"That was awesome!" Alyssa cheered, her hair even more wild than usual and her dark eyes shining with excitement. "Let's go on the A Nile-Ator again."
Sam groaned, feeling quite sick. "No way. Once is once too many for me." He saw a little Asian boy who had just been on the ride crying and looking as pale as he was. A girl who looked like his sister seemed to be comforting and teasing him at the same time.
"It was great," said Sari calmly, who didn't look the least bit dizzy. Her hair hadn't even fallen out of its braid. Sam supposed she had been through more on expeditions through Egypt. "I screamed less than you," she told Billy.
"You're supposed to scream," Billy pointed out. "That's the point of the ride, stupid." She punched him.
Then she smirked. "Good thing Gabe wasn't here. He would've wet himself with fright."
"He probably already is while babysitting your little terrors," Billy griped. He looked more shaken than her, but looked as excited as Alyssa.
"They aren't terrors," argued Sari. "I call them Horrors. Like the helpers in the park." She glanced at one of the green Horrors as they offered her a black balloon. "No thanks," she said.
"I want one," said Alyssa, taking it.
The last few days had been unforgettable for Sam. The park was as horrifying as advertised. He didn't have the stomach to try most of the rides, no matter how much Alyssa teased and taunted him. After a while, though, he couldn't take it anymore, and along with his mother's insistence, had agreed to try the A Nile-Ator, which they had already been on several times. At least, Alyssa had. He was struggling to keep his lunch, which already wasn't too appetizing, in his stomach.
"The Mummy Wrap I had was great," said Sari.
"Are you kidding?" Sam repeated incredulously. "I could barely stand it, along with all of the other options on the hotel menu. I think it was made from real mummy wrapping."
"Don't be ridiculous," Sari scoffed. "They were probably regular old bandages."
"Well, that doesn't make it better!" Sam exclaimed.
"It's fine as long as you eat around the bandages," said Sari. "I managed to eat more of it than you."
"Do you have to turn everything into a competition, Mom?" Sam rolled his eyes.
"I prefer the Bottled Swamp Water," said Billy with a grin.
Sam groaned. "You only ordered it so you could pour it over me and Alyssa."
"That wasn't funny, Uncle Billy," Alyssa groaned, punching him in the stomach.
He grabbed his stomach. "Well, I thought you two could use a wash. You were looking rather dirty."
"Ha ha," Sam said sarcastically.
"I got almost as dirty as you two, if it makes you feel better," said Billy. "I took a dip in the Slime-ing pool this morning."
"So did I," added Sari. "I could swim better in it than you."
Sheena groaned. "I can't believe you two. It was disgusting."
"You went, Aunt Sheena?" asked Sam.
"I watched your idiot of a father make a fool of himself in the dirty, creature-infested water," said Sheena. Sam wrinkled his nose at the thought.
"I tried the Spooky Spa," said Alyssa. "The Scream Room almost made me lose my hearing." She winced, lightly touching her ears.
"It wasn't that bad," Billy argued with his sister. "Okay, it was disgusting, but I wore the special swimsuits they offered me that covered me from head to toe. Only one of the things in the lake bit me." He raised his hand and revealed a long, narrow cut on his thumb.
"You're crazy," Sheena groaned.
"That's not the only pool in this place," said Billy, inspecting the map. "There's also Black Lagoon Water Park."
"I've wanted to go there since we first arrived," said Alyssa excitedly. "Awesome, let's go."
Sam groaned. "Dad, no. I've had enough of water."
"I'm surprised there's a water park here," remarked Billy, ignoring him. "That's great. There's Loch Ness Lake, Quicksand Beach..."
"Can we try Zombie Plaza?" suggested Sam. "Or even Werewolf Village?"
"Water parks are fun," said Billy. "You'll like it."
"I'd like it more if I wasn't always around water as it is," muttered Sam.
Billy led them to Black Lagoon Water Park. Sam groaned as he looked around. "Where should we go first? Loch Ness Lake or Quicksand Beach?" asked Billy.
"How about neither?" quipped Sam.
