A Web of Lies

Chapter 5

Later that evening as Trevor switched out his shoes in the staff lounge and pulled out dirt clods in his hair from the children’s fossil pit, he smiled. Of course he was not happy because he had been standing for seven hours, r that a touring birthday group had made the children’s section of the museum look more like the path of a tornado. Rather, he was smiling in anticipation of the party.

            Dr. Weston had been either shut up in his office, or down in the restoration room consumed with his work all day. On the few occasions Trevor had seen him, he was lost in though, though whether the professor was brooding about something, or simply being pensive, Trevor could not tell.

            Whatever the case, the professor was sure to be jubilant as ever this evening, which was always an entertaining joy to se. Trevor decided to prepare. It was closing time, and he had already checked and reset the exhibits in his section. His only other duty now was to make sure the small storage closets on the ground floor were locked. This was a frivolous duty as they storage doors were self locking anyway, and never once had he found them to be open. He had other things to do.

            Trevor walked up to the large white board of duties and checked his off. What he needed to do now was make his fruit salad. Using the knives from the lunge and a large plastic bowl someone had forgotten to claim ages ago, Trevor set to work slicing up the fruit, (after carefully washing everything of course). His mother used to make fruit salad by smothering everything in mayonnaise, but Trevor got enough grief as it was for being American, he didn’t want to fuel the gluttonous stereotype. Instead, he smashed the papayas as finely as he could, made a light past of it all, threw in the coconut after shredding it, then diced everything else and added it to the mix. With a final dash of vanilla extract, Trevor sealed off the bowl with plastic wrap and placed his creation in the fridge. A throat cleared politely behind him.

            Trevor turned to see an empty doorway. Only after close inspection did he see the small figure suspended from the door frame by a thin strand of silk.

            “Hello, Sir Richard.” Trevor said. “What can I do for you?”

            “It is I who have the pleasure of serving you today, sir.” He said. “If you permit me to be placed upon your shoulder, I shall guide you to the restoration room, where your gift awaits.”

            “You mean it’s done already? Wow, you guys really do work fast.”

            “We are quite industrious.” Sir Richard replied.

            “Alright. Well, hop on.” Trevor said, stepping forward so Richard could crawl upon his shoulder. When Richard had taken his place, he gestured with one leg.

            “It awaits before you.” He said. Trevor smiled and walked into the restoration room. The automatic lights flicked on, and suspended by invisibly small threads, hung a magnificent and silky three piece suit. At first, he was surprised and a little scared. When the lights initially came on, it looked as though someone was levitating in the middle of the room. But now, with the illusion past, Trevor could only marvel at the craftsmanship.

            The suit was intricate, with filigree and initials tastefully placed. The fabric looked smooth and was surprisingly soft to the touch. What Trevor loved most was the bow-tie. It looked extremely dashing, but held a subtle hint of scales in it’s design, as though it was a silken dinosaur hide. Trevor had always wanted a dinosaur bow-tie, but sadly, he cold not fine one that could be worn anywhere besides a five-year-old’s birthday party. Now, he had the classiest dinosaur bow-tie of them all.