowlesi.

It does not have the appearance of a frog that has recently splatted.

And his legs broke, says Terence. But Gaius put straws on.

That makes sense, says Sweezus. And now you've got three frogs. 

The knowlesi stops bending.

Is this true?

What did it say? asks Sweezus.

Is this true? says Terence. Wait a minute, I'll ask it.

Is what true? Terence asks the knowlesi.

But the knowlesi is embarrassed.

Three frogs, says Quiet-Tartus. He's number three in our team.

Now that he's better, says Shorty-Tartus. We asked him.

Cool, says Sweezus. 

Not really, says Gaius. This frog is a litoria knowlesi, a newly named species. It's also Letitia's first one. She will be wanting it for her thesis.

What, like, to cut it up? says Sweezus, remembering the school biology class where he had to do it.

No, of course not, says Gaius. 

But the damage is done.