Adakontus sat down at the restaurant table between Hierandos and Javiel. The boys could have been brothers, handsome with tanned skin and dark, fluffed up hair. They wore the same style of clothes. Tight leather coats wrapped their upper chests, stopping below the ribs, and unbuttoned to reveal far too deep V-necks. The coats’ ridiculous, sharktail-shaped collars looked large and sturdy enough to flown as kites. Their narrow pants ended midway down the calf. Manicured toes stuck out of their sandals.

  The only difference between the boys was color. Javiel looked like someone had dropped a fruit basket in his washing machine. Oranges, pinks, and yellows as if he channeled “Essence of Kool-Aid packet.”

  Diagonal stripes of silver and gold coated Hierandos. His shirt was black with flames. He told Adakontus earlier he’d dress rich and passionate.

  Adakontus wore pure white. He considered his awkwardness and naivety his selling point. A shy, artistic man looking for his muse.

  The trio picked this particular table for a reason. Behind them was a wall of glass, granting a spectacular view of the city. Garden balconies decorated spires of reflective glass. Light bounced from pane to pane with mathematical precision, illuminating the flowering trees in perpetual bloom.

  The waiter approached, a bald man with a trimmed gray mustache wearing black shawl over a checkered jumpsuit.

  Javiel interrupted him, before a word left his mouth.

  “Ah. We’re waiting for three more.” The words tumbled out of his mouth.

  “Undoubtedly. The reservation was for six,” the waiter intoned slowly. “Do you sirs desire anything to drink?”

  “Water,” all three boys repeated.

  “I’ll be just a moment.”

  Before the waiter returned, three girls sat down at the table, opposite of the boys. They dressed to impress: professional make-up, form-fitting, brand-name dresses, and enough rings, necklaces, and bracelets to buy ten politicians.

  A brown haired girl took her seat across from Adakontus. Her voluminous hair and myriad jewelries glimmered in the faint restaurant lighting. Adakontus’ eyes rolled over her with the subtlety of a monster truck rolling over a stack of sedans. Her hair wasn’t the only thing voluminous. She gave Adakontus her name, but he didn’t catch it. Nor did he catch her curiosity turning to disappointment.

  The six engaged in overeager smalltalk and a dance of body language. A seventh sat off to the side, ignored by everyone. A second Adakontus, with a gaunt face and cautious eyes, slumped onto the table, and buried his face into his elbow.

  Emotions cut him, pity, embarrassment, and… jealousy.

  He didn’t want to be this dandy. Adakontus felt pride at what he’d survived, what he’d learned. But damned if he wouldn’t swap places with the other Adakontus. Sitting around chatting with girls and eating nice food. The spoiled Adakontus did as he pleased, even if he was awful at it.

  Adakontus didn’t want to go back. He tired of fighting. Even staying here as a shadow was better than…

  Iozo kicked Adakontus awake.

  “Hello, Hello, Helloooo?”

  “Fucking what?” Adakontus bumped his face into the tent's cloth roof.

  The purple woman with chin-length blue hair stood over him, dressed in black tights and metal boots. She smiled down at Adakontus. Adakontus stifled a groan, and prepared excuses. Whatever she wanted, it was surely annoying.

  Iozo snagged his elbow.

  “Wait! Let me dress. I’m in my underwear,” Adakontus whined. All he needed was to escape her grasp long enough to bolt.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Iozi tilted her head, his words uncomprehended.

  It was no use.

  Iozo dragged him out of the tent, and through the camp. She bounced up and down as she walked, and frequently glanced back at Adakontus. Her orange eyes glowed with curiosity and excitement. She smiled like a prankster with a jar of centipedes.

  They arrived at the log and chain enclosure. Eight vertical logs formed an octagon with five metal half-rings sticking out of each side. Chains dangled from the rings and rested in huge coils at the base of the logs. Odd, they were all hooked up when Adakontus went to sleep.

  Amolhekai stood, head tilted, tapping its ivory knuckles on its chin bone. Between two of the log pillars, four Skeletons laid face down in a straight line. Foot to skull to foot to skull, they barely fit between the logs.

