A girl named Meridith was given the job of wheeling Joan down to the athletics office. As for Joan, she was still reeling from the odd developments of the last few minutes. "Won't the other team object if a mermaid just shows up out of nowhere to swim?" she asked as they waited for an elevator.
Meridith chuckled. "They sure won't like it. Haven't you heard? We've had an empty slot for a weird science competitor since Nicole's gills quit on her last weekend. She was the project for Dr. Wyatt's advanced class, but they never could get the bugs out. I bet the other team was counting on that for an easy win.
"Besides," she gestured towards Joan's tail as the elevator door opened, "they might have given you Nicole's slot anyway. You have to admit Tim did pretty good work. And all in a one-week project, too! He's probably the most talented weird science student this school has ever had! I wouldn't be surprised if he's recruited even before he graduates."
Joan could hardly believe what she was hearing. Weird science slots? Class projects? Who would be "recruiting" Tim? All this from one foolish wish for an interesting class? And was Meridith talking about the Nicole who'd started this trouble in gym class? But as they neared the athletics office, the photos on the wall confirmed it: a huge, ogre-like creature in a football jersey; a centaur running in a race; and of course, some sort of frog-like boy diving into a pool.
