The Little Girl: Part X-XII

X.

Now, the little girl had not really thought things through too well. She was so focused on helping the turtle herder, that she hadn’t thought through the simple things: for instance, where was she going to find a boat? She had promised she would sail across the sea, but she didn’t even know if this place had boats. She didn’t know where she would go, or how she would get back for that matter. And even if she found a ship and made it across the sea, how was she going to send word back to Mr. Jo? Did they have paper? Could the turtle herder read? What if she had to pay?

All these questions came storming down on her. For a moment she froze in the sand. How could she even go forward without knowing how anything would work out?

She thought good and hard. Perhaps she could walk around the sea instead of sailing? No, that would take too long, and she had no idea how big the sea was. Maybe, she could make a raft out of trees? No that was an awful idea. There were no trees and with just herself, there would be no way to craft a vessel. Maybe, she could just go back? She could explain to the turtle herder that she realized she hadn’t thought things through clearly and maybe another time they could go.

The little girl stared at the blue waters just ahead of her. She thought of the little turtles and the poor turtle herder who never made it to the sea. No, she most certainly could not go back without even trying. And even if she couldn’t cross the sea, she would at least swim in it. With a nod of her head, the little girl was decided. The sea it was.

XI.

The little girl walked forward with a gleeful smile and dipped her feet into the sparkling water. The cool water was refreshing and the little girl stretched her arms up into the air and let out a silent yawn. In the distance came a loud moaning call, “AAAAHHHMMMAAAGGHHHH.” The little girl stopped, clamping her mouth shut quickly. What was that? She was silent, listening for another sound. But nothing came. The water was still and nothing was in sight. The little girl cautiously backed away from the water. She must have imagined it. The sun was hot on her back and the little girl was beginning to feel drowsy. She stretched her mouth wide open, allowing another yawn to escape.

“YYYAHHHHHNNNNNNFFFFFF.”

She clamped her hand over her mouth. The sound was louder this time. Whatever it was, was getting closer. She looked over the glistening water, standing on tiptoe in hopes of finding its source.

Then she saw it. A break in the water, not too far ahead. She could see a patch of ripples pushing outward in circles. Then slowly, very slowly something began to emerge from the center and with it came the resounding, “YYYYAAAAAHHHHNNNNFFFFF.”

From the shore the little girl watched as a fuzzy orange face emerged attached to a long slender neck. It came closer and closer until it loomed just a few feet from the shore. At first the little girl thought that the creature in front of her was a loch-ness monster. She had heard of the Ness before and had seen pictures of it. But this creature was not quite so big and looked oddly like a camel. The creature stretched its neck upward pushing its face forward toward the little girl.

The little girl stood face to face with it, unsure if she should be scared or not. The creature began to open its mouth and the little girl clasped her ears and ducked her head ready for its loud call. But there was no sound. Cautiously, she opened on eye and founding herself staring into the eyes of a she could only assume was a camel. The camel opened its mouth, “Care for a ride?” It asked in a jaunty voice.
The little girl just stared.
“Ship sails in….” the camel turned its head up toward the sun and the back at her, ”Oh goodness, I’m late… the ship sails now!”

XII.

The little girl stared blankly. “Excuse me?” she managed. The long neck stretched and the camels head came nearer, if that is conceivably possible, now eyeball to eyeball with the little girl.

She stood paralyzed, continuing to stare blankly back into the large eyes of the camel. The camel held the stare and only when the eye contact was almost unbearable, did he pull his head backward. The little girl did nothing.

The camel raised an eyebrow. “Quite as I thought. Indeed, quite as I thought.” He smacked his lips and made a “tsking” sound. The little girl was still standing unmoved and seemingly incapable of response.
“Hm yes, well then my little opossum. You’re not quite what I expected. I do suppose I can still give you a ride.

But, really you must come out of your shock so we can get going now.” He dropped his head down into the water slurped some water and then spat it abruptly into the little girl’s face.

Immediately, she snapped out of her stupor. She held her clothes out from her body allowing the water to slide down towards the ground. “You spit on me! You dirty camel!” she exclaimed indignantly.

The camel drew his head up high, clearly upset. “I’m sorry, but did you really just refer to me as a dirty camel?! I am no dirty camel and I did not spit on you! You are out of place little opossum! I am a member of Her Majesty’s Royal Fleet! You are crossing the line little opossum!”

Now it was the little girl’s turn to be upset. “Spitting? Yes that’s what we civilized people call it, and we civilized people don’t spit on others! And..And” the little girl was in a huff, but out of words…”And don’t call me an opossum! I’m not an opossum, I’m a little girl!”

The camel drew back his head and let out a loud guffaw. “Civilized? How dare you speak to me of civilization? Do you know even know how to spell it, let alone what that means?!

The camel’s irritation faded and now it was clearly amused. “Oh you poor little opossum. I’m sorry, we’ve started off so wrong. I’m sorry I “spit” on you (if you must call it that). I was merely trying to startle you out of your state of shock. Not only did I manage to frighten you but then I’ve offended you by spitting on you. Please accept my apology.” The camel was chuckling to himself, but had ducked his head down so that it was not touching the ground, but hovering it a few feet above.

The little girl was standing, her clothes wet, her hair knotted with sand and salty sea water, and her face bearing up her look of indignation while trying not to cry. Her lower lip began to tremble.

“Come come little opossum. Clearly you’ve had quite a day. Let’s start freshly now. I am Sir Archibald Fresnatt of Her Majesty’s Royal Fleet. I oversee these waters and transport guests from the South Shore to North Shore. I am terribly sorry for upsetting you, but you must accept my apology knowing how incredibly much I hate delaying my schedule and I am now precisely one hundred raindrops off scheduled departure time.”