Alex leaned back against the trunk of the tree, waiting for the group to calm down. After a while, Kaelan's laughter faded, and the girls' accusatory glances finally eased.
Raising his head, Alex looked at each of them one by one and asked, "So… what's the plan?"
Everyone's attention snapped back to him—girls still glaring, Kaelan's smile creeping back onto his face.
Before anyone could answer, Meika pondered, Where can we even find the door out of here? We can't sit around these trees forever, especially not while we're literally on the back of a giant maggot.
"Ugh, it's too much!" she suddenly screamed in frustration.
Realizing what she'd just blurted out, she slapped her hand over her mouth and mumbled, "Did I say that out loud?"
Kaelan burst into laughter from the other side of the tree. "Hahaha! Yes, you did."
The girls gave Meika sympathetic looks. She sighed, pulled herself together, and said in a calmer voice, "Why don't we check its mouth first?"
