DIP
The rights to the characters of Smallville belong to its producers, the WB Network and DC Comics. I own them not.
Paperbkryter's Ole Swimmin' Hole sure has given me a vision this time…
It had been a long hot day all across the plains of Kansas and Smallville had certainly been no exception. People all over town and in the surrounding countryside had been looking for ways to beat the heat on this sultry August afternoon. Lex Luthor had eluded the stultifying heat by remaining safely ensconced within the cool stone corridors of his ancestral mansion outside town. As evening approached, he had decided to relax in the calm waters of the magnificent indoor pool where he could enjoy a glass of the finest Chardonnay while he floated serenely, contemplating his empire.
Squealing children ran through sprinklers behind countless houses and the pool near the high school had been in use since mid-morning. The fire chief had taken pity on some kids downtown in the afternoon and opened a nearby fire hydrant at three o'clock when the heat had become truly sweltering. The elderly remained indoors and more than a few workers at the fertilizer plant had been sent home with heat related maladies of one kind or another.
Farmers tried to get their work done early and knock off before the worst of the afternoon heat and the Kents were among them. Jonathan Kent was up extra early anyway, trying to complete his chores before a long scheduled trip to Metropolis and the heat wave was even more of an inspiration to finish ahead of time. Their son, Clark, was the only person in the entire state who didn't seem to mind the heat so much, but even he still enjoyed a nice swim on a warm day.
Clark waved goodbye as his parents drove off late in the afternoon for their appointment in the big city and the first thing that came to mind was a little picnic and a cool dip in the family swimming hole down by the river. He fixed a sandwich and gathered up some potato salad, chips and pop and headed down to his favorite shady spot under the old oak that hung over the pool proper. Clark stretched out on an old blanket in the quiet shade and ate a leisurely meal while he once again read through his dog-eared copy of Heinlein's classic, Stranger in a Strange Land. Neither the heat nor the cold bothered Clark as it did the people around him; whether that was a characteristic of his people or of his own possibly unique biological make-up, he didn't know. Still, it was always a pleasure to glide through the cool water on such an unusually warm day.
He lay back against the rough bark of the ancient tree and nodded off, contented and happy, enjoying the solitude of the late summer on this beautiful blue-green planet he called home. He dozed off until the call of a nearby crow awakened him some time later. Clark had slept for quite a while and it was getting on toward dusk; it was the perfect time for a swim.
Clark hadn't thought to bring his suit but no matter; skinny dipping was practically de rigeur in an old swimming hole such as this one. Anyway, there was no one around for miles so he stood and stripped off his T-shirt. As he unzipped and peeled off his jeans and shorts he leaned out over the edge of the bank to see if the legendary Big Fin might be swimming by down below. For years, the people of Smallville had reported seeing an enormous fish in area waterways and recently there had been several sightings on this side of town. Whether there was really such an enormous and mysterious denizen of the deep was still a matter of conjecture although the story had certainly piqued Chloe's interest, Wall of Weird material or not. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no sign of Big Fin this evening, so without further thought, Clark leaped off into the deepest part of the pool and remained underwater for sometime, lying on his back and just enjoying the solitude of the underwater world.
Chloe Sullivan had just returned from a sojourn in Metropolis and couldn't wait to tell Clark all about it. She had driven over to the farm as soon as she got back and parked in a secluded spot, thinking to surprise him. She didn't see the truck or the car and listened for a moment before heading up to the loft, but heard nothing. Chloe thought she might find Clark asleep on the dusty old couch but when she reached the top landing he was nowhere in sight. Rats! Clark's loft hideaway was stiflingly hot; no one but Clark would willingly hang out there during the day. She walked over to the open window and looked out at the tranquil pastoral scene. The old telescope was set up and she leaned down to peer through it.
Just as she looked through the lens, Clark Kent decided to leave his resting place at the bottom of the pond. He pushed off from the bottom, shooting up from the depths and straight up out of the water into the air like a whale breaching in the open ocean. He carried a rather large volume of water along with him and cut quite a spectacular figure before Chloe's astonished and appreciative eyes. He sank when he splashed back down then bobbed up again, his back toward the barn, unaware he was being watched. Clark swam over to the side and stood half out of the pool, shaking water from his dark hair before he reached for something up on the bank. He gave Chloe a rather spectacular view before reentering the water and diving below the surface once more.
