43: Heading Back: Kiddo Green – Three Pearls

Kiddo got up and swam back to where the Moldaweng had tied her up.  Alice and Gilbert watched her swimming back and forth, looking all around.  They saw her dart toward a clump of water weed and emerge with something in both fists.  Gliding over to her they saw that she had found the Pearls that had escaped from Gum’s pouch. Three of them. 
"Brilliant!" Alice exclaimed.
"Now as soon as you start to drown, we will know, about, how long they last on you and we have to get you out of here," Gilbert said.
"Really Gilbert. Do you have to be so crass?" Admonished Alice.
"
If you start to feel light headed or dizzy, let us know," she said to Kiddo, "That will be a good sign that you need to put one of those pretty little dillies in your mouth."
Kiddo, slightly relieved, said, "Okay" and put the three pearls deep down in her front pocket to keep them safe.
"Right!" said Gilbert brightly, "shall we vacate the area?"
"We’ll head back the way we came. If we’re lucky, the charme that’s blocking the way will have broken and if not, we’ll hide somewhere and try to think of a plan." He finished.
Kiddo began swimming away.
Gilbert held up a fin to stop her. "Um, you swim well, Little Elizabeth, but I think you should hold onto Alice’s fin. She moves much faster than either you or I can swim, and we can make better time that way."
Kiddo, still feeling smart from her pearl find, deflated and grumpily said, "Whatever."  
She reluctantly held Alice's fin and Gilbert hovered over their heads and they headed off into the dark expanse of water.

[Excerpt from Kiddo Green and the Three Pearls Copyright 2024]