Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1: MAKING ORANGE OASIS
A baby boy with raven hair sits in his mother's basket at the supermarket. He sees something.
WHAT IS IT HONEY
His hand outstretches, wordlessly asking for something.
SORRY DEAR, I CAN'T
GET YOU THAT ONE
Next to the candy and magazines of the checkout line is a children's book.
It’s blue and has a happy whale sticking out his tongue on the cover.
YOU'RE TOO LITTLE
TO READ THAT BOOK
A little girl pulls at her mother's blouse.
OH ALRIGHT
Without a second thought, the book is scanned and bagged.
BUT YOU’RE GOING TO
HAVE TO READ IT TO HIM
The little girl glided down the wooden steps with a finesse she had learned by doing it so many times before, while her three-year-old brother hobbled down the steps behind her, his short legs struggling to make each landing. Mari then skipped down a cracked walkway down to the curb, Sunny not far behind. Once there, she opened one of the four mailboxes sitting on the pole and peeked inside.
Mari gave out a sigh.
“Looks like Mommy has no mail today,” she said to her brother giving a big slump, the two waddled their way back to her apartment, she stopped to look up at the orange evening sky, stark against the faded white paint of the aging townhouse. Before she could scale the steps, two little boys ran past them, almost making her fall into the dead grass beneath her. One of the boys jumped onto the flat tire sitting near the entrance. Mari shook it off and pushed ahead, catching the door and slipping in behind them before it could lock once more. Thankfully it spared them, the hassle of getting back inside.
Mari made her way down the thin hallway to the stairwell. Her family lived with three relatives on the second floor, all from her father's side of the family. As she walked, she saw the two boys from before run into their apartment. A woman emerged from her flat from where Mari was standing and started yelling at them in another language she didn't understand. As she passed their door, she caught a glimpse of the inside where she saw at least another four kids in there, packed into the tiny flat. She shrugged it off and moved towards the stairwell, but before she could someone called her.
“Mari! My precious Mari!”
It was Ms. Paulina. She put her broom against the wall and was now calling the girl from her doorway holding a brown paper bag, clearly trying to give her something. Ms. Paulina was an older, very large lady who would take in children with nowhere else to go. She was a delight to be around and always gave Mari and Sunny the best goodies. The woman spotted Sunny and pulled him into a hug too.”
“I have some leftover fruit! You must take some. Here.” She dropped the big bag into Mari's tiny hands. “I also put in some little konfety. I know the little bratishka has a sweet tooth.”
“Oh thank you! So much, you really don't have to, Ms Paulina,” the girl beamed.
“Nonsense. Little girl and boy needs lots of food to grow up big and healthy. Needs lots of fresh fruit!”
“Thank you very much, ma'am. I'll keep that in mind.”
At that moment, the other door behind them flew open, as the little boys from earlier ran out “Candy! We want candy too!” they yelled. One by one, other little kids came running out, surrounding the big woman, they were all jumping up and down around her.
“Agh! Wait! You kids must wait, I go back inside to get more!” Ms. Paulina turned to Mari and Sunny and gave a wave, “Be good girl!” And with that, the older woman closed her apartment door, leaving Mari to navigate up the stairs, now with the large bag in tow.
The townhouse was divided into four apartments. Ms. Paulina was the landlady she ran a foster home and split the first floor with the large Mireles family. Sunny’s family lived in a two-bedroom flat upstairs, right next door to three of her old grannies sharing their golden years together. They were very mean to her dad, but very nice to her. One of them, the oldest one who didn't speak Mari's language and could hardly move, gave Mari a lovely Sweetheart doll. Something she very much treasured.
“Sorry Mom, there’s no mail today, but I got some stuff from Ms. Paulina!”
“Oh that's great honey, put it on the counter!” the mother called back.
Mari did just that and headed back to her and Sunny's shared room which was about the size of a large closet but more than enough space for two toddlers. Sunny waddled off to the TV and plopped down right in front of it, ready to watch his afternoon shows. His mom glanced back at the brown bag but was too distracted by her husband and the dishes to give it a good look.