Pete Ross had been out for a drive, heading in the general direction of the Kent Farm when his old Buick had given out. Passed down through several members of his large family, it had been well used before Pete had ever gotten his hands on it. It had always been reliable but the extreme heat of the August afternoon was just too much for it and Pete had been stranded in the middle of Burnham Woods. He had waited for a while and finally decided to start walking toward Clark's house when the shadows began to lengthen and the woods got a little too spooky for his taste. It was a long hot walk and he had left the main road, taking a short cut down a dirt path on the Kent property when he came across Chloe's car parked in an out of the way spot. In the distance, he could see the loft window and the glint of the telescope as someone moved it around. As he came closer still, he saw Chloe up in the loft watching something intently. He followed her gaze; she seemed to be aiming the telescope toward the pond down by the river. Pete started to call out but something stopped him. What exactly is she looking at? He crept back the other way, trying to keep Chloe in sight, to see what she was doing. Yes, she was definitely watching something down by the swimming hole. Suddenly it dawned on him what that something undoubtedly was. Oh, man! I'll bet anything Clark's down there!
Chloe couldn't help but laugh; she had teased Clark mercilessly about his telescope and now the tables were turned. Well, it was a fabulous sight, no question, and it had given her an idea. While Clark was swimming all alone at the old pond she was going to sneak up on him and steal his clothes. Oh, it was too good; she just couldn't pass up the opportunity. She giggled as she went down the stairs and quietly made her way down to the Kent swimming hole.
First she had to traverse a small patch of corn, some experimental variety the Kents were trying, she remembered, then she had to follow a deep furrow for a ways (wonder what caused this?). Finally, there was a patch of woods and a thick row of briars on one side before she came to the dense bushes at the edge of the high bank near the old oak that overhung the pool. His clothes were hanging on a low branch that extended out over the bank, haphazardly flung there in his apparent haste; she could easily reach his jeans and shorts with a slight stretch and a short stick she had just found. Chloe waited silently for the right moment to present itself.
Pete had seen her leave the barn and head toward the pond. She had been giggling as she snuck into the corn patch on the far side of the barn. Now he was sure she was setting off to surprise Clark. Skinny dipping? Oh, now, Chloe would be beside herself with glee if that were the case, wouldn't she? Pete decided he should hike down to the pond to see for himself what was going on. He headed toward the river pool on the side of the barnyard opposite the experimental corn patch, trying to hurry while staying out of sight. He could see occasional glimpses of Chloe as she made her way through the corn but lost her as she went down into the long furrow that ran perpendicular to the main road. Pete had seen her again briefly when she emerged from the trench and entered the woods. He cut closer to the bushes which ringed the far side of the pool and came to the steep bank abruptly.
Just as he'd suspected, Clark Kent was skinny dipping in the old pond, oblivious to the fact that he was being watched. Pete snuck closer and watched Clark swimming back and forth under water. Then, Clark just stopped and sank all the way down to the bottom and stayed there on his back, slowly kicking his long legs up and down, making little waves in the clear, calm water of the pool. He can really hold his breath a long time!
From her vantage point behind the bushes, Chloe had been watching, too. The water in this pool was amazingly clear and she had gotten a magnificent view of Clark's antics on the bottom of the pond. Strong swimmer; ah, now he was doing the backstroke... Geez, didn't the guy ever come up for air? Now he was out of sight again beyond a portion of the high bank that stuck out into the pond and further concealed her position. This would be too easy! Chloe reached out with her stick and hooked a belt loop on his jeans. Slowly, she reeled them in and dragged them out of sight into the bushes. Next, she reached out again with her stick and snagged his boxer shorts. She almost laughed out loud when she saw the image of Bugs Bunny holding up a huge orange carrot and the words "What's Up, Doc?" front and back. Clark's white T-shirt was all that was left but it was hanging considerably farther out on the limb, almost down in the water. She would have to locate a longer stick to reach it.
Underneath the surface of the pool, unaware he was the object of such attention, Clark had been swimming back and forth at a leisurely pace. He had decided to settle down on the bottom again and just relax there for a bit so he closed his eyes and stretched his legs out, wiggling them and making little waves in the otherwise quiet waters. A few moments later, Clark opened his eyes and found himself face to face with the biggest fish he had ever seen, the stuff of angler legends, Big Fin, himself.
