"Professor MacKrill! It's me, Chuck!"
The boy was pounding on the marine biologist's door well before the sun even came up. The wind from the sea gusted through the cave's mouth, sending a chill over Chuck through his suit jacket. Even though it was still summer, the ocean breezes in the early morning made it seem like winter was approaching.
Like everything else, Chuck didn't pay enough attention as only one thing was on his mind. He shuffled his arms to adjust the papers, notebooks, and laptop bag to keep from dropping them on the wet dock—or worse, the water surrounding it. In the back of his mind, he considered himself crazy for having trekked this journey with all these valuables, walking all the way from Fly's house to the windy beach and then crossing the bridge of rocks to the professor's cave. And in the dark, no less! It was a miracle that everything stayed dry and intact.
He knocked some more, his knuckles beginning to ache. "Professor! This is important! I need to talk to you about Fly!" His shouts reverberated throughout the cave walls, creating an unsettling ambience. He had to have heard that, thought Chuck. Unless he was a heavy sleeper.
Then he noticed a light go on behind the upper floor window. Chuck's body was twitching anxiously.
The doorknob turned, and the door opened to reveal the lanky scientist dressed in long john pajamas covered in fish patterns and a pair of what looked like sea bunny slippers on his feet. MacKrill squinted, as he was not wearing his usual pair of spectacles, and looked around his front porch, confused.
"Did I hear you, Professor Chuck?" he asked, looking around for the source of the voice. "Oh dear, I can't see a blessed thing. Who turned out the lights?"
Chuck tapped the professor's arm, drawing MacKrill's attention to him.
MacKrill squinted some more and smiled in recognition. "Ah, there you are! Though it appears everything is less clear. How are you doing this fine morning?"
The boy didn't have time for small talk; he cut straight to the point. "Professor! I think I have a solution!" The words tumbled out of him quickly and clumsily. "I did some further research on your potion, a-and figured out the missing piece! It might just work! I-I have it all right here!" Chuck shrugged the armfuls of his written materials to show the professor.
MacKrill continued to stare, squinting. "You'll have to forgive me, Professor Chuck, but I do not have my specs with me." He nevertheless placed a guiding hand on Chuck's back and goaded him inside. "But please do come in! I can't wait to hear of your discovery."
The two found a table on which Chuck set all his belongings, and he immediately flipped open one of his notebooks. "See? Right here!" He pointed to a page of scrawled-out notes and chemical compound drawings. "The missing ingredient is from a human being! Namely, Fly himself!" While he handed the professor the book, Chuck pulled out of his suit pocket the plastic bags containing the cotton swab and the toothbrush. "Do you have equipment that can analyze these samples? I've obtained genetic material from both Fly's human and his current form. If I can get a side-by-side comparison…"
As Chuck was speaking, Professor MacKrill wandered around the room. "Excuse me one moment. Now where did I place my spectacles? They must be around here…" He followed with muttered unintelligible ramblings.
The boy noticed a gleam of light on the table next to his papers. "Here, Professor," he said, handing him the glasses.
"Oh! Thank you!" MacKrill set the specs on his nose and adjusted them, examining Chuck's notebook. "Human, you say?"
"What do you think, Professor? Will it work?"
The professor rubbed an index finger under his nose as he kept reading. "I see…You make very keen observations." He turned his gaze to the boy. "Splendid idea, Chuck! For the past couple of weeks, I've been working on experiments of my own. Here, let me show you."
He took Chuck's hand and led him straight to the aquariums. They approached a small size tank, probably about twenty gallons. Swimming inside were peculiar-looking fish that, upon closer examination, had big round ears and whiskers.
"Are those…mice?" asked Chuck.
"Professor Chuck, I would like you to meet my lab assistants, Cousteau and Aristotle." He threw in some chunks of cheese, which the mice nibbled on. "They are my control group. The ones given the original fish potion formula, and then the antidote forty-eight hours later. As you can see, their forms have not changed. The effect of the fish potion has permanently changed their genetic makeup."
"Where Fly is at," Chuck said in a low voice.