“I think it’s time for us to make a move,” their father says to his wife as she washes a small pile of dishes; a few plates scattered here and there. She takes a moment to survey the wall outside the kitchenette window, then gives a sigh of exasperation. “Honey, we've been over this.”
“This box is just a place to survive, not to live, we can't raise a family here.”
“I know.”
“I've had a good year! When are we going to move up?” the man whines.
“What about that nice car of yours? Is that not moving up?” she bit back.
“Look, I told you already. That was an investment. I can't drive to work in a beater if I want to be seen as management materiel,” the man crossed his arms. “it's time for us to leave.”
“We are. Just not right now,” she has always been the more frugal one. Their family was living in a rent-controlled apartment and was one paycheck away from food stamps. They really didn’t have enough to be buying a house right now. But she also knew how important it was to own a home, and she was afraid her husband might have a point...
“You said that some years ago when Sunny was still inside you. Now he's running around.”
Sunny was sitting in front of the TV, ignoring the conversation his parents were having about him and their home. Just watching his shows. The cowboy one he really likes. The TV sang:
“Mr. Outback,
Thursday, that's the date.
Mr. Outback,
Count on him to be your mate!”
He likes this one but has been eagerly awaiting the upcoming new cat show that'll be debuting soon.
His father continues, “I mean if we plan to move, we have to do it now. Sunny's going to be starting elementary soon, and Mari is still young. We have to make our move now before they get too comfortable. How else is Sunny going to have time to make friends? Remember his birthday party last year? That disaster. Well, his fourth is coming up.”
“That's true. He was a bit upset when no one came,” the woman groaned.
“Hurt? Sunny was devastated. Not even one kid from school came to his party.”
“Calm down. He was not devastated. He was having fun with his cousins.” She was barely correct. A few of their relatives came over to celebrate Sunny's third birthday. They had to pack themselves into a corner dinner table, but they were more than enough to keep him entertained. It's true that when he realized no one from school was going to come, he did start crying. But then Mari hugged him for a few minutes and managed to make it all better. After the episode ended, the little boy was back to running around like his crying fit had never even happened.
That was about a year ago. The boy seemed content enough. He was playing with his stuffed plushies in front of the television. The mother looked over at him thinking of what sort of future was in store for her little boy. Or at least that's what her son was doing a few seconds ago. When his mother looked over, she stiffened when she noticed his plushies abandoned. Her son had disappeared.
“Sunny?” she asked with a good look, surveying the whole flat.
“Mommy.”
He materialized right next to her with a puppy dog look on his face. His hands went behind his back, and he was looking away. His mother got the intuition that he was about to make a request.
“Mom, can I have some candy,” the boy pointed to the candy jar placed atop their fridge.
“No Sunny. You had enough sugar already and now it’s about your bedtime.”
“But I want another. I'm still hungry.”
“No, you’re not, you just have an appetite. You want it, but you don't need it. And your father-” she takes her wet glove and pokes it into the man’s stomach,” could stand to learn a similar lesson.”
“Well, I still think we need a new house,” his father says firmly.
“A house? I want to see the new house.” Sunny's eyebrows perked up, “I want to see it!” In excitement, the boy runs the 12-foot distance to the front door then back to the sink.
“Oh, my lord. There is no new house. Look what you did now!” she gave a push to her husband then turned to yell, “Mari!”
It only took a brief second for the little girl to throw herself out from the hallway archway.
“Yes, Mommy?”
“Mari, can you please put Sunny to bed!”
Sunny stops abruptly. “But I'm not tired. And I'm still hungry. I don't wanna go to bed.”
“Sunny you are throwing an absolute fit! You need to behave young man! Now go to bed!”
“Can't I stay up later?”
“Come on Sunny we have to go to bed now! It's my bedtime too,” Mari tugs at his arm.
“But I'm still hungry…” he sulks then breaks into a sob. Mari pulls him by the hand back to their room.
Sunny was sitting upright in his bed. Arms crossed.
