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Chloe blurts out, “Is Pearl...catching fish with her mouth?”
Yup,mouth.
Head underwater,I face a fish.
Fish screams, “Mom!Monster!”
Mommy Fish swims up,tail flicking: “What’s the fuss?”
The second she sees me she roared, “Help!When did this migrate here!”
Grandpa Fish’s summoned.
Stammering, “Wh-what do you want?”
I know this fish—slipped my beak once.
I smack my lips regretfully.
Grandpa Fish quakes.
“Give me ten fish,or I eat your whole tribe!”
“And don’t let that guy catch you!”
I nod at Ethan’s reflection,stressing.
Done,I pull my head out,ignoring their wails.
I give Ryan and Chloe a reassuring look: “All set.”
Both of them: “Set??”
They soon see the magic of “communication”.
I hold a bucket by the river.Fish after fish leaps in,like martyrs.
“Cold winds howl,heroes march,never to return...my ancestor was by the Colorado Ruver
“When the Indians jumped in,my ancestor watched,same mood!Sighing long,tears veiled,mourning life’s woes.”
Less poetic fish clans:
“Son!”
“Hubby!”
“Grandpa!”
I count—ten exactly.
The fisherman,hemming and hesitating,sidles up: “Lady,how’d you do it?Teach me?I’ll pay!”
Ethan grits his teeth,dives into the river.
System pops: “Yo,chance!”
Before I grasp it,the calm river surges.
Ethan stumbles,swept away,gurgling.
System,smug: “Save him!He’ll love you for it!”
I point—all in the crew that could swim already jumped in.
“Still needed?”
System rages.
Ethan’s fans panic:[Oh no,he can’t swim!]
[Isn’t that safety protections?If he’s hurt,this show’s done!]
[Come on!]
Ethan’s hauled up,clutching an empty net.
No fish,but his grip shows he hates losing to me.
With the crew paying the bill,I try everything I craved yesterday.
I even taste spices.
I snag the full map and find the guest star,Jake Riley.
The crew sets games for his drama,including Blindfolded Piggyback.
Pairs compete:one blindfolded,carrying the other through a pool to grab water balls.One with most balls win.
Winner gets a lux dinner.
I’m paired with Ryan.
You spin five circles,walk 65 feet,pop balloons,then hit the pool.
Ryan,knowing my food obsession,vows, “Girl, I’ll get you that dinner!”
When God opens a door for you, he makes sure to slam shut all the windows.
Who knew Ryan’d get dizzy by round two?
He falls,sprawling to avoid crushing me.
Anxious,he stands up,fighting nausea: “Girl,you okay?”
“I’m fine.You?”
He shakes his head.
A minute later,others are popping balloons.We’re still right where we were.
Five minutes in,others are in the pool.We’re right where we were.
Ryan’s confidence fades: “Girl,I’m useless.”
I pat him: “No biggie,they’re getting nowhere too.”
"I’m blindfolded,not deaf.I hear balloons popping and splashes.”
I shrug: “Fast food’s also fine.Never tried it actually.”
We reach the pool.I grab our team’s basket.
It’s leaking!
Through the hole,I see Chloe wave,yelling, “Lily broke your basket!”
Chloe,poster girl for the rich,speaks freely.
After only two days,we’re pals—she counts me as a friend.
