Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 106646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
S'ssah gives her a wide smile, looking pleased to be the first one picked.
"Well that makes my choice easy," D'see says. "I pick A'tam." She beams at me.
I bite back a curse. I do not want D'see as my partner, not in this. I want to spend the next few days with B'shit at my side, but D'see is determined to make her jealous still, it seems. I fight back my frustration and move to go stand next to D'see, glancing over at B'shit.
My female looks less than pleased, but she holds her chin aloft. She considers the three males left, and then gestures at O'jek. "You're my partner."
I…do not know how I feel about that. I do not like it, or the smirk that curves O'jek's mouth as he goes to stand next to her. He stands a little too close, I decide. I step forward, ready to push him away from her, but W'lla thrusts a red-colored scrap of leather into my hands.
"You're red team," she says to me and D'see. "Go to your marked fishing spot. You have until the sunset to catch as many fish as you can with the gear provided."
I glance back at B'shit, but D'see tugs my arm and pulls me away.
“That means R’jaal and I’rec are partners,” L’ren says.
As I pass by R'jaal, he looks at I'rec with an expression of pure disgust. I'rec just sighs.
12
BRIDGET
I must be a sadist. Surely that's the reason why I signed up to do this horrible contest and spend all day around O'jek while A'tam flirts with Daisy. I must love torturing myself. I must love putting myself into miserable situations for some reason.
Day one of the contest seems to go by excruciatingly slow. After teams are picked and we're given our colored arm bands, we head down to the beach to the marked spot. There, we're given a net and two fishing poles and tackle, and our task is to catch as many fish as possible before sunset. Since some fish are bigger than others, it won't really be a contest of how many fish, but how many handspans of fish. I can get three tiny fish or one large fish and get the same number of points, and that makes me feel a little better. I'm not so wimpy that I can't pull in a few small fish, and I know my way around a tackle box, thanks to a few summers at camp. The tackle we've been given is decent, finger-sized, slender rocks to use as weights and bone hooks. The spot we're at is decent, too. There's a little tide pool nearby and some scattered rocks that extend out into the water that I can stand on to fish, instead of just lurking at the shore.
"I think I can work with this," I say cheerily to O'jek as we pick through our supplies.
He grabs the net and stalks out to the waves, not saying a thing to me.
"Don't worry," I call with fake enthusiasm. "I'll hold up my end. No sweat." Under my breath, I add, "Dick." And I grab the fishing gear and head to the tide pool. With my hands, I catch one of the plentiful shrimp-like creatures and use it for bait on my hook, only gagging a little (just a little!) as I prep my fishing rod. I'm determined to catch enough that even O'jek won't be able to complain.
I should have picked R'jaal for a partner. He's pleasant to be around, and he's sweet. It's just…I know O'jek won't read anything into me being his partner. He barely tolerates being around me, probably convinced that I'm being a cocktease to A'tam. He won't look at me as a potential mate, and I think R'jaal might, if I show preference for him.
And there's absolutely no way I'm picking I'rec. He's an arrogant jackass.
So I'm stuck with O'jek for the next five days. Silent, surly O'jek. Fun times.
I pick my way out onto the rocks, add the weight for my fishing line, which is made of a strong but very thin braided sinew, and I cast out my bait, then settle down on the rocks to wait. I'm high enough up that the worst of the waves don't splash me, which is nice, and I tuck my legs under me, getting comfortable. I glance down the beach, checking out the competition, and discover the big drawback to this particular spot.
We're right next to Daisy and A'tam.
And they're…disgusting.
As I watch, Daisy squeals in horror as A'tam baits a hook, her eyes wide. He's using one of the wriggling shrimp, too, and she reaches out to touch it with a finger, then shrieks and giggles again as it moves. A'tam laughs, too, his head thrown back like he's having the best time, and his tail sways back and forth with his amusement.