“Mari I don't want to go to bed. Can't we stay up just a bit longer?”
“Sunny, you did everything you could do today. How do you possibly have the energy to do more?”
Mari was busy dressing down into her pajamas throwing her clothes over the edge of the laundry bin.
“Just a little bit longer,” Sunny gave a pout and a puppy dog face.
“No Sunny. We have school tomorrow, and you need to go to bed.”
“But I want to do more…”
Sunny then threw himself down into his bed, pulling his blanket over his curled form. Mari then tucked herself into bed then switched off the bedside light. This was followed by a brief bout of silence. And then came the waterworks. Sunny's cry sounded like a firetruck reeving its siren.
“Oh my goodness Sunny just go to sleep!”
The boy let out a shrill whine, “I just wanna play with my new toys and you won’t let me!” This was followed by choked sobs.
Mari looked up at the ceiling. She took a moment to take inventory of her options. She then sat up on her bed. “Alright. Here's what we can do...”
Sunny sat up very quickly then paused to see what she would say.
“How about I read you one of your new books you got from the book fair today?” Mari walked over to the plastic table where some of his toys had been placed. Their school library had an event where Sunny bought all sorts of new books “Which one do you want to read?” she asked. Sunny walked over to where Mari was to sort through his books. There were four to choose from, and the boy took a nice long look at the Dino Pyramid book. Dinosaurs were pretty cool.
But then one caught his eye that he barely recognized but couldn’t remember. The oldest book. The classic. One he got when he was just a baby. Back then, Sunny would ritualistically ask his Mom to buy it while at the checkout of the grocery store, even when she kept saying no. It had a big happy whale on the cover. “'Hungry Humphrey'. We haven't read this one in years, come on Sunny.” She patted her bedside, for him to take his place next to her.
As the book opened, the illustrations centered on the titular whale sleeping in a cave.
“In the shallows of the early morning water, when the Moon's reflection still glistens,” Mari said,
“There's a little cave where a gentle snore can be heard by anyone who listens.
It is here in his cozy home you will find Humphrey the whale.
And if you visit, you can ask him why he once tried to eat his own tail.
He would whalecome guests, with whom he would chat and chuckle.
And his company would eat so much that they'd have to loosen their buckle.
Humphrey loved to stay inside, having a whale of a time in mirth and play,
but in a twist of fate, the big blue lug would be forced to leave his home that day.”
“Why did he bite his own tail? Why would anyone want to eat themselves?” Sunny remarked. Humphrey seemed like a nice enough whale...
“I don't know. We'll just have to keep reading to find out!” Mari said.
And on that note, she then turned the page and kept reading.
“That morning, Humphrey found no food in his fridge, or even his pantry door!
And couldn't find any snacks under his bed, between the couch cushions, or even under the floor.
The only thing he could find, at the very back of his grill...
...was a single, shriveled-up crusty piece of day-old fried krill.
It seems like Humphrey had found himself in a bit of a pickle.
He would have to go outside and find something to give his appetite a tickle.
Humphrey was hungry, his empty belly rumbled with a great roar!
So hungry Humphrey set off down the Underwater Highway to find more...”
“Where is Humphrey going to go?” Sunny asked, “he's at the bottom of the ocean?”
Mari turned the page, it flipped to a big picture of Humphrey eating a massive steak in a cafe.
“He's eating steak. Is it his favorite too?” Sunny at looked Mari. She smiled and read on,
“After a short swim, Humphrey found a yellow submarine diner with neon lights that looked neat.
He was happy to find the establishment served burgers with fries and plenty of meat!”
“'Nyak! Nyak! Nyak! Cooking meat is very fun!
Should it be rare, medium-rare, medium, or well done!'”
“Well done. He should eat it well done.” Sunny interjects as if the question needs to be answered.
“At the first stop, Humphrey ate one hundred platters of porterhouse steak.
They were so huge that it was a miracle his belly didn't ache.
But Humphrey was still hungry, his belly rumbled with great rigor.
Hungry Humphrey's appetite was getting bigger.”
