Page 7 of Lagoon

“It’s not a joke. I’m hopeless in that way. I certainly am not the least bit social,” he said.

Abruptly, Bub dived back into the water. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought she could see him under the water, swimming towards them.

“Is he coming closer?” she said.

“I think so,” said Dr. Greyson. “He’s wary of you but curious.”

Bub’s head broke the surface of the water, only five feet away.

She couldn’t help but gasp. Up close she could see just how large he was. He was probably over seven feet tall. When he breathed, she could see that he had gills behind his cheekbones and these flattened and flared with the in and out of his breath. His big eyes glittered black and curious.

At least, he seemed curious to her, just as Dr. Greyson had said.

One had to be careful with animals. It was easy, especially with chimps, to assign to them humanizing emotions, even if the data didn’t really warrant it. It could be very hard to be objective, especially as she began to come to know and understand an animal subject. In some ways, they began to feel to her like an old friend.

But animals were not human, no matter how similar to humans they were.

“This is Riley,” said Dr. Greyson to Bub. “She’s going to be working here with us. I think we’re all going to be friends.”

Bub swam closer.

Riley leaned in, eager to get closer.

Bub came closer still, his gills working quicker and quicker. He seemed eager, also.

Then, in a movement too quick to anticipate, Bub’s webbed hand reached up and seized hold of Riley’s wrist.

Before she knew what was happening, she was tugged down into the lagoon—cold, black water over her head.

CHAPTER THREE

JONATHAN GREYSON SHRIEKED.

If he hadn’t been so very, very horrified, he might have been embarrassed that such a high-pitched sound had come out of his mouth, but as it was, he didn’t even think about it.

No!

Not again.

Bub had never done this, never once. It was only the other one, the dead one, who had captured people. Jonathan was entirely certain that neither of the creatures had meant to kill anyone, but the fact that people had died, well, it didn’t bode well for Dr. Riley Stine.

Who was very pretty, actually, and even prettier in person.

Not that he should be thinking that at a time like this.

He tore of his glasses and stripped off his shirt and dove into the lagoon. The water was freshwater, but it was a bit murky. It stung his eyes as he descended into the depths.

There.

Bub had her, clutching her against his body as she struggled. He was swimming for the river. There was a hole in the rocks on this side, and it was possible to swim out of the lagoon and into the larger body of water.

Jonathan swam.

Bub swam faster.

Of course Bub swam faster. He lived in the water. He was made for the water. Jonathan didn’t really know what Bub was, but he hadn’t been surprised to discover that the creature existed. There were all sorts of myths and legends, after all, about similar sorts of creatures—the Loch Ness monster, for instance. Whatever Bub was, he was all that was left of some species that had practically gone extinct, and now Jonathan thought of himself as the protector of that species. Even the savior of that species if his experiments went well.

But if Bub killed the pretty scientist on her first day here, well, that…

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