Clark had never seen a fish quite like this one; it looked like a cross between a giant catfish and a shark. It had the rounded head of a catfish with long feelers and side fins to match but it had a strange top fin like a shark, almost, and at nearly six feet, it was a very large fish for any species. It stared at him, its long feelers wafting on the current. The fish moved closer still and touched his face with its long feelers, deliberately, it seemed. Clark's eyes widened at the contact. When he sat up, the fish moved back and hunkered down under a large rock that jutted out near the bottom of the pond's deep end. There, a stream connected the swimming hole to the river's main channel and Clark wondered if his little pool was Big Fin's secret hideaway.
Around the bend of the high bank, Chloe had crawled out onto the upper part of the branch that still held his T-shirt. She thought she could reach it with her short stick if she could just get a little bit closer. As she inched her way out, the branch sagged under her weight, dipping the shirt half into the water. She moved a little further out and stretched her stick toward the shirt and just as she was almost touching it, she heard a sharp crack and the tree branch dropped precipitously downward. Now the tip of the branch was in the water and more ominous cracking sounds were coming from the upper part of the limb. Clark's T-shirt was floating away out into the pool.
Clark surged up from the bottom of the pool on the other side of the bank. Big Fin followed him and circled him once, coming so close that Clark yelled, "Hey, that's not bait!" As Clark turned, he saw a hand sticking out from the bushes on the far side of the pool. It was Pete Ross motioning frantically to him, trying to get his attention. Two powerful strokes took him close to the bank.
Pete was pointing back in the direction of the barn and whispering, "Clark, man! Chloe's sneaking around down here; I saw her head this way from the barn!"
"What? Chloe's here?"
"Yeah," he chuckled, "I think she was watching you from the loft."
"What are you doing here?"
My car broke down in the woods and I took the old cow path to get to your place."
"Pete-"
"I refuse any further involvement. You're on your own." Pete ducked back in the bushes and disappeared.
At that moment, back in the barn, Lana Lang had just reached the top of the loft. She sighed heavily, somewhat out of breath from climbing the stairs in the hot and humid Kansas afternoon. No one was around and after glancing over at the house, she took a peek through Clark's telescope. She saw her friend, skinny dipping down by the Kent family swimming hole. He seemed to be staring intently into the bushes on the far side of the pond. He certainly has a nice- Clark turned and dove under the water, disappearing from view. Lana swung the telescope around hoping to reacquire her target. Instead, on the other side of the pool, she spotted Chloe hanging onto a tree branch which seemed to be sagging into the water, dropping lower as she watched. Lana decided this was something she definitely wanted to view up close. Laughing to herself, she made her way back down the steps, out into the cornfield and headed toward the pond.
Clark thought he heard a noise from the other side of the pool near the big oak. He dove down out of sight and headed in that direction. He surfaced and stood on a small sand bar close to the branch that hung down near the water. It had formerly held his discarded clothes which were now missing. Now, Chloe Sullivan was clinging to it, eyes wide, as it creaked and groaned, threatening to break.
Clark started to laugh when he saw her predicament. His white T-shirt came floating toward him and he started to reach out for it just as the branch snapped sending Chloe head first into the water. She came up sputtering and coughing and grabbed the shirt before he could get it. An instant later, she screamed.
"Really, Chloe-"
Chloe seemed to levitate right out of the water, jumping at Clark and throwing her arms around his neck. "Oh, my God! What is it? What is that thing?"
"Chloe, have you forgotten everything we learned in health class?" Now he was really laughing in spite of himself.
She smacked him on the chest and regretted it a moment later. "Ow! Idiot! That big thing right there!"
"I'm flattered, Chloe. Oh, you mean the fish? Meet Big Fin. He's here in the pool; I just ran into him on the bottom."
"Clark Kent! I'm gonna- ack! It just touched me!" She had her hands tangled in Clark's hair and pulled herself up, trying to get away from the fish that was circling them.
"Ugh; Chloe, do you think you could let go of my hair? I think he's friendly. I swear it touched my face with its little feelers like it was curious."