“He's going to eat more? How much can a whale eat?” Sunny balked.
Mari turned the page, unveiling what looked like the inside of a pastry shop with a dazzling assortment of colorful pastries. Humphrey's face pressed up against the display window with a funny face.
This got a laugh out of Sunny.
“Humphrey continued on to find a bakery, with tasty treats in the window display.
He wanted to eat them right then and there but managed to keep himself at bay.
”Whale hello there Mrs. Baker, you wouldn't happen to have some cake?
I would like all the pastries on your shelves and whatever else you can bake!”
At the second stop, Humphrey ate two hundred large cakes, some as big as an ox.
An amount so large that they had to be wrapped in a shipping container-sized box.
But Humphrey was still hungry, his belly rumbled with great rigor.
Hungry Humphrey's appetite was getting much... bigger.”
Mari turned the page.
“Look it's Gino's!” Sunny referenced the pizza chain, pointing at the pizza parlor shown. It was packed. Humphrey was trying to peek his head above the crowd to get a good look at the menu.
“Next Humphrey spotted a bustling pizzeria but could smell it first.
A place so packed it looked like it was about to burst.
'Yoohoo~ Mr. Pizza Guy, I'm sorry if you're already busy!
Nyak! Nyak! But this next order is going to leave you in a tizzy!'”
At the third stop, Humphrey ate three hundred pizzas, each adorned with every topping.
Yet the whale made quick work of them, once his teeth started chopping.
But Humphrey was still hungry, his belly rumbled with great rigor.
Hungry Humphrey's appetite was getting much... much... bigger!”
Mari made a special effort to emphasize the second “much” in a psaltery tone. She then turned the page then widened her eyes when she saw a large field and a truck selling watermelon.
“Oh well look at this...” Mari stated flatly, slightly surprised.
“Watermelon. Isn't that your favorite?”
“Yes, it is! I'm glad you remembered Sunny,” she kept reading.
“Afterwards, Humphrey swam to a nearby ranch, and hit a stroke of luck!
He found a farmer on the roadside selling fresh watermelons from the back of his truck.
“OOOOoo~ Watermelon! I didn't know they were in season!
I guess I could have a few. Nyak! Nyak! So long as it's in reason...”
The picture showed Humphrey sucking up all the watermelons like a vacuum.
At the fourth stop, Humphrey ate four hundred watermelons, clearing out the farmer's field.
And even managed to gobble a hidden one, a wicker picnic basket had concealed.
But Humphrey was still hungry, his belly rumbled with great rigor.
Hungry Humphrey's appetite was getting much... much... MUCH BIGGER!”
“Hmm.” Mari eyed the picnic basket.
“Hey Sunny...” Mari caught the little boy’s attention, “I was thinking... what would you think if we went on a picnic?”
Sunny looked on blankly. “But where would we have it? Dad says we can't even visit the park without him. He says it’s not safe.”
“Hmm, I guess that's right. The big city really isn't the ideal place for a picnic,” Mari noted with a measure of disappointment in her voice, “it’s just something to keep in mind ...”
Getting herself back on task, she then turned back to the book.
Next, the whale stumbled onto a hot dog eating contest.
They were nice enough to let him join with little protest.
An image shows Humphrey wearing a bib onstage with the other contestants, ready to eat.
“'The fight for the final cup has just begun!
The announcer barked, “Will this whale be able to get number one?!'
At the fifth stop, Humphrey ate five hundred hot dogs; every weeny placed before his eyes.
Then as a dessert, he even ate the trophy he received for first prize.
But Humphrey was still hungry, his belly rumbled with great rigor.
Hungry Humphrey's appetite was getting much... much... MUCH... MUCH BIGGER!”
“Humphrey is eating so much. I wish I could eat that much,” Sunny chimed in. Mari gave a sigh and flipped the page. What Sunny saw on the next page gave him a fright. Although the segment started innocently enough.
“At the sixth stop, Humphrey ate six hundred six-foot long subway sandwiches.
