It was time to say goodbye to Ekweel2. They hated to see him leave.
“Why don’t you hang out with us for awhile?” Adam asked. “There’s always a lot happening here. Things are never ‘stagnant.’ ”
“Yeah, you can learn a lot from us about how awesome kids in this century are,” Sally said.
“I would love to stay. But I have work to do at home cleaning up the confusion caused by your illegal capture. I have to return and make sure it never happens again.”
“But when you’re done with your job, stop by some time,” Cindy pleaded. “We like you. You’re one of us.”
Ekweel2 held out his hands for each of them to touch.
“You will see me again. I promise.”
They said their goodbyes. Cindy had a tear in her eye. Maybe they all did. But just as Ekweel2 was about to disappear inside his ship, Sally called out one last question.
“Hey, Ek?” she said. “Do you know why it’s so hot here these days? We never have weather like this.”
“A heavy inversion layer has settled over this portion of your coast. It will clear up in a couple of days and then you will have cooler temperatures.”
“It’s not a witch’s curse, after all,” Adam teased her.
Sally nodded, insulted. “I knew that.”