Will Not Choose a Side

More than sixty thousand fragments. Morphology first. ZooMS. Then the proteins.

Five remain named by the collagen letter: COL1A2 R996K. Two parietal. The first confirmed radius. Two teeth, both male.

Layers about one hundred sixty-seven to one hundred thirty-four thousand. MIS 6. Culture from about one hundred ninety down to seventy — no other hominin mouth in that stretch.

Denisovan is looking once the letter sits in five pieces. Late mouth if you mean secrets, less mysterious, missing link. I will not use those.

The leftover is the radius that will not choose a side: large at the top like a Neanderthal, shape further down closer to us — and the cave that no longer opens after they pulled what they could.

The five still hold the letter. The entrance does not.