Fish in Troubled Water by Stefan Petrucha

Author:Stefan Petrucha
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2017-10-10T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Meanwhile, back on Earth, the Blue Ranger had coaxed the man-size Goo Fish Junior out into the hall and was trying to get him to move toward the tanks.

“I can’t put you in just any tank, Goo Fish Junior,” Billy explained. “Goldfish need freshwater to be healthy, and a lot of the tanks here have salt water, like in the ocean. You can’t breathe salt water.”

He wasn’t sure the creature understood completely, but Goo Fish Junior nodded in that funny way, bobbing his body up and down.

Having checked the research center logs on the computer in his now-messy lab, Billy discovered one tank that would be perfect. A twenty-foot-long freshwater beluga sturgeon had been released from it just yesterday, leaving it uninhabited. Empty now, except for the water, it would be perfect for a big goldfish. Unfortunately, that tank was also the farthest away, and getting Goo Fish Junior to move, even slowly, wasn’t an easy task.

Strong as the monster-fish was, he wasn’t used to being out in the open air, making him very skittish. Billy did his best to keep him calm. But there was only so much he could do.

Suddenly, loud screams came from down the hall: Ahhhh!

A quick glance told the Blue Ranger it was only Bulk and Skull. They were still being chased by the students. But the noise made Goo Fish Junior panic and run in the opposite direction.

“No, wait!” Billy said.

He headed after Goo Fish Junior to calm him down. Trying his best to be soothing, Billy patted the nervous creature on his slimy head. Seeing how afraid the creature was made Billy think about his old fears and realize how far he’d come.

At least this time I’m not afraid of fish, he thought.

Feeling sympathetic, he tried to imagine what all this was like for Goo Fish Junior.

“I guess things don’t sound that loud when you’re underwater, huh?” Billy said.

Goo Fish Junior quivered sadly. “No, they do not!” he answered.

Billy pointed at the distant, water-filled tanks. “That’s why I want to get you back underwater, over there, so you’ll be safe and sound.”

At the same time, he was thinking, And so that people will be safe from that tail of yours!

At this rate, it would take hours to get Goo Fish Junior there, and that was time Billy could use to figure out how to change him back.

“I’ve got an idea, big guy,” he said.

Billy knew that goldfish ears were inside their bodies, rather than outside, but they worked much the same way as any ear. He walked to Goo Fish Junior’s side and, using his hands, covered the spots along his head where his inner ears were.

“How about if I do this while we walk?” Billy asked. “Is that better?”

Goo Fish Junior bobbed up and down. “Yes, it is! Stay there!”

Billy grinned. “Okay,” he said. “But you have to promise not to hit me with your tail.”

“Promise?” the fish answered. After a few steps, he asked, “What’s promise?”

Before Billy could explain, there was a big flash of blinding light.

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