Colonization (The Seamus Chronicles Book 3) by K. D. McAdams

are often correct.
    “They have to stop drinking leaf water and I think our best bet for that to happen is if we have a replacement to offer. Fresh, clean river water, try some today!” I use my best television commercial voice.
    She doesn’t buy what I’m selling. I can’t believe that she’s going to dig her heals in on this. It’s another case where she does not have a better idea but doesn’t like mine. The ‘not invented here’ syndrome is strong in this one.
    A sudden commotion draws my attention. Liam has crashed into the leaf aqueduct and is staggering towards the basin. My heart leaps into my throat. He may be having a more violent, toxic reaction to the pollen. I run to him and get there just after he face plants next to the leaf full of water.
    His hands fumble for the bottom of the leaf and he lifts. The leaves are heavy to begin with, full of water it likely weighs over one hundred pounds and my brother has no leverage.
    “Little help.” He grumbles as our eyes meet.
    He’s not high yet. This is all an act. If the water supply is disrupted we’ll have no choice but to move where we can get fresh water more easily. There is no way any of them can rebuild the aqueduct in their state.
    “Liam!” I exaggerate my yell and the level of concern.
    Lying prone next to him I reach my hands under the basin and we start to lift together while I pretend to be helping him to his feet. The leaf does not budge.
    “The hell with this.” I say under my breath while getting to my feet.
    Squatting down I place my hands under the leaf and lift up. Water pours out and puddles on the ground before disappearing.
    “Whoa. Dude that’s our water.” A few of the drunkards utter to no one in particular.
    “Man. I’m sorry bro. Let’s grab a nosh and go down there. We can put our feet in the water and totally chill.” My brother the actor grabs a handful of food and starts walking down river.
    I can tell that Liam is not yet high but the others are open to suggestion. A motley crew stumbles slowly down along side the river. Some of them have trouble balancing with arms full of food; others take a few minutes to catch on and watch confused from where they are sitting.
    Sipping from my water bottle I check the plane and make sure everyone had gone in front of me. Francisco is one of the stragglers and I can see him reaching around to his pack. His head shakes slowly and his hand goes to the back of his neck. I catch up to him and pull his water bottle out and place it carefully in his hand.
    “Thanks.” He says, and then does a double take. “Hey Seamus, when did you get here?”
     

Chapter 15
    It was about ten hours after we moved down river that the calls for coffee began. Francisco had sobered up first and it was not a pretty sight. He couldn’t hold down water and had cold sweats and the shakes. Cassandra and I were concerned that it might be another reaction to the water but Francisco assured us it was a hangover, just the worst one he’d ever had.
    Since Liam was the last one to ingest the narcotic water he was just getting high while the others were going through withdrawals. In his drunken state he confessed to me that it was not the first time he had been drunk and that he and his friends were sneaking beers in the ninth grade.
    Cassandra was nice to everyone but she really focused her attention on her mother. I had the impression that she was mad at me but then realized that I didn’t really care. Once I stopped obsessing about it her attitude seemed to improve.
    “So what’s the plan genius?” She asks me with a condescending tone.
    On my way here the plan was clear. Retrieve Jane and Cassandra and go back to the fire circle. But now instead of five of us there are twelve and we won’t be bringing much food.
    In addition to the extra food we didn’t know about the river. I’m not sure how the river changes things but something inside tells me that it does. I really wish Dad were here, he could