Lana had just arrived at the pond and was trying to discreetly peek out through the bushes near the old oak. Clark's back was to her and she leaned out on a big rock to try and hear what they were saying. She reddened when she saw Clark holding Chloe close in his arms. I had no idea the two of them were- Abruptly, the rock she was leaning on came loose from the muddy bank and slid rapidly down into the water, dumping Lana into the deep end of the pond. She was confronted by a huge monster of a fish and she shot up as fast as she could, coughing as she broke the surface. The fish followed and she screamed when it goosed her. Lana dove in Clark's direction and jumped up onto his back, grabbing him around the neck and hauling herself up as far as she could. She kicked the water into a froth in her desperation to get on top of Clark.
Clark had started to turn around when he heard something plop heavily into the pond. Things happened so fast he barely had time to register that he saw Lana going into the water before she was jumping on his back. She wrapped her hands around Clark's face, covering his eyes.
"Oh, God, Clark! There's a huge thing in the water!"
He rolled his eyes. "Lana! Calm down; it's just a fish." Clark grabbed his wet T-shirt and covered himself with it as best he could. A wet white T-shirt didn't conceal very much but it was the best he could do. "Stop screaming! Chloe! Let go!" Neither girl seemed willing to release him so he sank down into the water leaving them floating, clutching his head. His T-shirt bobbed up in front of him. They both let go and the two of them frantically scrambled for shore. Chloe, not forgetting her original mission even in her haste, managed to grab his shirt as she let go, leaving him exposed once more.
"Chloe!"
She smiled back wickedly when she reached land and followed Lana through the break in the bushes, disappearing from sight.
Lana got turned around and headed toward the far side of the pond. She was still so rattled by her encounter with Smallville's leviathan that she ran headlong into Pete Ross as he was walking back to the Kent farmhouse. Pete fell backward into a dense hedge, momentarily stunned. Lana yelled "Sorry!"
Pete stared up at her. "What happened to you? You're all wet?"
"I fell into the pond. I just saw the biggest-"
"Please. Don't tell me."
"I thought everyone wanted to know. Aren't you just a little bit interested?"
"No!"
"But it was big and scary! Clark said it was harmless but-"
"Lana!" Pete held up his hands. "I don't want to know what you saw; don't say anything." Pete rolled his eyes and rubbed his face.
Lana looked at him strangely. She reached down into the bushes and grabbed his hand, helping him to his feet. She stared back at the hedge he had fallen into. "What is that stuff? It's all over down here."
Pete grimaced and sighed. "It's poison ivy."
"Eeewww. Come on, we'd better head back to my house."
Chloe wondered what had happened to Lana when she emerged on the other side of the hedge. She shrugged and picked up Clark's jeans and shorts. She was watching Clark come up out in the pond, looking around to see if anyone was still nearby. Chloe decided to pitch the wet T-shirt up into the big oak. Let him climb for it if he really wants it. Then she headed back to the barn by the shorter route, chuckling as she went.
Clark stared up into the tall tree where Chloe had flung his T-shirt, the only item of clothing he now had left. He sighed and made his way up the bank to the trunk of the old tree. Clark climbed up and out onto the branch that held the tire swing. His shirt was caught on a smaller limb right above it. He stretched up and grabbed it, then jumped off in a spectacular double twist back flip, hitting the water so hard he sent a veritable wall of water out of the pool.
Chloe had just leaned out to see if Clark was going to go for his shirt. She had time to yell, "Great form, Clark!" before she was soaked again.
Lex Luthor walked down out of Clark's loft chuckling to himself. He had just witnessed an amazing sight. He'd stopped by to chat with Clark and while waiting for him to appear had idly looked through the telescope at the edge of the loft. He'd just seen Clark Kent standing naked in the middle of a pond with both Chloe and Lana wrapped around him. Lex got in his newest sportscar and headed home. He was still laughing when he got there.
***
The following day was the event everyone in Smallville had been waiting for: the Big Fish-a-thon down by the river. Every year on this day, everyone with the least bit of interest in such matters headed down to the river and tried to catch that piscatorial legend of local waters, Big Fin. Prizes were awarded for different species and weights of fish but there was a huge cash award waiting for the angler lucky enough to reel in the giant fish. No one knew to what species the scaly wonder actually belonged since available descriptions painted a rather murky picture. Several local fishermen had insisted the fish had a huge shark-like fin on top after being badly frightened by the creature one night although the amount of alcohol they had consumed prior to the sighting was considered a factor in their description. Local authorities had dismissed them outright.
