Just off the bow of the inflatable, the water begins to churn, an ominous swirl that seems to bubble up from the deep. Cliff cautiously looks over, one hand digging into the rubbery gunwale, the other swishing through the water trying to see what might be the source of the upwelling.
Jennifer, meanwhile, stays to her side, keeping her eyes on Cliff, knees folded up to her chin. “What?” she asks.
But before he can answer his hand is snatched, and he’s pulled over the side, letting go a bone-chilling high-pitched scream as he hits the water. A moment passes before his head bobs back up. “It’s a sea serpent. Giant teeth, I can’t break loose. Save yourself, save yourself,” he cries, his arms flailing.
Standing—the yellow rubber raft rocking with her sudden movement—Jennifer shakes her head and bends down to glare at Cliff. “This is borrrr-ing. Why does there always have to be some kind of monster in boy games?” she shouts, her face in a twist. With a long, loud huff, she dives off the raft and into the pool. She swims to the water’s edge, climbs out, and stomps over to the patio where Mom has lunch waiting.
Jennifer, meanwhile, stays to her side, keeping her eyes on Cliff, knees folded up to her chin. “What?” she asks.
But before he can answer his hand is snatched, and he’s pulled over the side, letting go a bone-chilling high-pitched scream as he hits the water. A moment passes before his head bobs back up. “It’s a sea serpent. Giant teeth, I can’t break loose. Save yourself, save yourself,” he cries, his arms flailing.
Standing—the yellow rubber raft rocking with her sudden movement—Jennifer shakes her head and bends down to glare at Cliff. “This is borrrr-ing. Why does there always have to be some kind of monster in boy games?” she shouts, her face in a twist. With a long, loud huff, she dives off the raft and into the pool. She swims to the water’s edge, climbs out, and stomps over to the patio where Mom has lunch waiting.
