Temporal Adventures

Chapter 12: Complications

Chapter 12: Complications

When Sean awoke early in the morning, he immediately noticed something was different about Nessie. Previously small enough to curl up in his lap, she'd grown larger than the size of an adult German shepherd, and one fin covered him like a blanket.

"This could be a problem," Sean remarked.

Nessie lifted her large head and looked in his direction.

"Morning, girl," he told her, and Nessie responded by wrapping her long, snake like neck around him. When recently hatched, she could only encompass one of his arms, but her size now allowed her to go completely around his chest. When he scratched her gently under the chin, Nessie tilted her head backwards in enjoyment.

"My goodness," Alison breathed softly when she saw the size the dinosaur had grown to in a short time. She propped herself up on one elbow and studied Nessie closer. "She won't be able to stay with us much longer."

"Why not?" Sean asked, concerned about being parted from his friend. He stopped scratching the underside of Nessie's chin, and she nudged him, encouraging Sean to continue.

"At the rate she's growing, it won't be too much longer before she won't fit through the window," Alison pointed out. "Once she's off the ship, she may have trouble getting back in."

"At least my pet dinosaurs were small," Cassie quipped from the bunk above Sean as she peered over the side.

"Go back to sleep," Sean snapped in false hostility. Cassie smiled and leaned back out of sight.

"Your mother's right," Mike agreed as he got up. He walked over and knelt down in front of the bed where Sean rested beside Nessie. Mike gently stroked the beast while speaking to his son. "We have a hard enough time keeping our secrets when it's information, but trying to keep a full sized dinosaur hidden will be impossible. Nessie is going to have to start spending more time in the water. Eventually, she won't be able to come back in, so she needs to start getting used to it now."

Sean hugged Nessie, not wanting to let her go. Nessie rubbed the side of her face up against his as if understanding his thought process. He patted her flank.

"Hungry?" Sean asked.

Nessie recognized the familiar word and uncoiled herself from around Sean before moving quickly to the window, awaiting release. Sean opened the window, and Nessie exited the ship. Her size forced her to squeeze through on her stomach, but after some difficulty, she managed to get out and splash down into the ocean.

A knock sounded at their door. Sean quickly closed the window and turned his back to it, attempting to conceal his use of it.

Mike opened the door. Nicholas stood in the hallway with a large chest resting on the deck beside him. Binding straps of black metal were bolted down across the wooden planks composing the box.

"The Duke suggested you might find these useful," Nicholas related to Mike. "You're breakfasts are being prepared and shall be delivered without delay. Good morning."

Nicholas offered a nod in parting. Mike watched him leave before turning his focus toward the box still sitting outside his door. Taking a hold of the metal handle on one end of the chest, Mike dragged it inside the room.

"I wonder what's in the box," Cassie said, climbing down from her upper bunk to examine the chest in closer detail.

Mike flipped up the covering latch and used it to lift the lid. The interior of the container had been partitioned into four equally sized spaces. Carefully packed into each section were sets of clothes matching the sailors on the ship. The only noticeable difference between them was size.