Now that Clark had encountered the big fish and in his own swimming hole, at that, he had come to feel a proprietary interest in its welfare. He had gone out to the pond early the next morning before the six o'clock start time for the big event. Big Fin was still there, periodically roaming around the pond and coming close to the log at the edge of the water where Clark sat watching. He had the uncanny feeling that it was watching back. Clark had assumed it would prey on smaller fish but so far it had only nibbled on plant fronds, ignoring the many tasty morsels swimming nearby. In several previous years overly enthusiastic fishermen had to be shooed away from the Kents' property near the river. He thought he should stay close to protect the big fish; it had seemed docile enough and he hated the thought of it ending up mounted on someone's wall. By eight o'clock, he had escorted several people off their property in the vicinity of the swimming hole. Clark was wondering if he should try to move the big guy to a safer location, though he wasn't sure where that would be.
He had to make a produce delivery to Lex's house soon, too. He decided to fill the old horse trough in the barn with pond water and put the fish there for a bit while he was gone. Before he left he reached in and stroked it; it looked up at him with its big fish eyes and he again had the feeling he was looking into the eyes of a sentient creature. Clark put big padlocks on all the barn doors and headed off to the Luthor Mansion.
When he arrived and began unloading produce, he noticed a flurry of activity by the huge outdoor pool. Lex was personally supervising whatever was happening so when Clark finished at the kitchen he walked over to see what was going on. The pool water was somewhat cloudy and there seemed to be bits of pond weed floating in it.
Lex looked up at his approach. "Hi, Clark. Artichokes today?"
"Yeah, little bit of everything. What's up? Pool problem?"
"The pool filtration system failed. Somehow, unfiltered river water got into the pool when we refilled it last night."
"You get water directly from the river?" Clark eyed the pool thoughtfully; he was beginning to get an idea.
"It takes a lot of water to maintain the grounds and the pool; it seemed expedient."
"What happened?"
"Good question. Enrique is grilling the pool people."
"Thumb screws and hot pokers?"
"Not yet. Whatever the problem, it'll be a while before we get it drained and filled again. The grounds crew is out looking at the main sluice gate right now."
"Probably takes a long time to drain and fill a pool this size."
"Several hours. We have to find the problem first. If the problem is where we think, in the pipe that leads from the main gate, it'll be this evening before we can even drain."
"Ah, too bad, Lex. Well, I'd better get back. See ya later." Clark practically ran to his truck; when all the commotion died down, he thought he could give Big Fin a temporary home in Lex's pool and no one would ever know. He knew Lex intended to be away most of the day; it would all work out perfectly.
When he arrived back at the house, he made himself wait an interminable fifteen minutes before calling Lex to put his plan in motion. Fortunately, Lex answered right away.
"Lex! I wanted to ask a favor. There are people everywhere over here because of the fish-a-thon and they're driving me nuts. Could I hang out over there, maybe swim a little, 'til it's over?"
"Sure, Clark. I gave most of the staff the day off since I'm going to be gone but you're welcome to use the indoor pool."
"Oh, I can use the outdoor pool; I'm used to river water."
"Well…the indoor pool is ready if you change your mind."
"Thanks a lot, Lex. I'll be over in a little while."
"Okay, uh…enjoy yourself."
Clark raced through the woods and watched the mansion for a bit until everything had quieted down. As soon as he saw Lex leave and the coast appeared to be clear, he zipped back to his barn and wrapped the fish in a wet blanket. Another quick trip through the woods and Big Fin had a new home for the day. Clark jumped in and swam back and forth beside him. Eventually, Clark climbed into a floating chair and the fish circled him, sometimes bumping him playfully and pushing him a few feet across the pool. He was now convinced that the fish was intelligent. Where'd you come from? Are there anymore like you?
The afternoon drew to a close and Clark was asleep in the floating chair, the fish now swimming around at the bottom of the pool. Still half asleep, he left the pool to find a nice cold pop in the kitchen. As he was about to take a sip he heard Lex's voice yelling loudly for Enrique. Oh, great! I must have been asleep when Lex got back! He saw Lex pointing into the pool, a horrified look on his face. His manservant came running and seemed equally appalled when he saw what was in the pool. Clark ran back outside.
"Lex! You're back early! What's wrong?"
Lex pointed at the very large fish in his pool. "Look at that, Clark. It looks like a shark!"
