Masked as a rat infestation at Fitson's, a perpetual loop streams sideways, sifting through sands and punching brains, only to bear cheese-witness to Miriam's sludgy tortoise pipe-dream.

From the water on the brain to the rubble on the plate, culinary rogues wield hateful spoons with gritted teeth, lives are ruined, the sun's retired and the hills can't get over themselves. Just another day in the lab.

At an important ingress, ingesting books, people and light, the underground library forgets its overground pretensions.

Rousseau and Marengo Part 4: What goes in must then come out. What OTIS lifts it must let fall. Short-changed, enflamed and fading out, the question darks the mouths of all.

Rousseau and Marengo Part 3: The way the gravy trickles at the feast of fools cannot swamp the fact that OTIS sets the rules.

Intermission: Whether Marco, Yarrow or Charlton Athletic graft him a future, there’s a largish crowd waiting to cheer at the resulting haché.

Rousseau and Marengo Part 2: When a fall guy fronts, it's not long before an affront is felt. Duplicity dials, but who will answer?

Rousseau and Marengo Part 1: Bon mots, or not, garbled from the gables. What fool would rise to meet the demands of Fantoft?

Rumination 30: Meat is muddier on the grassier climbs, yet climbing is cruddier to the meatier minds.

On a train-ride through the nervous system, packed among badges, badgers and bandages, Mrs Blandings sits aimlessly astride a listless chestnut mare.