Before turning in for the night, Glasses, Bandana, and Coat found themselves back on the river with lines cast. Slacks insisted multiple times that they try to catch something and wouldn’t take no for an answer, though the young man was confident their luck had grown short as the water glowed with a faint yellow—like a neon sign—in the setting sun, something they all figured was from the terraforming the Worms were doing to their once beautiful world.

The three sat lazily, feet dangling just above the water and poles straight out. There was no sign of anything in the water now that the day had passed; the fish hid when the water glowed. Harmless as it seemed to the group—it was still drinkable—the aquatic life disagreed.

“You think we’ll catch anything?” Coat said.

“I doubt we’ll see much at this pace; even if we do, there is no guarantee of the taste,” Bandana added.

Glasses nodded, though he wasn’t sure if the other two were looking in his direction to see it. He sighed as he swayed the rod to the left and right, hoping that, in some way, it would lure a hiding fish out to be snagged on his line.

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They sat silently until Coat evidently got bored and nudged Glasses in the side with an elbow.

“So, when’s the last time you’ve talked to a girl your age?” he said with a treble voice and an eager expression.

Glasses blushed and looked at his lap. “Come on, man, it’s not like that; she’s pretty… but a bit rough around the edges,” he replied softly.

“To be young again,” Bandana laughed, “but now we’re old men,” he added as he gently smacked the shoulder of Coat.

“Speak for yourself! I’m barely in my mid-thirties!”

“You were when beginning this journey; now, you’re at least forty.”

“Bah!”

Glasses chuckled, which caused the other two to look his way.

“Don’t go thinking you’ll get away from this scot-free!” Coat cried. “You’ll get as old as us someday, then you’ll be sorry!”

“Nice rhyme, well timed!” Bandana added.

“Shut up!” Coat shot back. He rested a gentle hand on Glasses shoulder. “At least take some advice from this…somewhat old man, leave nothing unsaid; the time may come when you can’t say it anymore.”

Glasses nodded, and the trio bantered as they continued to catch nothing. In the end, they turned in for the night with nothing to show for their efforts.