His servant was practically screaming. "Good Lord, Mister Luthor! It's a monster!"
"Enrique, you tell the pool crew they have got to do a better job!"
"Aw, Lex, it's… just a big catfish."
"Catfish! Look at that fin, Clark! And how did a fish that size get in here?"
"Do you fish much, Lex?"
"No."
"It's a channel catfish," he said, hoping to sound like an expert. "They're different."
Lex stared at Clark as though he had just grown a fin on top of his head.
Lex's servant looked as though he was on the verge of hyperventilating. "I'll have the Game Warden come take it away, sir!" He pulled out a cell phone and started frantically punching numbers.
Clark reached over and hit the disconnect button. "Easy there. I'll get rid of it, Lex. It's no big deal; it's just a fish. Geez." Clark jumped into the pool and Big Fin came right up to him and waited expectantly, flipping its tail fin back and forth.
Weirdly, it reminded Lex of a dog hunkering down in front of its master, eager to play fetch. Lex squatted down by the poolside and motioned for Clark to come over. Clark floated over to him, the fish following closely.
"Clark, it acts like it wants to play."
"Fish aren't that smart, Lex."
The fish brought its big tail down hard and splashed them both with water.
Clark hissed over his shoulder, "Stop it!"
Lex stood, dripping wet and glaring at the fish. His servant ran forward with a towel.
"Come inside, sir; I'll take care of that awful creature!"
"Enrique, stop dithering. Let Clark take care of it."
"Oh, yes, sir. Shall I run a bath for you sir?" He was secretly delighted; he really didn't want to go anywhere near the nasty thing.
"Fine, you do that." Enrique practically ran into the house. "Clark, you're welcome to stay as long as you want; just take your fishy friend when you go." Lex walked back toward the sunroom that faced the outdoor pool. From inside he watched Clark swim down to the far end of the pool and grab a blanket from behind a bush. Clark made a sling with it and astonishingly, the fish went right into it. Lex glanced at the TV in the corner where a well known Metropolis newscaster was interviewing some of the local fishermen at Fish-a-thon headquarters near the Loeb Road bridge. When he looked out again a moment later, both Clark and the fish were gone. Lex became suddenly more interested in the broadcast when he heard the reporter say no one had managed to catch the fabled Big Fin this year. Why do they call it Big Fin?
A big man with very few teeth was offering his opinion for the lack of success. "Why that fish is a crafty one, he is. I'll bet he's hidin' out somewheres nice and safe. Probly in a nice big pool." He smiled hideously into the camera. "That thing scared me and my buddies one night. Looks just like a shark, it does; big ole fin on top just like Jaws!"
Someone in the crowd hooted, "Bob, you was drunk as a skunk that night! You don't know what you saw. You were probably dreamin' you saw Big Fin." Laughter rang out from several guys in front of the crowd.
"I was not dreamin' and I did too see Big Fin!" Bob, feeling his honor had been besmirched, jumped onto the man who had yelled at him and a full-fledged melee erupted. The reporter and his cameraman hastily withdrew as the shouting and cursing continued.
Lex sat back laughing.
***
Clark got Big Fin safely back to his own little pond and waited there with him for a while to make sure no curious leftover trespassers bothered him. He would be safe for another year.
Later that night he went up to his loft and found Chloe, Pete and Lana sitting on the couch. The three of them were covered with angry red bumps and pink calamine lotion and they were all scratching furiously.
"Where have you been?" Chloe demanded.
"Swimming. Looks like you got into some poison ivy. It's all over down by the pond." Clark was trying hard not to laugh.
"Don't you ever get it?"
"Nope, never have. Guess I'm immune. Looks like it must really itch." Now he was just about to burst out laughing; he just couldn't help it.
"Don't you dare laugh, Clark." Chloe gave him a death glare.
"Lana, is it on your scalp? Wow, that's too bad."
Chloe snorted. "I suppose you think this makes us even?"
"Well…yeah," he smiled broadly.
"Not a chance!" The three jumped off the couch and tried to grab him but Clark was gone in an instant. They ran down the stairs and out into the night but Clark Kent was always too fast for them. By the time they were out in the field searching for him he was already back up in the loft laughing as he watched from beside the window. He stretched out on the old couch, chuckling softly to himself. It was time for a nap.