At the seventh, he ate seven hundred gallons of ice cream with pie, root beer and more!
At the eighth, he ate eight hundred pounds of octopus and calamari.
But somehow, someway, Humphrey was still just as hungry as before!”
A series of three images covered the left-hand page depicting Humphrey devouring his meals at each stop. But what really got to Sunny was on the right.
“It was at this seafood market, Humphrey spotted a massive fishtail he managed to miss.
Peeking out from around the corner, it was somehow spared of his gullet's abyss.
Without thinking twice, the beast opened his two huge jaws, mouthwatering incessantly and vicious.
The whale then chopped his teeth down after exclaiming, 'Mmmm. Seafood. Delicious!'”
Something about this creepy image didn't sit right with Sunny. Humphrey was facing forward with a leering grin. It was unsettling, and Sunny pulled his blanket up to his mouth. He made no mention of this to Mari. He didn't want to get her worried, or worse, stop reading to him. So, he just stayed quiet.
“Ouch! Bleeeeeh!” Humphrey gave out a shout.
Humphrey realized he had bitten his own tail, and promptly spit it out!
But as his tail came out, it hit the 'danglely thing' at the back of his throat's knoll.
Thus with a gag and a “Blurf!,” he'd began to shoot bile out his blowhole.
Poor Humphrey had to swim all the way home with a tail throbbing in pain.
And unfortunately, once he returned, his bout of nausea hadn't seemed to wane.
'Well that didn't go down smoothly at all!' The whale yelped with his yap.
'Suddenly, I feel so sleepy... I think... I'll take a short nap.'”
Mari read on.
“So the whale shut himself into his home, then curled into a comfortable spot.
And by the next morning, he had been through the worst of his stomach knot.
“Ahh... That was such a good nap. My tummy ache is all gone... but my tail is still so sore.”
He frowned. Suddenly, Humphrey wasn't feeling that hungry anymore.
When dinner came, Humphrey could only eat a mouthful of krill from a labored short swim.
And for dessert, he could only spend the day sucking his fin.
So let it be a lesson, for those who love to feed.
You should always be careful not to eat more than you need.
The End”
“So Sunny what did you think?”
“I liked it.” Sunny came out with a peep.
“Really, are you sure? You got a little quiet near the end,” Mari pressed.
“The end was a bit creepy. But I liked most of it!”
“We can't read it anymore if it gives you nightmares.”
“But I like it. I just don't know how to handle scary things. Even things that aren't scary.”
“Oh Sunny,” Mari shook her head, “you know, I used to be really afraid too. Mostly of the dark. It was really bad, sometimes I couldn't walk around the house at night on my own.”
“Why aren't you scared anymore? What did you do when you got scared?” Sunny asked quietly.
“Well for one, I would hug Sweetheart.” Mari pulled out her Sweetheart doll. It was her oldest toy, and the joy of her life before Sunny was brought home. “But besides that, well, sometimes you kind of have to..” Mari said unsure. “A lot of the things we find scary, become not so scary once you face them. Like certain fears that feel really big will just push over the moment you face them head-on. So if I know you... you'll get over them.”
“So we can still read 'Hungry Humphrey' then? It’s not even that scary.”
“Wow, you must really like this book,” Mari joked.
“It was nice. I like Humphrey. I wish I had a friend like Humphrey,” or any friend, the boy thought.
“Oh? Whatever do you mean? I mean you have me right?”
“Yeah. But like...”
Sunny looks down.
“I want a friend that does fun things I like to do, like get dirty and drink soda and eat candy.”
Mari rubbed Sunny shoulder. “It's okay Sunny I get it. I'm your sister. It's not the same.”
“Is it true that we're going to move?”
“We can only hope. I hope wherever we go, you can find friends there Sunny.”
She gives her little brother a hug, “But for now it's time for you to go to sleep.”
And with that, Sunny curled into Mari, the two cuddled as the little boy went to bed, dreaming of the big happy whale and its adventure.
THREE YEARS OLD, SUNNY DRIFTS INTO A DREAM
