Chapter Seven

"What are we going to do?" Marissa asked.

"We have to get her to a volcano." Max replied.

"How?" Danny asked, pushing his glasses up the ridge of his nose. "The nearest volcano is miles away."

"Maybe we should call an ambulance." Linus ventured.

"And tell them what?" Max countered. "'This girl needs to be thrown in that volcano'? They wouldn't believe us."

"We have to get her there somehow." Marissa insisted.

"I could take her in the tractor." Danny said. "I've been driving it since I was four."

Max nodded. "Let's do that then."

They loaded Lavagirl into an old tractor jeep and were just about to take off when Danny noticed Tucker was not with them. He looked around but could not see him. He figured he was still inside the house and asked Max to go look for him. Max acquiesced and found Tucker in the parents' bedroom talking on the phone.

"No, we've got to stop this now." Pause. "I don't care, one of my friends got hurt really bad." Pause. "Goodbye!" Tucker slammed the receiver down so hard the desk rattled. He turned sharply to the door and started when he saw Max.

"What're you staring at?" Tucker snapped, narrowing his eyes.

Max shifted uncomfortably. "Do you want to come to the volcano with us?"

Tucker shook his head incredulously. "You think my wheelchair would fit in there? Are you dumb or something?"

Max shrugged. "You don't have to bring your wheelchair."

Tucker looked away. "I'm going to wait for Charlie."

Max nodded. "Well, okay. We'll see you."

Tucker's voice was almost inaudible. "Yeah, see you."

000000

When Sharkboy opened his eyes, something was wrong. He was lying on a floating laboratory. He sat up slowly. It looked very familiar. He realized with a shock that it was his father's laboratory. He stood up quickly.

"Dad?" He called out. "Dad!"

He heard something behind him. He turned excitedly, expecting his father. What he saw instead shocked him. It was another Sharkboy! Sharkboy was confused. How could there be two of him? He was even more confused when Sharkboy #2 lifted his fist and socked Sharkboy in the jaw. Sharkboy fell to the ground. He sprang up, rubbing his jaw.

"What was that for?" He asked his double angrily, still bewildered over the incredulousness of the situation.

"That's for being such a wimp." Sharkboy #2 sneered. "Crying over nothing. It's pathetic."

"What do you mean nothing?" Sharkboy asked, a bit uncertain about talking to himself. "She's my best friend. I loved her!"

"She doesn't love you."

"How do you know?"

"She's a girl. They hold the worst grudges. Do you think she'll love you after you killed her? Please."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Sharkboy said sullenly.

"Don't I? We're sharks. Sharks can't fight their instincts. It wasn't your fault you got angry. She was bugging you. She always bugs you. She hates you."

Sharkboy's jaw ground back and forth. He drew back his arm and threw a punch as his double. Sharkboy #2 just stepped aside and grabbed Sharkboy's hand. Twisting it sharply, the double grabbed Sharkboy's leg and twist that two so Sharkboy flipped and landed hard on his back. Sharkboy #2 jumped on him and started pummeling Sharkboy's body with iron-like fists. Sharkboy felt himself slipping into unconsciousness.

Suddenly he seemed to hear Lavagirl's voice calling to him from the darkness. She was telling him to get up, to fight back, to win. Sharkboy struggled to stay conscious. Sharkboy #2 was relentless.

"I believe in you, Sharky. You can beat this. I know you can."

Sharkboy gathered all his strength and felt his fist hit the mouth of his assailant with such force that the attacker flew off him and hit the deck of the lab. Sharkboy jumped on him and suddenly the tables were turned in Sharkboy's favor.

"You lying scum," he growled through gritted teeth, "she believes in me and I will always be her best friend."

The second Sharkboy began to shimmer and slowly disappear. Soon Sharkboy was just punching air. He fell to the ground, sore and breathing heavily. Through half-swollen shut eyes, he saw the shape of Lavagirl walking towards him. She knelt down next to him and took his head in her lap. He noticed foggily that she wasn't in her usual attire. She was dressed in a short hot pink dress and her skin was normal, and although her hair was still fiery pink, it hung straight down on her shoulders.

All this went by him in seconds. He closed his eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"You did it, Sharky." She whispered in his ear. "You defeated the evil and held on to the truth."

She gently pressed her lips to his forehead. He breathed in her sweet scent and smiled.

"I love you." She whispered against his skin. "I'm not angry with you for what you did. I never want you to change."

"I love you, Lavagirl." Sharkboy murmured.

He felt a cold wind and grass under his head. He opened his eyes and found himself staring up into a blue sky, solid ground beneath him. A strange sound reached his ears and when he sat up he found he was surrounded by bleating sheep. He saw he had fallen asleep where he had fallen, miles away from Danny's house and Lavagirl.

Sharkboy ran to the water and had fish for breakfast and thought about his dream. Lavagirl loved him. He felt warm all over. She loved him for who he was and she did not want him any different. When he was finished eating, he jumped into the water and started out for Danny's house . . . and Lavagirl.