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down, she saw that her legs had been replaced with a long, V-shaped tail undulating and propelling her through the water.
    She had to be dreaming again. She was back in the tide pool. How odd, though, she didn’t remember going to sleep. Kira decided to enjoy this dream, and not to worry about sea monsters or giant, drooling dogs. She shot through the water, taking in all the details. She smiled at the silvery fish flashing by, all a normal size as far as she could tell. Good, no more Alice in Wonderland , she thought. As she gazed down below, she noticed a doll on the bottom of the sea floor, and laughed to herself. What was a toy doing in a tide pool?
    With little effort, Kira zipped down to examine the toy, and realized as she approached that it was a much larger object than she had first thought. Oh dear, was she changing size again? She was beginning to get annoyed with this particular dream.
    As she swept over the figure lying on the bottom, she realized with horror that it was a boy. A human boy, not a doll. Kira grabbed his shoulders and shook the boy, but he flopped like a raggedy Ann. He was larger and heavier than she was. He had to be the boy who had just fallen in! She was not in a tide pool, this was no dream.
    Kira gripped him under his arms and flapped her tail as hard as she could. They began to rise, slowly at first, then faster. Kira pushed with all her strength and could see they were fast approaching the surface. With the light coming from above, she could make out the spot ahead where the surf was breaking. She could see three boys scurrying back and forth, waving their arms. She could hear their faint cries over the roar of the surf.
    Kira wanted to bring this boy back up quickly, but she did not want to be seen in her condition—a human with a fish tail! She slipped sideways around a rock outcropping and with a final shove pushed the boy out of the water and onto the beach. She took in a deep breath and shouted, “He’s over here! Hurry!”
    Kira sank back underwater with her hands holding the boys legs so he wouldn’t slip back in. Within seconds the three boys had run around the rock and hauled their friend to safety. Still hiding beneath the waves, Kira swam around to the other side of the rock where she had first dived in. She hauled herself out of the water with a thrust of her tail, and landed, panting, next to her clothing. She looked down at herself fearfully. No more tail, just her own two legs wrapped in soggy jeans. Kira pulled on her boots, jacket, and glasses then crept around the corner.
    The boys took turns pumping their friend’s chest, shouting encouragement. She couldn’t believe he might still be alive—it had taken so long to get him out. Or had it only been minutes?
    â€œHe’s breathing! He’s alive!” they cheered and gave each other high fives. He sat up, gagging, and they slapped his back.
    Kira heard sirens in the distance. She kept low and scurried over the rocks and into the trees, hoping they hadn’t spotted her as she ran back home. Otherwise she’d have a lot of explaining to do, and she had no explanations to give

Chapter Six—
Suspicions
    When the phone rang during supper that evening, Kira jumped. Her parents didn’t seem to notice how jittery she was. Her father continued to eat his fried haddock and mashed potatoes, while her mother answered the phone.
    â€œReally?” she said. “Judy’s boy, Thomas? And he’s okay?” She paused to listen. “Oh, I see. And they don’t know who she was? Uh huh. Mmm hmm. Okay, Cyndi. Yes, we’re just having dinner now. See you tomorrow.” She hung up the phone and returned to the table.
    â€œSo?” said Kira’s dad, looking at his wife with questioning eyes.
    â€œSo,” she said, glancing at Kira before she continued. “Thomas Mahoney was the boy who fell in this afternoon. His friends said a girl with curly brown hair