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“Can someone- Eva- can you get the door? My hands are full with putting Sourire to her nap!” called Atticus.

In the girl’s usual manner, Evangeline, without a word, moved to the front door and opened it. There wasn’t anything there, or at least no one. A small, bright blue envelope sat on the welcome mat. Bending over to pick up the envelope- it seemed to be wet to touch- Evangeline returned to Atticus’ side and handed him the letter.

“Oh, no one was there?” He was getting used to communicating with a silent Eva, “Hmm, a letter?” He took the envelope from his daughter’s hands and patted Sourire one last time before the pair moved out of her room. “Don’t want to wake her up, you know how hard it is to get her to nap,” Atticus said as he examined the envelope. There was no return address, and the only form of writing was in dark blue cursive that read “Atticus”. Realizing that there were no hints, Atticus broke the fish-seal at the back of the envelope and pulled out a letter.

The letter was dry (which was odd seeing as the envelope looked dipped in water) and very thick. At the top was a little mug shot of a fish, or what looked like a fish to Atticus. Had he inspected the photograph a little further he would have seen that this was no normal fish but in fact one that looked, if it was believable, almost like a human. But in his surprise for liquid-looking letters in the center of the page, Atticus failed to note this little detail.



The rhyming was cute, but the message was boggling. However, before he could even begin to comprehend, he looked up and found Eva at the refrigerator. The door was ajar and there Evangeline held an envelope identical to the one now in Atticus’ hands. “Bread and butter… oh, that’s pretty clever Evangeline!” As he walked toward the second letter, he couldn’t help but wonder how in the world it had gotten in his bread and butter.

But it didn’t matter now; he was on a scavenger hunt! The envelope and letter were identical to the first. The letters still seemed to flow like waves, and the message was boggling, if not even more so than the original.



“Feed… to the cat’s meow. Would I feed something to a cat?” Atticus asked aloud. “No, I don’t even have a cat, I’m not much of a cat person. So that means… does that mean that, because my answer’s no, I should find something hot off the press?” Evangeline nodded and Atticus grinned. “Hey! A little of your smarts may just be rubbing off on me.” He messed up her hair, which led her to put an ugly expression on her face, and declared, “You stay here and watch Sourire, I’ve got a newspaper to buy!”

With that he grabbed a coat and was out the door. The closest newspaper stand was only a five minutes’ walk away, and because he was in an ever eager mood, it only took him a couple to arrive at the Gaian Times paper distribution. He didn’t stop to think once about what he was getting himself into. He was always a little kid at heart when it came to games, and this was as good a game as any.

“One paper, please!” Atticus exclaimed breathlessly as he stopped at the cart and tried to catch his breath.

“One paper, fi’ty gold,” replied the green-eyed, smiling merchant.

Placing the correct amount of gold in the man’s hand Atticus now found himself holding a paper. While there was no obvious envelope sticking out of the paper, Atticus was sure it would be here. After all, if they could conjure up a note in his refrigerator, there would certainly be a note in the press. He flipped through each page quickly and, upon encountering the adoption section of the paper, an envelope dropped to the floor. However, in such an enthused mood Atticus managed to miss the big clue that the section hinted at. Instead he tore open the envelope and began to read the letter. And while he wouldn’t have noticed, Eva certainly would have. The mug shot in the corner seemed to be growing increasingly bigger. And it seemed to be moving as well.



The zoo was the least of Atticus’ worries. The thing that bothered him was what a parent’s persona meant. Did that mean he would have to bring his girls? Taking the safer route he found himself trotting home. What did it mean to be bound, too? There would be answers later, for now the treasure hunt needed solving and the next clue, he was sure, would at least give him some contour shape.

“Eva! Sourire! We’re going to the zoo!” Atticus called. He fumbled to get out Evangeline and Sourire’s rain coats and boots, for the rain had just begun to patter the cement, and Evangeline later emerged with an eye-rubbing Sourire.

“The zoo?” gurgled the little toddler who could only walk by gripping her big sister’s hands. “I ‘ike animals!” she exclaimed, already out of her sleepy stupor.

After getting on all the rain gear, which happened to make Sourire look like a bright pink blob and Evangeline look like a bright rainbow mess, the three headed to the zoo.

“Yes, one adult ticket and two, yes two, kid tickets.” Atticus said to the man behind the counter. He was a short, stout man wearing a bright yellow jacket.

“Okee, sir. Seein’ as it’s rainin’ there in’t gunna be much business, I think yer girls might enjoy a littl’ bit o’ cover. Whyn’t you go on down them stairs. Much better display I’s guarantee, this is a special offer, you's lucky you brought your girlies along,” chuckled the unshaven ticket man.

“But we want to see some animals at the zoo, that’s all above the ground.” Atticus said, confused as to why the man would send them into the employee’s lair.

“Trust me, sir, there’ll be somethin’” Said the employee and ushered the family down the stairs. “Enjoy yer stay, sir!” He tipped his rain hat behind them.

“People these days,” Atticus muttered under his breath, “can’t take no for an answer. I gotta go see some animals for this scavenger hunt thing and now we’re stuck looking at brooms!” It would only be two seconds after that comment that Atticus would wish to have taken everything back. Because, in the middle of the room, stood a large tank. And, stuck to the glass of the tank, was a fourth envelope that matched all the others before. Even more startling, there was a baby fish boy, who seemed to be sucking on a pacifier, behind the note.

“Oooooh! Fissy!” exclaimed Sourire, pressing her hands and nose to the glass to get a better look.

Tentatively Atticus pulled down the envelope and opened the letter. It was now, when the picture covered almost half of the paper, that Atticus realized the mug shot on the paper. And this mug shot was of the boy sitting right in front of him. Atticus had a little premonition that this baby might have just become his little son. He read the letter, certain of what he would find.



Under the letter was a stamp which read “Magical Mishaps” and, behind the first sheet of paper laid another paper.



“Take ‘im ‘ome daddy?” exclaimed Sourire, who found this little fish to be just darling.

Pocketing the letters Atticus smiled, “Yea, I guess so Sourire. Meet your new little brother. What should we name him, you guys?” Asked Atticus bringing both of his girls in for a hug, whether Evangeline wanted one or not.

Shrugging out of his hug, Evangeline stared at the little fish boy, placing her palm near his head.

“Johnny!” declared Sourire, who had recently developed a newfound friendship with a boy in daycare of that name. However, as many little kids are bound to be, Sourire remember that she had another duty to another boy, “Tommy, too!” she chirped.

Chuckling Atticus picked up Sourire, placed her on his hip, and suggested, “How about Jonathan Thomas, but we’ll call him J.T. for short.” He kissed her forehead as she giggled in agreement.

“J.T.!” she squealed, testing the name out, “me like!”

Evangline, still unable to tear her eyes away from the boy bent down and picked him up out of the tank. Atticus was about to stop her, for J.T. was not allowed to be out of the water, but instead he stared amazed as a bubble of water surrounded the infant. Holding the fish baby in her arms, Evangeline looked up to Atticus and Sourire.

The family, which arrived at the zoo as three, now left as four. “Have a good day, sir!” Exclaimed the zoo worker, a glimmer in his green eyes.