Page 26 (1/2)

Shelly looked at hi rapped around it Fortunately, her father was still half asleep, and it was dark, so he couldn’t see her gills But that was the least of her troubles She had almost drowned in the kitchen sink, which, now that she looked at it, was eht

“Uh, I—I think I was sleepwalking,” she stammered The lie slipped from her lips

He screwed up hisokay?”

“No I

Her father grabbed a glass and filled it from the tap, and she watched, frozen in horror

But only clean water filled the glass

Shelly breathed out in relief as her father took a slow drink Once the glass was eht

“I don’t knohy everyone insists on buying expensive filters these days,” he said “Triton Bay tap water is crystal clear—and it tastes great”

Shelly sht Yeah Well, I’ll just be heading back to bed”

Shelly didn’t sleep a wink All night, she listened for the steady drip, drip, drip of the kitchen faucet She kept thinking about the searapping around her, pulling her into the conta arrived She threw back the covers and ran her hands through her hair, but soers She pulled them back to inspect them, and her stomach dropped No It couldn’t be

Her fingers ebbed

Panicking, she glanced at her feet

They ebbed, too

Thin, translucent skin stretched between her fingers and toes, connecting theet up and leave the rooh the hall closet until she found an old pair of her father’s work gloves Combined with the scarf, it was the best she could do to hide her new abnormalities She knew she looked ridiculous, but fortunately her fa phases