Chapter 18

Simon was the first one to wake up. His eyes popped open at dawn, and the first thing he did was rip the seaweed bandage off his arm. He tied the fronds of seaweed around his head like a bandanna and started to swagger off into the jungle.

Rubbing the sand out of his eyes, Theodore watched him leaving. “Simon? Where are you going?”

The early wind blew the seaweed bandanna around Simon’s head. He looked like a pirate. And when he started speaking he had, strangely, a French accent. “Who is this Simon you speak of?”

“Um … you,” said Theodore, confused.

“No. My name is not Simon. It is”—he paused for effect—“Simone.”

Theodore blinked, even more confused. “That’s pretty close to Simon.”

“And yet completely different,” said Simon (or Simone), twirling his whiskers. “Would you care to join me on my adventure?”

“What adventure?” asked Theodore timidly.

“The adventure called life!” exclaimed Simon with great joy.

Simon wasn’t acting like himself. Still, Theodore knew he could trust him to make good decisions. Simon never got into trouble. “Okay,” he agreed, and he scampered off into the jungle after Simon.

When Brittany awoke, they were nowhere in sight. She immediately started shaking Alvin. “Alvin, Alvin!”

“What, what is it?” Alvin was still sleepy.

“Simon and Theodore are gone,” she said.

“They probably just went to get stuff for a shelter,” said Alvin, his eyes shutting again. “It’s all Simon can talk about.”

Brittany shook her head. She was worried. “Still, it’s not like either of them to wander off like that. Could you please go look for them?”

“Why can’t you?” Alvin yawned and stretched.

“I have a situation of my own to deal with, Alvin!” yelled Brittany.

“Oh, right,” Alvin apologized. “How’s Eleanor doing?”

Brittany clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth in disgust. “Eleanor’s fine, but I’m talking about me. It’s been two days since my last bath; I’m a mess! I can’t get rescued looking like this!”

Alvin rolled his eyes, but he got up anyway and headed into the jungle to look for Simon and Theodore. “Simon? Theo?” he called.

And then he saw Simon. Right in front of him. Hanging upside down.

“Bonjour, my friend,” said Simon, greeting Alvin in a mixture of French and English. He bounced out of sight and reappeared a moment later, still upside down.

“Simon? Are you … bungee jumping?” Alvin couldn’t believe it.

“His name isn’t Simon,” said Theodore, coming up beside Alvin.

“It’s Simone!” exclaimed Simon, bouncing into view again.

“Uh, that’s pretty close to Simon,” noted Alvin.

“I thought so, too!” agreed Theodore. “But he’s acting totally different.”

Then it hit Alvin what was going on. It was like Simon had undergone a complete change of personality. He didn’t seem to have any more inhibitions. “It’s the spider bite!” said Alvin. “Remember the side effects?”

“I remember none of this. Who are you?” Simon disappeared again.

Oh boy. This was worse than Alvin could ever have imagined. “Alvin,” he said.

“Simone is pretty cool,” said Theodore.

“It’s Simon,” corrected Alvin. “And no, he’s not.”

“Would you excuse us, Alvin?” Simon had bounced back again, grabbed Theodore, and sprung up into the air with him onto a high branch. Zoe was already up there. “Monsieur Theodore, it is your turn!” Simon began unfastening himself from the bungee cord.

“I’ve never done anything like this,” Theodore squealed as Simon tied him onto the cord.

Alvin chased after him. “And you never will!

“How can you let them do this? What are you thinking?” Alvin yelled at Zoe. After all, she might be weird, but Zoe was still a grown-up.

“I’m thinking, when did my dad wash up on this island?” answered Zoe, irritated. “We’re having a good time here, and you gotta show up and be all uptight.”

“Me? Uptight?” Alvin was stunned. “I’m not the uptight one. I’m the fun one! The cool one. Ask anybody!”

Theodore had wrapped the bungee cord around his tummy. He was getting ready to jump.

“Theodore!” shouted Alvin, stomping his foot. “You can’t bungee jump. You get scared just watching a movie.”

“Munk up, Alvin!” said Theodore. He leaped off the branch, screaming with joy all the way down.

Alvin couldn’t believe it. What was going on? Wasn’t anyone in charge anymore?