4. The Broken Promise

Slupper shook his head. He wanted to tear up the leaf and throw it away—yet he held it tightly. “No way. This message is just another trick to get a date with me.”

“You and a hyperactive fish will never happen. She only pretended to like you to give us this info. You live a thousand years, she’ll be dead in two.”

“She’s not a hyperactive fish! And … and … I have a chance with her.” He didn’t want to comment on other species dying faster. Especially since he didn’t want to think about it.

Socipi turned his gaze from the leaf and laughed loudly. “You’re kidding, right? You like her? I couldn’t wait for her to leave. She was like an infinitely deflating balloon. A fart that—”

“That’s enough, Socipi. We’re clearly overdue. I’m scared too, but we have to go through the jungle. Together.”

Slupper led the way into the jungle. In daylight they still saw creatures passing by; now they only felt them. In fact, nighttime traffic through the jungle seemed busier than during the day.

Water rushed swiftly past their fins and they didn’t dare swim fast. All around, they heard shrimp scuttling over branches, fish crunching coral, and bass thrashing through piles of leaves. That was the only noise for a long time—until something jangled.

The sound came from ahead and grew louder. They couldn’t tell how close the danger was, since sound travelled much faster through water than air. They grabbed each other’s fins. Just then, when they desperately needed to, they felt no tree to hide behind.

Besides the jangling came another noise.

“Slupper! Where are you? Slupper? Come out!”

“Mom! I’m here!”

“What are you doing,” Socipi whispered, “I wanted to sneak by and lie in bed like nothing happened.”

“You still can,” he whispered back, “your parents aren’t here, I think.”

Socipi tried to vanish into the darkness, but was caught by a bright light. Beside Slupper’s mother swam his father, holding a lantern in his mouth. His teacher had joined the search too—but it didn’t end there.

Half the town had turned out looking for him. Turtles stared at them, from here all the way to where the jungle started.

His parents swam up to the them with one powerful flick of their fins.

“Socipi? You here too? Boys, the strange things you do sometimes.”

“Oh no, no, I’m Socipi’s twin brother. Easy mistake. I must be off!”

“You’re going nowhere! Your parents are worried sick. We’re taking you home. And then you can explain what you’re up to, out here at night!”

Slupper pressed against his mother’s warm fin, but Socipi remained hesitant. “I’m not going with you. I don’t know you at all! Help me! Rescue me from these strangers!”

“Come on now, no need for theatrics.”

“What? I’m not putting on a play or something.”

“See, it is you.”

Meanwhile, Slupper’s father had slipped around the trees. From the darkness behind, he firmly grabbed Socipi.

The turtle procession headed home. Once at the big square, it scattered. Slupper’s parents and his teacher carried him and Socipi down the left street. They swam past a never-ending row of blue-green houses with orange roofs.

Turning left, they continued down an identical street, past shiny pavement worn down by coral and broad marble steps with carved drawings.

Are they really drawings? Slupper questioned everything now. He wanted to keep looking, but the group swam swiftly over the steps and turned right down a narrow alley.

All lights were off, except for one house. All the doors and windows shut tight, except that one house. Its door had been ripped off long ago.

The group swam straight inside without knocking.

“Good gracious! Next time could you maybe not—wait—Socipi! You’re back!”

Socipi’s mother shot towards him and hugged him tightly. “We were so worried. I’m so glad you’re back safe and sound.”

“If you were that worried, why didn’t you come look for him?” the teacher sneered. “You didn’t even know he was lost in the jungle!”

“Oh, he’s often out late. He’s an adventurous boy. We trust he doesn’t get up to anything too crazy.”

“Ridiculous! He’s only twenty-five years old. He can only go out alone at night when he’s thirty-five and starts middle school.”

The teacher positioned herself in front of Socipi’s mother as if she were a student.

His mother was having none of it. “Next you’ll say he has to be sixty or something before he’s really an adult.”

So that’s where he gets it from. Slupper swam around a circular stone that was meant to be a flat table. The teacher impatiently swam back and forth, while Socipi’s mother spoke calmly.

“Children are smarter than you think. You need to trust them, not tie them down. Sooner or later they’ll break free anyway—and the tighter you tie them down, the more violently they’ll rebel.”

