Veracity became a young woman of good character. When she had thrown off the happy illusions of childhood and stood for the first time in the full light, it was immediately apparent to her that she was in need of a clear understanding of the Truth.
She set off, full of hope, following the Path of Discovery. She came into a place that was filled with the Fog of Deception. Being a brave young woman, she entered and came to a place where she could make out three shadowy figures in the Fog.
Are you the Facts from which Truth is expounded, she asked.
Yes, we are the Facts, They replied, We are the Facts of Past, Present and Future.
Why can I not see you clearly? She asked,
Ah, came the reply, The Fog of Deception surrounds us, only those wearing the Glasses of Clarity may pierce the Fog of Deception.
Where can I find these Glasses of Clarity? Asked Veracity,
You must go to the Opticians like anyone else, said the Facts. Once you have been tested, left or right, left or right, for a prescription, you may choose your frames from a wide range of eye wateringly expensive designers and manufacturers. Alternatively, you can get cheap ones at the supermarket from a spinning display. Spin the display about merrily, wait till it stop, and then just grab the nearest pair.
Being poor, Veracity opted for the cheap ones. Whilst in the market she also discovered some fresh Vegetables of Longevity, some Fruits of our Labour in season and a packet of dried Food for Thought. This world seems littered with metaphorical objects spelt with capital letters, she said to herself.
At the turnpike and exit station, governed by a sharp eyed acolyte of the checkout guild, all the items bleeped properly to the listening machine, except the Food for Thought, which had lost its identification stripes. The checkout acolyte applied for further identity confirmation through the internal communication system but was unable. She then switched on her emergency flash lamp and everyone in the queue behind Veracity groaned. Luckily it only took a short time for a colleague to find the relevant information and soon Veracity had paid and gone into the zoo.
She passed the tanks of Nocturnal Facts where nothing was visible. All the Night Facts liked to hide in hollow logs during light time. Veracity suspected that some of the tanks were empty.
In the main Zoo, all the Wild Facts were kept in cages with bits of interesting stuff for mental and physical stimulation, which always looked like ribbons of frayed rope. It was feeding time for the Naked Truths and the Plain Truths. Veracity watched as they leapt up high to snap at bananas dangling on a stick, held by teasing game keepers. Eventually she came to the great enclosures where prides of Predatory Facts lay about on raised platforms, looking bored, whilst children hit the viewing glass wall with plastic toys to get their attention. The Facts there were laid bare.
Veracity had an ice cream near the Aviary where the Flights of Fancy flew in the Face of Reason, squawking and fluttering from perch to perch.
Eventually, when she tired of the endless balloons, she returned to verify the Facts of the Past and Present. The Facts of the Future had not yet been made available online. They still appeared as clear as day, or mud. She positioned her spectacles, and the Truth was soon illuminated in coloured glass, with rays of vibrant sunlight casting shapes on the cold flag stones. Swallows flying through the light and disappearing once more in the darkness. Now I have seen the facts unvarnished, I am more confused than a lost mouse who has misplaced it’s mobile phone, she admitted.
Never mind, said the PPF, most of us just make it up as we go along.
Oh, Ok, good to know, said Veracity.
The Guardians of the Cave 