Chapter 18

A couple of days later Leslie came home. She had a bad sunburn and some kind of a nasty rash. She had this cream all over her nose and was in a bad mood. The trip had ended early when the local police had fined her and her friends for camping without a permit, or starting a forest fire or something. I didn’t bother to tell her what had been going on while she was away. Mom and Dad came home on schedule. They were in a much better mood than when they had left. They brought me a very nice belt with a silver buckle made by the Indians. It has a lizard on it made out of turquoise. I thought it was a very appropriate present. They haven’t found out yet that Leslie went off and left me. It’s only a matter of time.

Shane Fergussen hasn’t heard anything from Charlie yet. He checks the TV channels late every night for a lizard broadcast, and he says he will tell me as soon as he starts receiving anything. Shane Fergussen says he’s sure we’ll hear something from the Chicken Man and the lizards sooner or later. I guess he’s right. About all we can do is wait.

Meanwhile I’m saving my money. I want to buy one of those yellow inflatable life rafts. Also, I’m looking around for a really intelligent chicken.