Jen-Sten-Juliet sat in her mother’s greenhouse counting the many fruit flies
It was a meagre occupation but fulfilling as she enjoyed counting
Since she had started two of the fruit flies had died so she had to amend her calculations
12-2=10
On the whitewashed stone wall of the greenhouse was a bat who watched the proceedings with great interest as it too was interested in mathematics
The bat was related to Jen-Sten-Juliet and they shared the same brown eyes and dark complexion although the girl was still unable to fly
Tell mummy that I have ten fruit flies and if I am going to reach twenty eight then I am going to have to know more about their gestation periods
Have you taken into account the mortality rates of the flies?
Jen-Sten-Juliet held up her notebook to the bat who did not see very well
12-2=10 + 26 = 36 (if a gestation period of three weeks is a factor) – (a mortality rate) of 2% will equal a figure near to 28
The bat looked at his sisters calculations and smiled
Your mortality rate in an abstract what happens if the gardener leaves the greenhouse door open and all the fruit flies die. They are also very careless in their flight I often have near misses when flying around the greenhouse
But for the most part they are brightly coloured
I am nearly blind; I fly by an internal radar mummy must have told you that
Perhaps she did but I have forgotten
When you fly you will see the difficulties of navigation
But my sight is perfect
It is a difficult art
I will always calculate my journey then I will not crash into any fruit flies and upset my calculations
The bat began to fly around the greenhouse
See it is not easy
Ask mummy about the fruit flies and their reproductive cycles and I will revise my calculation regarding the mortality rates as an abstract percentage is always an abstract percentage
Will you open the door for me? I may be able to fly but I have not yet mastered the art of opening doors
Jen-Sten-Juliet walked across to the greenhouse door and opened it ensuring that none of the fruit flies followed her. She watched as her sister flew across the lawn past the Icarus Tree and towards the kitchen where their mother was
When she was satisfied that her sister was out of view she began flapping her arms and soon was flying around the greenhouse. Some of the more energetic fruit flies joined her and soon they were flying in strange formations
Soon Jen-Sten-Juliet tired of her flight for this was new art. She sat at her table and lifted her book of calculations and unlocked the drawer beneath
Inside there was chart where she kept record of all her flights
The distances and the times involved
She added her latest statistics and locked the drawer
The fruit flies had settled again and were gathering in front of her
This is my secret, no-one but no-one must breathe a word to my sister as it will ruin all my calculations which are difficult enough already. If I am to discover the secrets of perfect numbers and flight then you will have to help me
A fruit fly who she gathered to be the leader suddenly spoke
Mistress I think you should desist from talking to us as I can see your sister flying across the lawn with your mother. Return to your calculations and look studious
Jen-Sten-Juliet glanced over her shoulder the fruit bat was indeed right. Her mother and sister were approaching the greenhouse
12-2=10 + 496 = 506 (if a gestation period is not taken into account) – (a mortality rate) of 12% will equal a figure near to 496 but why do I need to add 496 she wrote as the greenhouse door opened
Mummy be careful of the flies I fear we will lose more this morning if we do not take strict precautions
Her sister smiled at her she landed on the greenhouse wall and secretly dropped another dead fruit fly from under her wing
It fell quietly on to the floor
Jen-Sten-Juliet was unaware of this latest death and the repercussions it would have on her latest set of calculations