Sherman is braiding Zela's hair.

They're on the couch here in Sherman's little highest light living room,

seated together, just loving every moment of this.

They're both here, alive, everything's great.

Or, well, actually a lot's not actually great at all, but, boy, being together again at last, at least, is really incredible.

What a relief. They have been inseparable.

So many things are wrong. But this one thing, finally, this is right.

Zela was just telling Sherman about all the ways in which stationary hill has been wildly transformed by the terror. But then she switches subjects.

Oh, I just remembered another thing about the whale. It kind of sounded like it had a human voice. Like it was

trying to say words or something. It was the creepiest thing ever. My zoolog book made them seem

way less scary. No way. What? That's terrifying. Sherman's heart is just overflowing.

You're so brave.

That probably would have scared me.

It was scary, but also so cool.

I think it might imitate the sounds that it can hear,

maybe as a kind of bait for prey.

I wish I had my zoologues with me.

I can't remember what they usually eat.

Maybe jelly ghouls? But those are silent, so how... Anyway, I clearly need to update the publishers

on their drawing, too. The real thing was like right there, like, as far away as the window is

from us right now, and they're way grosser than the illustration in the book,

and they're huge!

...