The young girl stumbled to regain her footing on the side of the lake. Her grandfather had never taken the time to teach her to swim; no one had. She now clung to the grass, coughing at the liquid in her lungs.

May wondered why she was on the ground, and not sinking farther through the water. After a few moments, she opened her eyes to find a figure staring back at her from the lake.

"May!" Barley exclaimed, "You're soaking wet! And dripping on the hardwood? Just, just- don't move!" The old man scrambled up the stairs, leaving May shivering in the doorway. She listened to the rumblings above her and tried to steady her chattering teeth. He returned shortly with a scruffy old towel, that he proceeded with drying the girls' hair with. "Why on good earth are you so wet?" He paused the rubbing to look her in the eyes.

"Stu did it…" she mumbled, and looked at the floor. He continued, unsatisfied with her answer. "Hey, Grandpa?" she ventured.

She was met with a sigh. "What?"

"Umm, I was just wondering, are all Kappas bad Kappas?" She glanced up and focused on the glare on his glasses.

"So that's where you were? You shouldn't lie to me young lady," the smugness in his voice faded and he knelt down farther. "You could've been hurt. Please don't play down by the lake without an adult." He gave her a slight hug, minding the dampness.

"Hey Stu," she rested her half eaten sandwich on the table, "you know there's supposed to be a green man in the lake?"

"Yeah, we went looking for him remember Dummy?" He stuck his tongue out at the girl. Indeed she had forgotten. Ellen scolded him, and the boy scowled across the table and nodded.

May didn't want Ellen to hear, so she leaned in closer. "Do you think he's a meanie?"

An evil grin rose to the boy's face, "Oh yes, the Kappa is very mean; he loves to eat on puppies, and sometimes little girls with long hair." May started crying.

Clair observed the anxious little girl who was sitting on her bed. May kept her gaze on a loose strand on her nightgown. Clair frowned and rested her head on the pillow next to her. Barley was out on business, in a neighboring town, and she had volunteered to watch May. Unfortunately she seemed to be in a bad mood today. "I really like your new haircut, May." She offered the younger girl a smile.

She glanced up and nodded, but then looked down again. Clair needed to get the girl talking; the situation was just too awkward for her. A long moment passed before she came up with an idea. "Hey, can I show you a secret?" May looked up with interest-speckled eyes. Clair gripped the girls hand and pressed it against her own stomach. May looked confused at first but then understood; her face lit up in surprise. She looked around the house quickly. Clair answered the unspoken question. "The father doesn't live here, with me."

May nodded again but then yawned.

"Hi Carter!" May called as she closed the door of the church.

"How are you today my child? Not into trouble I hope." The pastor stood to welcome the girl, who was now skipping towards him. She shook her head 'no' when she came to a halt.

"I just had a little question for you," she grinned up at the man and continued when he didn't reply. "What if there's someone who is different, and people are afraid of them. We shouldn't judge them just because of what others say right?"

He was slightly surprised by her question but formed a reasonable response."That's a very grownup question May, why would you be asking that?" He rested his hand on an old copy of the Bible.

"Can you please just answer?" May pouted. "I just really want to know is all."

Carter smiled and nodded to the little girl. "God see's us all equally, and he is under- May?"

But she was already out the door.

Clair turned to see may skipping through her crops down towards the river. She called to the girl to get her attention and then ran to meet her.

"Clair! Hey I'm going down to the lake to meet somebody. Do you want to come?" Her grin transformed to a scowl as she mumbled, "Grandpa doesn't want me going there by myself."

Clair thought for a moment then glanced back to her field.

"You know kiddo, I'm really swamped with work right now," she knelt down so she was eye level with the now frowning girl. "But hey..." she gestured towards some crops by her house, "don't you think your friend would like a present?"

The girl's face lit up once more as she nodded frantically. "That would be great!" She grabbed Clair's hand to drag her across the field.

"How about one of these?" She pointed to some newly green cucumbers and smiled at the girl.

Clair watched May run down past the boundaries of her farm, then sighed happily. "You better not scare that poor girl again," she mumbled under her breath, cradling her stomach.