  Amolhekai gestured, and the skeletons sprang up. The ran between the next two pillars, and the skeletons laid back down, again in a straight line. One, two, three, and the fourth one didn’t fit. In a desperate attempt, it put its feet against the previous skeleton’s skull, and slammed its head into the log. Its head slid down the log until it hit the dirt, leaving its butt sticking into the air. Amolhekai threw its hands into the air in frustration.

  Adakontus blinked, and tapped Iozo’s shoulder.

  “Thank you.”

  Confused, Iozo scrunched her lips. “Why?”

  “You showed me something amazing.”

  She shook her head.

  “No! Show there.”

  Iozo pointed to some new, larger wagons. Twice as wide the old ones, these wagons looked like tall boxes with canvas draped over them. Bars poked out at the bottom of the covering. The wagons appeared to be cages on wheels. Huge cages.

  Hopping up and down to contain her energy, the purple woman lifted the canvas. She peeked into the cage. Then Iozo turned around and flashed a massive smile that swallowed her eyes, and put her white teeth and pink gums on full display.

  “What? That?” She demanded playfully, eyes twinking.

  “Huh? A wagon? A cage?”

  “No! That!”

  Adakontus leaned towards the bars and strained his eyes. He saw nothing, but was reluctant to get closer. It smelled like stale shit.

  Thunk! Some kind of hairy lizard rammed its head into the bars.

  Startled, Adakontus jumped back. The lizard measured him with four curious, green eyes. The thing’s head was more mouth than anything else. Its snout was short and flat like a salamander, and its sturdy bottom jaw jutted out. The lizard looked like it chewed rocks for fun. Red, boney plates protected its snout, chin, skull, and eyes. Sand-colored fur covered the gaps. Four bone spikes stuck out from beneath its chin.

  The lizard’s body was frontloaded. A thick neck connected to hulking shoulders. More interlocking bone plates ridged its spine, and spread out over its shoulders and stocky forelegs. The size and spacing of the plates decreased as they ran down the forelegs, ending as thumbnail sized scales on its clawed feet.

  The fur resumed on its back, covering its potbelly and hind legs. Its hips narrowed compared to its shoulders, and a long, muscular tail extended behind it.

  Adakontus guessed the lizard three meters tip of the nose to tip of the tail, and at least half was the tail. In spite of its size, it appeared a juvenile. It had all the tells: oversized eyes, forehead, and feet. It looked kind of cute. Well, cuter than it could be. Not all animals are made equal.

  Iozo slapped his shoulder.

  “What that?” she reminded.

  “No idea,” Adakontus murmured. “Never seen one.”

  Iozo went from playful to crotchety in an instant.

  “Ugh! Adakontus know stuff! Why I show if you no know?” she grumbled.

  Ignoring her, Adakontus reached out to pet the lizard’s nose. A gut feeling said it wouldn’t hurt him. The lizard’s nostrils flared and puffed air. It’s eyes closed halfway. It had those weird double eyelids, one pair opening vertically and the other horizontally. A neon blue tongue snaked out of its mouth, past the cage and towards Adakontus.

  Iozo grabbed his hand, stopping him.

  “No!”

  Iozo frowned, her orange eyes wide with concern. She animatedly shook her head, blue hair flapping.

  “Maybe thing… uh…”

  She searched for the word, physically looking around as though someone hid it nearby. Her frown deepened and deepened, until she gave up. She fixed Adakontus a pointed glare, and mimed biting her hand.

  “Uh… Bite?” Adakontus supplied.

  Iozo poked him hard in the chest. “Yez! Maybe thing bited!”

  Adakontus sighed. “You’re right.”

  Why would sticking a hand into a giant lizard’s cage be a good idea? What came over him?

  Iozo crossed her arms and nodded, pleased with her own wisdom.

  Eight eyes stared out of the cage, and four more popped up. There was more of them?

  Adakontus walked closer to the cage, but Iozo dropped the covering on his head.

  “More word learn! Come!” She exclaimed, as she pulled Adakontus away. He looked back at the cage.