The Adventure of Fel

chapter four

       I intend to get up bright and early the next morning, but my subconscious has other plans, meaning I blissfully sleep into the afternoon.

       "We tried to wake you up," Leo says from my windowsill when I finally leap out of bed, running on panic and willpower.  "I licked your face and everything. Gwen knocked a book onto your back. Nothing worked."

       I'm too distracted to respond, shoving random things into my new bag; clothes and other necessities, a journal, some of my secret sock drawer chocolate stash, and, at the last minute, my mermaid in her jar. Who else is going to remember to feed her?

       I clamber down the stairs, the cats dashing after. For a second I stand in the kitchen, head thrashing back and forth, as I try and think if I've forgotten anything besides my dignity and organization. No, I think I have everything.

       But damn, I'm really craving some sweet potato fries.

       I shake my head again. There's no time for fried members of the yam family - I've already probably missed the afternoon ferry  to the City. This thought jerks me back to reality and I take off again, out the door and down the hall and out the building's door and across the grass and up a hill and down the hill until finally I can see the boat, tall and a sleek white, preparing to leave the side of the lake.

       "Wait! Wait!" I yell, running faster than I ever have in my life. I wave my arms frantically, up and down and back and forth. I squint as I get closer, and I can see a mop of red hair that could only belong to one person - Opal.

       "OPAL ANNE FERNSBY! DO NOT. START. THAT. BOAT!" I screech, approaching the ferry. I'm a panting, sweaty mess, and the blazing midday sun from an unusually warm Spring is not helping my case.

       Opal Fernsby stares down at me with slight distaste from their spot at the wheel before going to get the metal portable stairs. They're dressed in their usual work outfit - shorts, a loose white button-up, and their captain's hat. Rain or shine, sun or snow, I can count on Opal's clothes in this busy village.

       "Hey, if it isn't the cat whisperer," Opal grunts as they practically toss the stairs over the side so I can climb up. "Everyone say high to Fel."

       "Hi, Fel," the other passengers say somewhat awkwardly. I beckon to the cats and we move quickly onto the boat, where several people send me angry, impatient glances. Instead of taking a seat, I go to join Opal at the front while Leo and Gwen settle down to bask in the sun.

       "How are you?" Opal asks, bright eyes on the water. "Congratulations on your sister, by the way. You aren't on your way to visit her by any chance, are you?"

       I sling my backpack off and begin digging through it to double check that I have everything, not that it matters at this point - we're already pulling away from the village, so if I wanted to retrieve something, I'd have to swim.

       "I'm good. And yeah, I am. It's been a while since I've been to the City, y'know? And I have so much to think about these days. It'll be good to leave." I breathe a sigh of relief as I see that I have everything and begin putting my stuff back.

       "Hey, I get that. It took me a while to realize that a life on the sea was the life for me. My ability doesn't exactly have anything to do directly with my line of work."

       "Let me guess. You...you can...you can control the weather?" I grin. It's a game Opal and I play - I've known them since I was little, but they refuse to tell me their ability. I've guessed everything relating to boats, water, and human interaction I can think of, but so far it's all been in vain.