Waking up to the fucking sun shining on me and sand in my gotdamn eye was a great wake-up call to this being a new reality. I should've had a panic attack, but something more bothered me...

I had not brushed my teeth since the flight departure, which was, oh, twenty-seven hours ago at this point. My mouth felt like shit. Hell, it probably smelled like shit. It was dry and gritty, meaning it was open to the whale sperm, sea salt, and sand. I swore I felt cavities forming from yesterday’s ‘meal’ of trail mix.

“Mama?”

I craned my neck to see Anthony becoming increasingly aware of his surroundings. It’s slowly turning into glossy-eyed dissociation as yesterday crashes into him. Great.

And good God almighty, I had to pee.

I tried to move my leg, but there’s a reason I had stabbing pains. When we all cuddled up last night, I assumed people would move off of me by the morning. That did not happen.

I used free foot on Zahra, quickly but gently, pushing her off my fucking knee to anywhere that wasn't me, and repeated the process with Inès. Both of them are heavy sleepers, so it’s fine. The main challenge currently has me in the hold of a viper, and one must gently wake this serpent, for they are not a morning person.

I rubbed my left hand gently up and down their ribs. As they began to stir, I shifted my petting to rubbing up and down their arm. When their breathing changed, I was thrilled because I was damned near about to piss my pants.

“Krys.”

“Mmm? Babe,” they croaked, tightening around me. No, no, no, no, no. Forget the babe part. They’re pressed down into me further, and I damn near sobbed.

“Krys, come on, I need to pee.”

“Releasing.” They automatically gave my forehead a kiss before loosening their arms. I’m going to ignore the little skip my heart made.

I pushed up, hovering over Krys briefly. I’d love to bask in how their eyes immediately sparkled at me as soon as everything came into focus, but nature stops for no one.

I was almost out when I remembered a significant part of the sleeping arrangement: Quinn. That bitch is like dried gum.

I was literally stuck between a rock and a hard place, and I am not explaining the latter. Quinn got off my shoulder at some point, but she stayed burrowed next to me, on top of my right arm.

“Fuck.”

I had to pull my way out, therefore shaking my very full bladder. Quinn’s a lithe girl, but my God, is she dense. I make one last tug before I tumble out of the human pile.

Free at last, free at last.

I hadn’t walked that fast since my sister recorded a video of me power walking. I don’t care if people can still see me as I squat behind the third tree I meet; my leggings were down my legs faster than, well, I don't know. The point is I pushed them away just in time.

“Oh, thank God.”

I was sighing in gratitude when I saw someone out of the corner of my eye. The tan skin made my blood pressure rise. If Ma-

Oh, it’s just Jennifer. She pulled down her bottoms before I could make my presence known. With eyes honed on the left to my left, I coughed a little.

"Oh shit, Bri. Fuck."

I feel like she pissed herself, but I can't turn my head to confirm.

“Hey, Jen." I’m still pissing to the point of it being awkward. “It's ah, a nice day outside.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah.”