The professor then pulled Chuck to another tank right next to it. There were two more mouse-fish hybrids, but they looked slightly more mouse than fish. The only difference was that these mice had a coat of fur and longer pink tails.
"These two—Poseidon and Neptune—were also given the original formula, as well as the antidote after forty-eight hours," said MacKrill. "But, I have given them samples of a slightly-altered formula." He reached into a shelf and pulled out a square bottle of bluish-green liquid, bearing the same label as the antidote, a fish with an 'X' over it. "The environment in which the ingredient is grown may be more important than the ingredient itself, so I added a species of terrestrial algae instead of kelp."
"It's made a little progress," remarked Chuck. "The mice have regained some of their original characteristics."
"That is true," the professor said. "Unfortunately, it isn't enough. Even after I gave them a second and third dosage, there were no further physiological changes. Which leads to my latest group. Come!"
He took Chuck to a secluded area away from the aquariums, where a hamster cage was perched on a shelf. Chuck saw two mice coated in gray fur standing on all four paws, but noticed a fish-like tail and dorsal fin protruding from each of their backs.
"Now here, I've been testing on Bigelow and Eugenie," said MacKrill. "The metamorphosis process has been slower than the others, but it is proving very effective."
Chuck gasped at the sight. "Professor…I think you may have done it." He turned to face the man, his face lighting up. "How did you do it? What did you add this time?"
"Well, you see…" MacKrill said, tapping his chin. "It was an unexpected change to the formula. As I was concocting another batch of my antidote, I realized that I had run out of algae. So, in searching the lab for a substitute, I remembered that I had left a sandwich in my refrigerator for far too long."
Chuck furrowed his brow. "A sandwich?"
"Yes! Turkey and Swiss, to be exact! I thought it would be perfect since it had already accumulated months' worth of aspergillus."
"So…mold?" Chuck grimaced.
"Precisely!" said Professor MacKrill.
"But…isn't mold a fungus? I thought you were using algae."
"Yes, but I thought it reasonable to try a different avenue. Science is all about exploring every possibility."
Chuck's gaze returned to the mice. He would never have guessed in a million years that a fungus would be the key to all of this. Then again, he remembered the discovery of penicillin and how that changed the world for the better. "You're right, Professor. And it does appear to be working."
Professor MacKrill nodded, and continued with his explanation. "I proceeded to blend the mold into the antidote, which I will show you in just a moment." He stepped aside and grabbed another glass bottle from a nearby table, which contained a lime-green liquid. "I then fed this new antidote to Bigelow and Eugenie." He picked up a notepad from the same table. "Let's see. According to my log, I began the experiment exactly seven days and twelve hours ago. Ten minutes after application, hair follicles began to develop. Twenty minutes later, clawed toes formed at the tip of the pectoral fins."
The professor continued to go down his log. He listed a number of physical changes in the mice, but between each development, the time gap increased from minutes to hours to days. Chuck found that pattern very curious.
"And finally, I am awaiting the transformation of the tail," said MacKrill. "Then I can make my final assessment."
As though on cue, Chuck saw one of the mice twitching. It started off subtly, but then the mouse's reaction became more exaggerated. Its body squashed and stretched like rubber, squeaks erupting from it. "Professor! Something is happening!"
"Oh! And just in time, too!" MacKrill locked his eyes on the cage, placing a hand on Chuck's shoulder. "Watch."
While the one mouse was in mid-transformation, the other began to react as well. Chuck withheld a gasp as he witnessed the creatures grow larger. Their fur sprouted to look like a pomeranian dog, their snouts extended long and crooked, incisors growing downward, and claws sharper. One of the mice squeaked again, but it sounded like a deep growl. The fish tails did not disappear, however, but only fanned out wider. The dorsal fins did so likewise, and additional fins sprouted on their bellies.
Once the transformation finished, Chuck and the professor exchanged glances without a word. MacKrill frowned. "That took an unexpected turn." He placed down the bottle of the new antidote with a sigh. "Another failed experiment, I'm afraid." He quickly jotted down the result on his notepad after feeding Eugenia and Bigelow some cheese.
