10. KNOWLEDGE.

We had a late start in the morning. I suspect Carla either wanted or at least expected to mutate after our visit to the anomaly today, and she was treating this like her last morning alive. This is a good attitude for all of us to have, and it will increasingly be true.

When we eventually left the bed, she wanted to have a decent breakfast in town and visit a fish shop and a fishing shop. At the cafe, I had pancakes while Carla had the fish of the day, which was Snapper.

I didn’t ask her what she was planning. I had told her my experiences and theories. I am happy to do this her way. Her life is more on the line than mine. I am a bit curious about why she felt like she needed to do this now. I might ask her if we see the morning. I didn’t think she was as crazy as me. However, she trusts me, so I will trust her.

At the fishing shop, we bought small hand nets so I could demonstrate my skill on different small fish to her. She is trying to turn me into a fisherman, the evil woman.

At the fish shop, she bought a fresh, medium-sized Kahawai and had them pack it with ice. She didn’t explain that one. I will find out in due course.

After all that, it was lunchtime when I turned into the private access road and manoeuvred past the locked gate. There had obviously been a function here yesterday, and there were barbeques, tables and chairs stacked to the side under a cover. There were more functions coming in the next few days.

I felt a bit guilty. All these people were in danger, and I could have warned them. I mentioned that to Carla.

“Nobody warned you.” was her reply. “From what we know, everybody will get their 50/50 chance eventually. If theirs comes early, then they are in the same position as you. Today is my day. We have a chance to go in with some planning, such as it is with how little we know. If I live, we can discuss letting people know. If I die, you can do whatever the fuck you like.”

“You're the boss.”

“Fucking finally. Took you long enough to figure it out.”

We started with the easy stuff. I poisoned a few crabs for her. We waded in with the nets and caught some small fish, which I practised on. I was definitely stronger, and the poison was more potent. I was on the shore with the net at my feet, a few sprats still wiggling in it.

Carla said, “You can do that with any part of your body, right?”

I nodded and demonstrated by kicking off a jandal, touching a sprat with my toe, and poisoning it.

Carla watched and then suddenly started giggling. Then she started howling with laughter. She kept going, and then she tried to speak and then kept going in uncontrollable laughter. I couldn’t figure out what was so funny.

Eventually, she calmed down, “God, I think I needed that.”

“Care to explain?”

She giggled again, then said, “You, sir, can literally kill people with your cock. You have a killer cock! You can fuck people to death!” and she dissolved into more laughter.

I didn’t find that very funny. She saw that and laughed harder, but at me this time.

“You have a twisted, evil mind.”

That set her off laughing again.

“Hey,” she said, “We could make a murder mystery porno. ‘The mystery of the Killer Cock,’” That set her off laughing again.

“I think you gave away the mystery in the title there.”

“Don’t worry about it. The type of people who watch porno’s are not interested in the mystery.”

“That’s true.”

“Hey, I have a question.”

I looked at her doubtfully.

“No, no, serious question,” she said.

I was still doubtful, but I nodded at her to continue.

“If we swim out there and you were to use a little bit of poison on me, do you think I would get the same mutation?”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

That made me think. “Maybe, I suppose, there is a chance. You might get something else from me or something random.”

“Hey, maybe I will grow a cock!”

“Really, is sex the only thing in that mind of yours?”

“You inspired me, Mr Never-stop-for-a breath.” She took a breath, “besides, I have another reason for wanting your poison touch.”

“Oh?

“Yeah. You can kill people with your cock, so I want to be able to kill people with my Vag!”

“Oh fucking hell.”

Carla dissolved into laughter again.

We took a break. Carla definitely needed one. She would glance at me occasionally and chuckle. I am pleased she can let loose like this. She might not be alive tomorrow.

I was coming to realise I would miss the evil bitch if that happened. She had better live. I have some payback to get.

We ate and drank some energy drinks instead of beer. I inflated the bodyboard while she told me what she was thinking.

She wanted to take the Kahawai out to the rock and eat some of it raw to see if that would trigger a mutation from it.

“Why Kahawai?”

“It is fast. It is a fighter. It is a predator and carnivore, but mainly because it is fast. I want speed.”

I nodded. “I can’t think of any better reasons. You know as much as I do.”

“Knowledge and experience are not the same.”

“True.” I thought about it some more. “The jellyfish that struck me was mutated. The Kahawai is not that we know of.”

“Fuck. I didn’t think of that.”

“We have the nets. What if we take them and catch some small fry out there and combine the two? The small fry is what the Kahawai normally eat.”

She was doubtful, “I don’t know. I don’t want to be the small fry. I want to be a fighter.”

I waited, thinking. “The small fry are fast, and you will always still be you.”

“Yeah, look at you, still the same old asshole.”

“Any mutation is a change, and they are good, bad and neutral.”

“How the hell did you get too good ones and survive?”

“Obviously, because it is me.”

“Oh, fuck off.”

“Do you want to try? Or do you want to come back later?”

“Can you last out there long enough to net some fish?”

“I might have to hold back while you net some fish and then come and help later.” The first time I encountered the anomaly, I did not sense any essence, so we assumed Carla wouldn’t either.

“Fuck it. I will still be me, and I will still be able to kick you in the nuts.”

“Not if I turn them into jelly.”

“You had better fucking not. I have plans for them.”

I was hesitant to suggest it, but “I could attempt to inject you with some poison if you want?”

“What is your main problem with that?”

“That I couldn’t control the amount or potency, and I would kill you.”

“Ooh, that's sweet. You do care.”

“Of course, I care. Where else am I going to find someone to fuck me one night and then kick me in the nuts in the morning and then come back and fuck me again?”

She looked at me and nodded, “Yeah, I can see your problem.”

She thought for a bit. “Fuck it. I will go fishing with the nets and try it. You are the backup plan if I don’t think it is working.”

“I am cut to the heart. I am just the backup plan.”

“Shit, you didn’t realise? You have always been the backup plan.”

I had no other words for her. This was her life, and this is what she has chosen to do with it. I really hope it works. I didn’t say it, but I wanted to keep being her backup plan.

I was not doing any more testing until Carla lives or dies. I can see how deep I can go any time. I was taking the watch and will record where I thought the Sphere started on the way out. If Carla is like me, she might be out for two or more days, which is a good length of time to see any growth.

There wasn't much to get ready. I had my swimming trunks and a rash shirt on. I gave the knife to Carla to use on the fish. I had the diver's watch.

Carla had on a modest one-piece swimsuit with a shirt over top. I hoped to see her in the strings again soon. I tied the Kahawai to the bodyboard using the nets so they were both there, and Carla would swim out with it. We both had flippers and masks.

I am stronger than before. I don’t know if I am strong enough to resist the anomaly’s waves of essence. I simply cannot lose it this time, so I must stay back, but not too far back. Carla may need her backup plan, but more importantly, she will probably need help getting back to shore. I am thankful for my teenage time in the surf life-saving club. I know how to swim while keeping someone else afloat and alive, with or without the bodyboard.

“You ready?” I asked.

“Not sure, actually,” She was serious now.

“We can wait.”

“No. No, that is something we are definitely not doing. This is happening.”

“At least you made your peace with the man upstairs by going to church on Christmas Day.”

She rolled her eyes, “The woman upstairs, you mean, and I am pretty sure texting my Sugar Daddy during the service cancelled out any goodwill. Fucking idiot.”

That was a bit better. Now we were ready.