"I agree," said Sheena. "Both of them sound awful."
"You two are no fun!" exclaimed Alyssa.
"I agree," said Sari. "You two need to lighten up."
"You're both stick-in-the-muds," said Billy. "Nevermind, you'll both be literally sticking to Quicksand Beach in a little while." They both groaned.
"Hey — I think I'll try the Swim with a Hungry Shark Ride," said Billy excitedly. "I've done it several times before for real in the ocean, anyway."
Sheena groaned. "You're crazy. And you only swam with a shark once."
"Go for it, dear!" Sari cheered him on. "I bet you'll be the one making the shark scream."
Billy smiled. "Thanks, honey."
"Dad, you can't be serious!" Sam groaned.
"It says they'll cover me in a bite-proof suit," said Billy.
"Then they'll cover you in fish paste," Sheena pointed out.
"Even if they try to bite me, they can't," Billy grinned. "I've swam with worse things than sharks."
"You're so cool, Uncle Billy," said Alyssa admiringly, staring at him with awe in her eyes.
"If you get bitten, don't come crying to me," quipped Sheena.
Sam watched as the Horrors clad his dad in a bulky scuba suit and life jacket before rubbing fish paste all over him. He tightened his goggles around his eyes and helmet around his head before stepping into the hatchet they'd lower him into the water in. He gave an uneasy grin as he saw the shark, advancing on him menacingly. As it dashed towards him, he swam upwards, narrowly avoiding him, and then actually had the audacity to stick his tongue out at the shark.
Sam had to admit, he was impressed. His dad avoided all of the shark's swift movements and swam quickly out of the way. In fact, several people had gathered around to watch him with equal awe.
"He's awesome!" Alyssa exclaimed, watching with awe.
"See? I told you he'd make the shark scream," said Sari with a smirk.
"Hey — that's William Deep, the famous undersea explorer!" someone cried.
Sheena smiled. "A few years ago, he'd daydream about people saying that." Sari and Sheena ran closer to watch him.
"No wonder he's so good," a girl muttered, staring at Billy transfixed.
Sam couldn't resist the opportunity to brag. "He's my dad," he said.
The girl stared at him, her green eyes wide. "Really?"
"He's my uncle too," Alyssa added. "He's awesome."
"He's great, isn't he?" Sam watched as he drew his leg back and kicked the shark square in the nose, causing him to stumble back.
The girl next to her winced. "That poor shark."
"You care more about the shark?" The other girl, wearing a dirty black dress, rolled her eyes.
"To be fair, I do as well," said Sam. "My dad would cream the shark."
Sam jumped as he saw the sight of the two girls. They both looked absolutely miserable. Their faces were pale and weak, with dark bags under their gloomy eyes, and they looked as if they had been crying. "What's wrong? You both look terrible. Uh, no offense."
"Geez, does this park depress you that much?" asked Alyssa.
"Oh, it's nothing." The curly-haired girl laughed. "We just had a makeover in Zombie Plaza."
"A miserable makeover," the straight-haired girl added. "My sister forced me into it." She glared at her.
"Well, you forced me first," her sister retorted, sticking her tongue out at her.
"Oh, you've been to Zombie Plaza?" said Sam. "I was thinking of going there, but my dad dragged me to this water park."
"It shouldn't be called a plaza," the straight-haired girl said, wrinkling her nose. "It's the worst plaza I've ever been in. The mall was terrible. It gave us this awful makeover."
"All plazas are terrible," Alyssa griped. "That's why I avoid them. I don't like malls." The girl gaped at her as if she had said something terrible.
"Chiller House was pretty cool," the curly-haired girl said. "It had all sorts of weird stuff."
"Well, it'd be better than this water park," said Sam with a scowl. "I'm sick of water. My dad always drags me to the ocean."
"Are you kidding? You're so lucky," the curly-haired girl said. "I'd love to be on a boat. I've only been on one once before, on a vacation."
"You nearly pushed me into the ocean," her sister accused, shoving her.