Chuck stared at the mutated creatures some more, placing a finger on his lip. It was interesting. Interesting that simple bread mold could drastically alter the effects of the fish potion. That the combination of ingredients like this could, in fact, change the form of an animal.
"We could try my formula," Chuck said.
"Your formula?" said MacKrill, tapping the pen on his chin. "Ah, yes! The use of human samples! Of course! Let me see your notes again, Professor Chuck."
Chuck handed Professor MacKrill the notebook. The scientist read it over again, turning page after page. Then his face brightened, holding his finger up. "Eureka! I've got an idea!"
The professor rushed to a cabinet and swung its doors wide open, revealing an array of glass jars. He muttered to himself as he scanned each jar. Chuck trailed behind MacKrill, observing intently. The marine biologist then hurried past Chuck, jar in hand, to his chemistry lab setup on the opposite side of the room. Sighing, Chuck turned back around to follow MacKrill.
The professor set the jar on the table, slipping on his lab coat, gloves, and goggles. Chuck examined the contents of the jar. "What's this?"
"It is the fur I collected prior to giving my assistants the fish potion," MacKrill said. "It was to compare the genetic structure between their original and transmogrified states. I see it is coming in handy now."
Then MacKrill began to sing to himself, "If you want to undergo this remarkable transformation…" while going around the lab collecting the fish potion ingredients from his various undersea creatures. "Come on, Professor Chuck! Sing with me!"
Chuck suddenly felt self-conscious. "I, uh, don't sing," he said, glancing toward the floor.
"Don't worry, I'll help you!" The professor twirled around as he sang, "You'll have to mix a few ingredients!"
Clearing his throat, Chuck uttered in the softest, most tone-deaf singing voice, "Uh…something, something, whiskers of a codfish…"
"Yes! That's right!" MacKrill exclaimed. "What's next?"
"Um…" Chuck tried to remember the next line. He was impressed that Fly could remember the whole song after only having listened to it once. It was an ability that could have saved the children had Joe and his army not intervened.
"Was it…the octopus? The dash of ink?"
"Yes!" Then the professor belted out the song's chorus. "Isn't it amazing, like magic, fishtastic but true!"
"Isn't it amazing, what science can do?" Chuck finished, surprising himself. It was supposedly the one line of lyric that had stood out to him the most.
"Indeed!" MacKrill said, his joyful laughs filling the room. Chuck couldn't help chuckling as well.
The professor returned to the chemistry table with glass funnels full of fish eggs, octopus ink, codfish whiskers, anemone, and so on. Chuck assisted in mixing the ingredients together, doing so to the rhythm as MacKrill kept singing his song. To conclude, the scientist took a pinch of the mouse hairs, sprinkled them into the bottle, and shook the potion to blend.
"There!" Professor MacKrill held the potion in front of Chuck. The liquid was a slightly different color, like a muted red. "Hold this for me, won't you, Chuck?"
He placed the bottle into Chuck's hands and took out his notepad. He mumbled, "Logging a new experiment. Today is…oh, confound it all, what day is it? Nevermind. It is early morning, about four-twenty-five hours. I have concocted a slightly varied formula to the original potion. Added a pinch of mouse hairs…"
Once the logging was done, MacKrill motioned for Chuck to come with him. They went to another part of the room where a single mouse-fish hybrid swam around in a spherical aquarium. Chuck recalled seeing that particular fish—or mouse—before, when he and his cousins had first accidentally stumbled into the lab.
"Because this is a special experiment, my next test subject will be just as such," Professor MacKrill said. He held out his hands towards the mouse-fish as if he were presenting his most valuable possession to an audience. "Swimming before you, Professor Chuck, is my most esteemed lab assistant! The world's first consumer of the fish potion…Mr. Wiggles!"
"Mr. Wiggles?" Chuck couldn't withhold his smile. He expected a name relating to the ocean or the field of marine biology. Special indeed, he thought.
"Yes, because he likes to wiggle around," MacKrill chortled. "He's the 'wiggliest' of all my assistants."
Chuck was still smiling with amusement, shaking his head. "That would make sense."
"But nevertheless, he is my most favorite." Then MacKrill whispered in Chuck's ear. "Don't tell the others."
"I won't," said Chuck.
