“I want to,” Aisen says.
“Hey, you go to my school right?” the teen boy asks.
After a moment, Aisen nods. “I think I’ve seen you around.”
The boy gives a friendly smile, and my nephew slowly gravitates to the two. I can smell the kindling of friendship, but if I point it out, I’ll humiliate Aisen. So, I take a step back and turn to Skyler.
“This is great,” I say in a lower voice as the teens talk to each other. “More maritime monsters his age?”
“Their parents dropped them off after touring this week.” Skyler shrugs. “They probably wanted them to do something fun and monster-centered in a controlled environment.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“Hey, so we’re gonna go!” Karlo says. He points his thumb back, and Razorjaw is already walking away. “There are animals in the rehab tanks.”
“Oh, okay,” I reply. I share a look with Aisen, and he seems to be holding back his enthusiasm, the way teens do. For a moment, he looks at me, almost like he’s seeking permission. I bet he doesn’t want to be seen with his old uncle. “Go ahead,” I say quietly.
With that, Aisen smiles at me, and satisfaction warms my heart. My nephew saunters off, and the kids all ask the shark man several questions as they stroll down the hallway. Karlo and Razorjaw are guiding the teens, and I’m once again left behind with Skyler.
The man I can’t get my mind off of.
He and I share a quiet smile, and I clap my hands. We’re all alone in the lobby, but this. Is not. A date. So why am I nervous? And why did I check my ass out in the mirror three times today before leaving, all while applying layer after layer of cologne?
“Would you like another tour?” Skyler asks.
“I thought we saw everything,” I reply.
“Not quite everything. What do you say, buddy?” He grins, and it jolts straight to my groin.
“I…don’t want to take up all your time.” This is a lie.
“You’re already here. I’m supposed to get used to talking about it. And I’d love to show you, my newest friend, a super exclusive, never-before-seen exhibit.”
His smile is enchanting. “Well, with a pitch like that, how can I refuse?” I ask with a quirked eyebrow. We both chuckle, and I smooth out my plaid shirt. “Lead the way, newest friend.”
***
We walk up to the second floor and into a secluded room with thick, gray doors. It’s dark and cool inside. I can’t see much, but I assume it’s a theater. Skyler dashes off to the side. When he hits a button, I find that I was mostly right.
All around me, digital screens come to life. I’m in a round room, big enough for thirty people, and the screen display is blue. In moments, the surrounding theatrical screen reveals a video loop of the ocean.
“What is this?” I ask, spinning around in a daze. Images of coral, seaweed, and banks of underwater sand gradually move around me. If I were prone to motion sickness, this room would be a problem, but as it stands, it’s fascinating. Like a real, digital facsimile of my precious ocean.
“It’s our new experience room,” Skyler says as he strides back to me. He spins around with his arms stretched out, and it’s all types of adorable. When he looks back at me, he beams with pride. The blue of the screens cast him like some sort of ocean angel. “For those who want to see the bottom of the ocean floor from the perspective of marine wildlife.”
“Wow,” I say, tapping my chin. I gaze in wonder at the ocean coming to life around me. While it’s not as satisfying as being underwater, I can see how humans would enjoy this.
“I’m aware it’s not the actual bottom of the ocean,” Skyler says. He puts his hands in his pockets and looks down. “We may never know what that is, even with shifters. The darkness layers…”
“It’s a biome unto itself, the layers where the sunlight can’t reach,” I say. We smile at each other and nod. “You sure are knowledgeable.”
“I’m a nerd, what can I say?” He shrugs, and I snicker.
“This is great,” I remark, staring at the big blue screens. “Hopefully, no one gets motion sickness.”
“I didn’t think of that. I’ll put a warning sign.” He winks at me. “Thanks, new friend.”
“Anytime…new friend.” I walk around the room and take in the sights of the ocean. “How’d you get all this film?”
