Alice threw herself sideways to avoid the drifting bogwood. Behind her, Berth and his son, Alek, hung on tightly, the younger laughing. The restraints that tied the men to the gator were wrapped around each's left hand. Their other supported them, allowing the father and son to flounder just high enough above the waterline to keep from drowning.
Along the path to the western district, they sped across the waters as it graduated to a murkier shade. Alice slowed as they approached the sloping building floating downriver. Its roof hung over the interior like a canvas, jostling each time the structure bumped into the shore.
The gator finally stopped, letting her passengers off before the billowing family tartan. Its colors loudly contrasted against the bog's dull green. Alek bounded up the stairs to his uncle, while his father stayed behind to tie Alice down. Berth made sure that Alice's leash was loose enough that she could chase after schools of fish naïve enough to swim nearby. Finally, he left the grandmother to her own devices.
Uncle George greeted his exuberant nephew with a tight hug, "How you been doing?" He didn't even pause before presenting a squirming babe. Alek gasped and carefully accepted the alligator. Berth watched this from the doorway as he stripped out of his wetsuit.
"She's... She's so pretty and big. Could she bring us back home?"
"Kid you're as smart as a thog of bog frogs during mating season." George laughed at his nephew's expense, only to then give him a respite. "But you're too young to have to care about that. Berth, why don't you come over so we can talk shop. Alek, go play with a knife or somethin'."
Berth started to unzip his wallet deeply embedded money pocket, but George stayed his hand. "Think of this as a gift. I know you've been eating them water-crawlers, and it's just a matter of time before you bite into one with a venom sack. What would your family do if that happened? I'll chalk this up as charity; you don't owe me nothing." George was quick to add when he saw his brother start to tear up, "Though, I'll expect you to help out when typhoon season comes 'round. OK?"
Hugging, his older brother tightly, Berth shouted his thanks right into George's ear and they struggled to break each other's ribs for a minute. Before calling Alek back in, Berth told George, "This couldn't be timed much better. I'm starting to get really worried about Alice, she's just so old. I mean, I can still remember when Dad gave her to me thirty years ago."
"It was fun to watch her try to drown you those first few weeks," They both laughed as Alek came in petting his gator, tracing every crevice.
The babe tried to open its jaw in protest, assaulting Alek's arm with gummy kisses. The ten year old giggled, even going so far as to poke the tiny gator's tongue. It licked him back, staring into his eyes soulfully. Berth and George sat back and watched the two bond.
"Here you go Alek," George tossed a tiny fish into the air. "Why don't you feed the little runt. You know how to, right?"
"Yessir." Alek stripped the minnow's scales off with his forefinger and thumb before biting into the muscle beneath. He was sure to tenderize the meat with his teeth. Finally, Alek took it out of his mouth and fed the toothless gator, who was more than happy to munch on the raw meat.
Berth left his son to play with his new friend for a little while, going out to see his own. Gators tended to be passed down from father to son, but just for one generation. They only live a little bit longer than the average human. The especially blessed even reached sixty. Now that the family had a new gator... Berth threw the sad thought into the bog and sat with his old friend. Alice looked into his eyes knowingly.
Alek came racing out of the building, holding the toothless baby aloft proudly. "Dad!" He didn't notice the elder's tears. "I've figured out a name! We should call her Juleh, like the flowers." He pointed to one floating by them and down the marsh as if it was a sign of approval from Mother Nature herself.
Berth smiled, happy for his son. "That's a great name Alek." He went back inside George's shop and struggled into the wetsuit. Saying their goodbyes, father and son held onto Alice as tight as they could.
- - - - - - - - - - -
The entire family sat down for dinner, four generations milling around the floating platform, munching on the stringy yet juicy meat. George noticed Berth was picking at his, with only a few bites taken. Similarly observant, Alek asked his father, "Hey dad, where's Alice?"