"No I didn't. You were the one leaning so close over the deck," she retorted.
Her sister ignored her. "Janessa's right, though, you are lucky. Being William Deep's son... you must get to travel all over the ocean."
"He's a total wimp," said Alyssa. "He's probably terrified of the ocean." Sam glared at her.
"I see too much of the ocean," Sam scoffed. "And now I'm forced to come to a water park."
The sisters stared at him as if he was crazy. He supposed it did sound strange, but they'd get sick of the ocean too, in his place.
"I'm Sam," he said, changing the subject. "What are your names?"
"I'm Alyssa, his cousin," added Alyssa.
"I'm Selena, and this is my sister Janessa." They looked completely different. One was fair-skinned, straight-haired, and green-eyed, while another was darker-skinned, curly-haired, and dark-eyed.
Just then, Billy came out of the water tank, looking exhausted, messy, and injured in some places, but grinning with excitement. "That shark was no match for me," he bragged, drops of water and blood dripping onto the ground as he walked forward without even a slight limp. Sam wasn't sure if it was his or the shark's blood.
Immediately, a crowd of people surrounded him, screaming and praising him and asking how he did it. He kissed Sari on the lips, causing Sam to wrinkle his nose and look away.
"Your dad's so cool," said Selena admiringly.
"I guess," said Sam.
"You guess?" Janessa repeated in shock.
"I want to try the Bottomless Canoe ride," said Selena.
Janessa groaned. "That sounds way too scary. I want to try Quicksand Beach."
"And that's less scary?" Selena quipped.
"It's loud here," said Janessa, covering her ears with her hands.
"Probably because of the people fawning over my dad," Sam quipped.
Selena looked at her sister with concern. "Maybe we should go somewhwere else."
Sam followed them to Loch Ness Lake. His heart dropped as he saw how deep and dark it was. It was even more frightening than the ocean at night. He could imagine a Loch Ness monster swimming in its depths.
"Go in," Selena urged, pushing her sister. "I dare you."
"No way," Janessa insisted. "You go in first."
Selena looked at the lake. "I'm too scared as well," she admitted. "Maybe we should just watch."
"I bet you're not scared," Janessa told Sam.
"I am as well," Sam admitted, though he was sure his dad wouldn't be.
"Well, I'm not," bragged Alyssa. She stepped forward, staring into the dark abyss. "Uh, I just remembered, I forgot to bring my swimsuit."
"You mean you're too scared," Sam teased.
"I'm not scared!" She punched him on the shoulder. "I just don't want to get my clothes wet. Then I wouldn't have anything to wear."
"Yeah, sure," Sam muttered. She glared at him.
"This lake is named after you, Nessie," Selena joked, using her sister's nickname.
"Shut up," snapped Janessa.
They watched the lake, some of the braver tourists splashing around inside. They only stayed in for a short while, though, and soon got out. The lake was soon empty at the moment, and they stared at the dark, bubbling abyss.
"Janessa thinks the Loch Ness monster is real," Selena remarked. "Don't you, Nessie?"
"I don't," Janessa protested hotly. "You probably thought that. You believed in Santa Claus until you were eight."
"You'd know if it's real, right?" Selena asked Sam.
"Uh, no," said Sam. "I mean, it isn't real, of course." Well, it might be. His dad might have mentioned it, but he wasn't supposed to tell anyone.
Suddenly, they spotted a movement in the black water. "Someone's still here?" said Selena.
They all gasped as they spotted a green fin rise up from the blackness. "A... shark?" Sam gasped.
"No," said Janessa, grabbing her sister's arm. "I think it's something else."
A green tail rose above the water, shiny and scaly. Then something long and blonde rose as well. Wet hair. Wet, curly hair, shining in the sunlight. Then the body, pale and dainty, rose up as well. The creature swam elegantly towards them, rose her head above the water, and stopped in front of Sam, staring at him curiously with her wide blue eyes as if she recognized him.
"Oh my god," Janessa whispered. "What's that?"
"It's... it's the mermaid," Sam whispered in awe, raising out his hand to pet her.