Page 19 of Once Upon a Dance Club Wish

I stared at him, dumbfounded. How had he arrived if not by wishing on a card? Had Ahmed found some other way to send outer-worlders to our world? “Um, turtle tally?” Although I had many questions, that was the only one I managed to voice.

He sighed. “Yes, I count turtles as part of my co-op position with the Turtle Conservation Center, my summer placement while I study herpetology.”

“You...study turtles?” There had to be some reason this guy had arrived in our world, but I had yet to figure it out. I was a turtle, though I wasn’t the one who needed help.

“Yes.” Another heavy sigh. “And I suppose you’re going to tell me you’re a turtle shifter since this is the Enchanted Forest.”

“Actually...” With the sarcasm is his voice, I decided to show him instead of spending precious time trying to convince him to believe me.

Once I was in my turtle form, he took several steps back. When I poked my head out of my shell, his eyes were wide and his face pale.

“You...you really are a turtle shifter.”

I returned to my human form to get the answers I needed. “Yes, and I think you were sent here to help me. What’s your name?”

“Chelone.” He slowly shook his head. “But I don’t know how I can help you. I don’t know anything about shifters.”

“No.” I gestured him to follow me. “But you know turtles, and I think you’re Ahmed’s way of telling me what’s wrong with my mate.” At least I hoped that was the reason for his arrival.

Nelson

I clutched my lower abdomen, sure my stomach was trying to eat me from the inside. Rauh had no idea how to help me and couldn’t even give me pain medication to bear through it all. So, I passed out when the pain became unbearable. The next time I returned to consciousness, I awoke to find Holden gone and Rauh asleep. Must have been nice to be able to sleep or to leave. I would have left, returned to the outer-world, had I been able to stand. Though I had no one to return to and no job to pay for medical care to treat whatever I had.

“We’re here!” Holden burst into the hut, frightening Rauh awake. He had someone with him. An outer-worlder. A much younger outer-worlder.

I tried but couldn’t mutter a word as another bolt of pain stretched its way across my belly.

Holden kneeled onto the sleeping pod beside me and brushed hair off my forehead. “This is Chelone. He’s a student studying herpetology and specializes in turtles.”

“Great,” I said through clenched teeth. “You’ve replaced me already.”

“No!” Holden clasped my hand. “No, I would never do that. But I think Ahmed sent him here to help you.”

I almost rolled my eyes but winced instead with a new slice of agony. “I’m not a turtle.”

“No, but your mate is.” The turtle kid moved closer. “And he explained to me on the way here what you’re experiencing. I think you’re egg bound.”

“What does that mean?” I didn’t have the patience or energy for an advanced lesson on turtles.

Holden squeezed my hand. “He thinks your body is trying to lay eggs.”

“That’s right!” Rauh jumped from the chair he’d dozed off in. “You wouldn’t be pregnant the same as the other outer-worlders because your mate is not a mammal. It all makes sense now. Why didn’t I see this before?”

“That’s exactly what I explained to Holden.” The kid kneeled by my feet. “But I fear you might have a stuck egg. That’s why you’re hurting so much instead of them coming out on their own.”

I squeezed Holden’s hand with another shot of pain. “Then please help me. I don’t know how much more I can take.”

Turtle dude shuffled closer. “May I touch your belly?”

I nodded, hoping he had a solution. That was all I wanted.

He pushed and twisted my stomach, never flat to begin with, but it had gotten slightly bigger since arriving in the Enchanted Forest. Never enough to make me think I was pregnant, I had always blamed it on the delicious stews the bear shifters made on their weekly visit to the village.

“Some turtles can hold onto fertilized eggs for up to two years,” Turtle guy said. “I’m not sure how long you’ll hold onto yours, but I’m sure you’re egg bound now with all the symptoms. If you’ve never laid eggs before, it could be why these ones are stuck.”

“How do we get them unstuck?” Holden asked before I could.

“I mean.” Turtle guy shrugged. “I could stick a finger with some lube into your vent to see if I could get it unstuck.”

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