"Good! Now for the demonstration! The bottle, if you please."
Chuck handed the professor the potion. MacKrill uncapped the bottle. "I shall now apply the new formula, inspired by Professor Chuck's dedicated and tireless research, to Test Subject One, known most affectionately as Mr. Wiggles."
Chuck watched nervously as Professor MacKrill poured a splash of the potion into the little tank. Mr. Wiggles swam into the red cloud and sipped thirstily. He guzzled the liquid within seconds.
At first, nothing happened. The mouse hiccupped. MacKrill and Chuck watched with drawn-out anticipation. This is it, thought Chuck. This will determine if my theory holds.
Seconds went by. Then minutes. Mr. Wiggles curled up into a ball and closed his eyes. Chuck's heart hammered in his chest. This has to work. Please! Let this work. Fly has to be human again. Or else…
During this waiting period, he thought about his cousin, the person he had despised in all the years of knowing him. All the teasing…the disrespect of boundaries…the things he had destroyed or deleted…or the times he was just plain obnoxious…Chuck remembered everything. He always dreaded visiting his Aunt Lisa and Uncle Bill's house, and their family coming to his. Fly was certainly true to his name: a bothersome, irritating insect that buzzed loudly and always got in your face. Not to mention, Chuck had absolutely nothing in common with him. Fly couldn't tell the difference between a eukaryote and a prokaryote if his life depended on it. That empty brain of his was probably only capable of knowing fart jokes and video game cheat codes.
So what changed? Chuck had never felt this anxious…this fearful. The nightmares persisted. The sleepless nights. The fixation on research. The trembling of his body as he watched a lab mouse moments before a potential transformation…at four o'clock in the morning!
Fly was absolutely right…he wasn't in his right mind. And the thought of crashing onto a pillow was more tantalizing by the second. If this potion worked…if it worked, he could definitely rest easy.
His thoughts were cut short when he heard MacKrill yelp. "Oh, dear! Oh no! Mr. Wiggles! Mr. Wiggles! Help! He's drowning!"
Chuck snapped his attention to the commotion. MacKrill hurried and pulled a nearby lever, which drained the water out of the fish tank. Chuck's eyes nearly bugged out when he saw the mouse struggling, kicking his tiny legs in the water, eliciting panicking squeaks.
The professor opened the top of the aquarium and reached his hands in to scoop up Mr. Wiggles. The mouse attempted to wriggle out of MacKrill's hands, but the scientist secured his little lab assistant. "I have you, Mr. Wiggles. You're safe now."
Still gaping, Chuck stepped cautiously toward the professor and the mouse. "Did…did Mr. Wiggles…?
The little gray head poked out of the professor's lanky hands, wiggling his whiskered nose. "Now, now, Mr. Wiggles. I will feed you in just a moment," MacKrill said. He turned to Chuck. "Would you mind getting some cheese for me? It's in the refrigerator."
Chuck nodded without a word, and did as instructed. He returned to find that MacKrill had put Mr. Wiggles in a hamster cage on a table.
"Oh, thank you, Chuck!" MacKrill tossed the cheese into the cage, and Mr. Wiggles immediately grabbed it and started nibbling on it.
When Chuck was able to get a better look at Mr. Wiggles, he almost fell backward. Before him was an ordinary gray mouse. Short fur, small pink paws, a long worm tail, and a short whiskered snout. There were no fins in sight.
He blinked multiple times, making sure what he was witnessing was real.
But Professor MacKrill affirmed it. A-ha!" he exclaimed joyfully, laughter following. "You've done it, Professor Chuck! It's a success! A monumental breakthrough!" He moved around the lab, light on his feet. "We can move this project forward! Develop a new antidote right away!"
Chuck's heart continued to pound, his body still jittery. He stared at Mr. Wiggles, still not believing the miracle that had just taken place. Was that all it really took? Just a sample from their original form?
He couldn't tell if the moistening in his eyes was due to a strong emotional reaction or to his exhaustion. It didn't matter. It worked! And now Chuck could rest easy.
I did it, Fly. Don't worry. You won't be a fish for much longer. Things will be back to normal again.