Francisco's Revenge

#FoldingPaperProject: Cal and Felix (Part IV)

The following text is part of the #FoldingPaperProject. The project, set up by Molly (www.mimmerr.co.uk) aims to spread productivity, creativity and fun amongst the world’s current bleak state.

It works like the folding paper game we played at school, where one person draws the head of a character, the next person the body and so on. Whereas, we’ll be continuing a story.

You don’t need to be an accomplished writer. You don’t even need to be any good! You just need to be able to continue the story in four- five hundred words and post it on your site. If you don’t have a site, I’ll put it on mine for you.

If you would like to get involved, contact Molly @mimmerr or at molly@mimmerr.co.uk If not, read on and share the story via the #FoldingPaperProject hashtag. Happy reading and writing!

Fransisco’s Revenge.

The cave nectar bat,dawn bat,common dawn bat,common nectar bat or lesser dawn bat(Eonycteris spelaea) is a bat found in many corners of the world; from the depths of Nepal, the plains of India and the sweaty forests of Vietnam. Fransisco was one of these and had been snared in a remote region of central China. In the dense foliage of the 'Coffin' and its attached hothouse he slept and fed, confined by the glass walls of the 'conservatory' as the pair called it. A dark space had been constructed for the bats to sleep in and rest. Although, within the confined space they used little energy.

Back in Central China they slumbered in dark, damp caves that were sometimes hundreds of metres deep. The caves, giant gaping holes in wooded , mountainous wildernesses, were the habitat for many creatures that never saw the sun. White, translucent scorpions that prowled the cave floors and recesses. Anaemic lump fish, eyeless and writhing that scoured the lipid pools that provided an icy home.

The bats at least left the caves, but their awareness of light was minimal and their sonar guided them out and back home again like World War 2 pilots returning from a nighttime bombing raid. On one such sortie Fransisco had been snared by local hunters. They swung giant nets across the cave entrances and waited for the nocturnal creatures to exit their homes.

In Chinese culture, bats are revered. Their name 'fook' is very close to the word prosperity and it is thought that if the bat found a roost in your home, great wealth would fall on the family. Perhaps, this was why some misguided locals thought that by eating the bat they would inherit wealth and be filled with the five blessings: prosperity, long life, love of virtue, health and a tranquil, natural death. What was to come was nothing close to a blessing?

Fransisco had been caught outside of the town Xuancheng, in the wooded hills that surrounded the district. He was destined for the market in the Liufang Residential District of Wuhan.

Cal had disappeared into the house to check the final preparations for the following day. Felix stood gazing into nothingness, wondering if the gutter-press would show their face again. With the Lizzo moored off the coast,in all likely hood it would be yes.

In his hand, a fresh feeding plate balanced precariously. Out of the corner of his eye, Felix caught a sudden movement and the plate was knocked from his hand. "Bollocks!" he shrieked. "Little fucker." He may have let Cal believe he cared for these creatures but they were a means to an end. They attracted the tourists and the resort needed the money.

In the commotion, the bat had sliced Felix's index finger and a slow trickle of blood was now rivelleting down his hand. Instinctively he raised his finger, slid it into his mouth and sucked. His thoughts now broken, he bustled out of the sanctuary and headed off to find Cal.

It was past two in the morning, when Felix woke. His sheets were tangled and sweat soaked.