Apollo Stark

Apollo’s family home was inappropriately named Tickety-boo, forit really wasn’t. His parents were a self-absorbed pair who showedlittle interest in his abilities or education and seemingly favoured thequestionable hippy notion of nature over nurture. So, as a child,each night, under his bedsheets with a torch to read by, Apollo’s bedbecame a boat which drifted far out to sea. Aboard it he carried allhe needed to explore the realm of inspiration. He sailed to the landof the chalkybore and beyond, searching for answers to questions hehadn’t even thought of, and returned each morning with fresh taleshe wished he could tell his parents, if only they would listen, butthey never did. Fortunately, his friend Little Red, listened. Little Redwas a pocket diary he’d received as a Christmas gift from his AuntySandra, and Apollo’s pen became its voice. Apollo told Little Redeverything in a naive, black, inky scrawl and Little Red absorbedeach word, recording all that Apollo had to say. The diary neverjudged him and was always there when Apollo needed it, and Apollofilled it to brimming with his trials and tribulations.Now, diaries being diaries, there is only so much they can recallbefore their pages run out. Being full, Little Red retired to whatApollo thought was a safe place under his bed, which was quiteoften a boat of dreams. But it wasn’t safe there. Little Red wentmissing. Who abducted Little Red? Apollo suspected his parents butwas unable to prove it. After all, who else would wish Apollo’srecollections to remain unseen?In later years, with Little Red’s predecessor Bigger Red in toe,(who was more a notebook for scribbling down story ideas than adiary), Apollo, being all grownupish studied weirdo science atTicklebrain Adversity College in Babelsome. He became the alphaof the master debating team, and his rambling thesis on thebehaviour of quarks in a quantum physiological environment underthe influence of a flatulent elephant with a nervous disposition, ledto him graduating with full Goners. Taking his doctor-hated degree,Apollo made good use of it as toilet paper.Now, being the future, unless you’re experiencing a temporaldisturbance, Apollo has run out of anything to wipe his bottom onbut has completed several books that he considers equally useful forthe task, and he feels that the quality of his latest scofferings, are asequally debatable as his nature verses nurture upbringing.With no further ad due, this is part two of his latest tale, read on andyou decide.