“So you put those strange ideas in Slupper’s head?”

“What strange ideas? Playing with friends?”

“He wants to stay with the colony forever. He wants to meet other animals on land. He wants to follow that weird Solomon!”

Socipi’s mother laughed and placed two tasty pieces of seaweed before the children on the table. Socipi immediately chompedchomping away, but Slupper had discovered drawings on the wall he recognized.

“Look at that! He’s not even reacting anymore. He must be terribly frightened by all the trouble out there.”

“Have you asked him yet?”

“… no, but that was my plan.”

“We were playing hide and seek in the jungle,” said Slupper. “Only Socipi hid so well I still hadn’t found him after searching for hours.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Yes, mom. From now on I’ll say when I’m playing hide and seek.”

Socipi had finished eating, but kept staring at the stone. He avoided every glance. Slupper recognized it: he was thinking hard.

Until he spoke. “Well … that’s not everything. I wasn’t hiding. I had gone looking for Solomon, that’s why Slupper couldn’t find me. I did meet him. He says we’re in great danger and there’s a secret hidden in the city!”

“Two weeks detention! That will teach you—”

Socipi’s mother pushed the teacher away. “This is my house, not your classroom!”

She turned to her son. “Thank you for your honesty. Just for that, you may keep meeting Solomon as far as I’m concerned. In fact, ask if we can help with anything.”

The teacher’s cheeks and neck turned red. She pushed off from the wall and sped out through the hole.

Slupper’s parents had watched silently and stiffly until mother spoke softly. “Come, let’s go home.”

He waved his friend goodbye. He hadn’t even left yet when mother pulled him close. “And no more playing hide and seek with him from now on. Or with anyone. From now on you’ll do two hours of homework in your room every evening.”

“But … but he’s my only friend! Can I play a different game in the jungle? Or just in the street?”

“Only if you promise to find other friends. Friends who do listen to the teacher!”

Slupper knew it was hopeless. Both getting permission for Solomon and finding new friends. He kept his mouth shut. Why did Socipi have to blab? he thought over and over.

The next day he obediently went to school, neatly copied the homework, and paid close attention. When the second bell rang, he obediently left the classroom with the other turtles.

His mother was waiting at the square. “There you are. Did you have a nice day?”

“Sure did. In fact, I made new friends and we’re going to play a new game in the jungle.”

“Oh, fun. What’s it called?”

“Uh—guessing drawings.”

A second group of school turtles slid past. In the chaos he slipped away, before his mother could ask more questions.

He swam back to the broad steps he saw the night before. The drawings were still at the bottom and he tried to memorize them. I should have done my homework, he thought. Then at least I’d have my own sponge creatures to copy them into.

After a while, the symbols were seared into his memory. Socipi already lay waiting at the jungle entrance. This time he sprang up as soon as Slupper appeared.

“Race you there!”

As if the angry teacher were chasing them, they raced to the Pillars of Gibra. Slupper looked back in surprise. He had a huge lead and sneakily searched for Vivienne. To his disappointment, no wiggling fish popped out between the hills.

Slupper rounded the corner and landed gracefully inside the cave. Solomon didn’t budge a fin. He kept staring at the entrance like a statue, his gigantic body tense.

A moment later, Socipi burst through the opening at high speed. He tumbled through and slammed into the back wall. Slupper helped him up. “What kept you—”

“Get out of my cave, Socipi.”

“But … but … you were going to mentor us both, right?”

“Yes. On one condition: you keep everything secret. And you didn’t.”

Socipi looked at Slupper and rammed him hard with his shell. “You’ve been tattling about me?”

“He hasn’t said a thing. You know I see, hear, and feel everything. I heard you freely talking to your parents and breaking the promise. Now leave. And never come back.”

“Oh, oh, so your stupid secret matters more than saving the city? Than caring for young turtles? You’re a lousy Companion!”

Socipi headbutted the wall, smashing one of the lamps. He left the cave dizzy and surrounded by bubbles. In the opening, he turned back to Slupper one last time.

“And you … goodie two-shoes … listen to your parents. Find new friends.”