The Shape of Water CONTINUED

6 - You're Staying

My friend was breathing hard, stooped, and unsteady by the time we reached a clearing. Zelda was steadying him when we heard a, 'Whoop!'

And there she was! The White Queen, our own dear Elisa. I stared in shock – her eyes and smile were the same, but the rest of her was drastically changed. She was a combination of a heavily endowed fertility goddess and an Aqua Woman.

Lumbering toward us, tears streamed down her face, "You found me!"

Another jolt – her voice!

Overjoyed, the three of us cried and hugged.

After a moment, Elisa pulled away. "Iggy," she said, "Thank you. Please go now."

He nodded, turning away. We watched him walk into the water. At thigh height, he dove.

Returning to one another, we replayed a muted version of our happy reunion.

"Let me look at you," Zelda said while swiping a hand along her cheeks.

Elisa's hair was hanging in a thick braid down her back. Across the top of her cheeks, along her collarbones and arms, were glittering, overlapping scales.

"How--?" I began, not knowing what else to say. I reached for her free hand. "I saw you shot."

"It's a long story," Elisa replied, her voice lyrical and butter-soft.

Zelda erupted in tears again. "Your voice—it's just like I always imagined."

"Me too," Elisa smiled, "Though I don't use it as often as I'd like." Shaking herself, she continued," Come inside, out of the heat. You're staying," It was a statement rather than a question.

Zelda and I hadn't talked about it, but we'd packed everything.

I situated our burros before following the women into the house. It was a single room building. Two double beds were pushed up against the walls. A small kitchen counter took up another wall. A table surrounded by four stools stood in the middle.

"Zelda will share with me, and Giles will take the other bed."

"But what about—?" Zelda asked.

"Iggy?"

"That's his name?" I wanted to know.

"His name is Iglootoo. He told me that after I taught him how to spell in our language."

Zelda nodded. "I never thought about him having a name, but I guess you've got to call him something."

"Iggy fits him," I responded. "Did someone give it to him or did he choose it for himself?"

Chuckling, Elisa patted my shoulder. Leaning in to plant a kiss, she said, "I've missed you, Giles. We'll have plenty of time for stories. Did you bring your art supplies?"

"I never leave home without them."

"Good."