Kali Frees Willy

Chapter 4

The next day, the kids were nearly done with their work at the park. 

"Almost finished with this place" Jesse said to Kali. 

"I wish we could stay" The adventure girl sighed. 

Jesse then got out his harmonica and started playing. Suddenly, Willy came by and jumped out of the water, seeming to enjoy the music and the kids smiled.

They quickly came upstairs to the front of the pool, waiting for Willy to pop up. Which he did and started vocalizing while Jesse continued playing his harmonica. 

"He really likes your music, Jes" Kali smiled. 

Willy then jumped out of the water, splashing Rae while she walked by with a box full of fish, surprising her. The kids couldn't help but laugh. 

"Well you have a nice day too, grouch!" She yelled at Willy. 

"He likes messing with people's heads, doesn't he?" Kali chuckled to Rae. 

"Yes, he does" She nodded. "I can't get him to perform, no one can. Orcas are usually nice and smart. Willy's smart and nasty" 

"You two really like him, huh?" Rae soon smiled at the kids while they watched Willy. 

"Yeah" Kali and Jesse both smiled back. 

"Good," Rae then handed Jesse the box. "You two can help me" 

Rae took the kids back to the fish house to sort out the fish. Jesse soon picked up a fish with a broken belly while Kali smelt another.

"Broken belly, toss it" Rae told them. "Everyday we sort out what Willy can eat from that cheap crap they buy him" she continued. 

"Willy's a killer whale... so will he kill us?" Jesse asked Rae. 

Kali chuckled. "Of course not. Killer whale is just the name for them cause they're the top predator of the ocean" The tomboy animal lover explained. "Like wolves of the sea. They eat fish, porpoises, squid, birds, sharks..." 

"Wow" Rae was impressed with the tough young street girl. "You sure know a lot about orcas" 

"Thank you" Kali smiled to her. "I want to train orcas someday" 

The three continued sorting through the fish until it was time for Jesse and Kali to get back to the Greenwoods. 

Later that night, after the Greenwoods were asleep, the kids snuck out of the house and went back to the park to see Willy. 

Jesse played his harmonica while Willy splashed around. Kali smiled, enjoying the beautiful orca she admired. 

Suddenly, the lights came on, indicating someone was coming. The kids dashed, but Jesse slipped and fell into the tank. Kali ended up jumping in as well after him. 

But before she could swim done and reach Jesse, Willy came over and gently lifted Jesse out of the water with his rostrum. Kali latched onto Willy's dorsal-fin as the orca brought both kids up by the edge of the pool to safety. 

Jesse soon regain consciousness after choking up some water. Both kids then turned to the former surly orca. 

"You saved my life" Jesse said to the orca. 

"Thank you, Willy" Kali added as she and the orca looked into each others eyes. 

Soon after, Randolph found the kids and took them back to his cottage to dry off. 

"You guys must have something special. Willy didn't eat you up" He told them.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Kali scowled. 

"Willy doesn't have a problem with us. We... appreciate each other" Jesse told Randolph. 

"Yeah, why does everyone have such a problem with Willy just because he's-" Kali started in a tad bit of anger. 

"Willy does not like visitors in his tank!" Randolph told the kids. "What the heck were you doing in there?"

The two preteens were silent, glancing at each other before Jesse sighed, looking at one of Randolph's carvings of an orca. "...We came to say goodbye... Job is almost done..."

Randolph looked to them for a second, then thought of an idea. "Just maybe..."

"What?" Jesse and Kali turned to him. 

"...You two might be truth talkers" Randolph said to them. 

"Truth talkers?" Jesse looked confused. 

"Rarely only a person with a pure heart has the ability to communicate with animals" Randolph explained. 

"I already talk to animals" Kali spoke up. 

"But how are we gonna talk to Willy if he won't listen?" Jesse asked Randolph. 

"One must stay calm, breathe, and you and Willy must have complete focus with each other" Randolph explained to the two preteens. 

Kali and Jesse soon had all these thoughts running through their heads. Could they really speak to Willy?

Randolph soon took the kids back home just as the Greenwoods came outside, looking worried. 

"Jesse, Kali, where have you been?" Annie asked worryingly, running up to them. "You're both soaked"

"We were at work" Jesse replied to them. 

"We fell in the tank" Kali explained. 

"The whale tank?!" Annie asked, shocked. 

"Would somebody please tell me what the heck is going on?" Glen asked. 

"I slipped and fell in the tank, it was my fault" Jesse said, before he was cut off by Randolph. 

"Folks, my name is Randolph" The native american man introduced himself. "I supervise Jesse and Kali at the park. They've done a pretty good job. The thing is, we could use them for the rest of the summer, if that's okay"

"Yeah, yeah, we want to!" Kali and Jesse both entreated. "Please!"

"Okay, but just days" Annie told them both sternly. "No more sneaking out at night"

"Alright, we promise" Kali smiled. 

"Just be straight with us from now on. You think you can both do that?" Glen asked the kids. Kali and Jesse both nodded in reply. 

"Alright, it's past your bedtime. Why don't you get inside, son" Glen told Jesse. 

"I'm not your son" Jesse looked to Glen a bit coldly before entering the house. 

"Yeah, I know that" Glen said, a bit dismal.

Kali frowned a bit to that, before entering the house with the others and going back to bed.