A second bellow loudly echoed in the tunnels, and Mary Lou gripped him tighter. Adam unwrapped himself, allowing him some space from the overwhelming odor. "Sorry, Evelyn. It's just been crazy", he said as he lowered the gun to the floor.
I really owe you one sister, thought Mary Lou. "It's okay. It's been a crazy day for me, too. But let's get out of here. I have no desire to meet up with THAT monster."
"Yeah, let's go. That noise is sure to bring the zookeepers down here. And we don't want to run into them with you looking like that!" said Adam.
"Do you know a way out? We - I mean - I have been looking all night but the only exits I could find were too small for me to fit through?" said Mary Lou.
"The only large exit I saw is the same one I came in from at the zoo. But I don't think we could go back there. I'm sure there's a lot of people from the zoo guarding it by now. But I have another idea. I did bring this, " said Adam. Adam reached behind his back and pulled out one of the bottles of shampoo out of a backpack.
"You can reverse this? " Mary Lou asked with a little apprehension. She did want to return to her beautiful full alligator form, but she didn't relish the idea of slowly crawling on her belly through the sewer trying to find an a exit.
"No," said Adam sadly. "The bottle doesn't explain how to do that. But maybe if we mix it with another animal you'll get a little smaller and we can sneak out a manhole. I think I saw a few rats back there."
Mary Lou could barely contain her disgust. Being part human was bad, but there was no way she was going to become some small weak hairy rodent.
Adam sensed her apprehension. "I know you don't like rats, but it will only be for a little while, until we can get somewhere safe. If you don't like rats, maybe we can try something else. I'm sure there's a snake or lizard around here. We can even try a bug if you're game."
Mary Lou suddenly had a thought. Maybe she could accomplish both her goals - finding a mate and escape - at once. She smiled wickedly and looked straight at Adam.
Adam didn't like that smile. When she smiled that way, she didn't look like Evelyn. She looked more like a predator toying with its prey. Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this, he thought.
Mary Lou sidled up to Adam, and ran her hand slowly down the side of his chest. "You know, dear, there is one other animal that I can bond with down here. One that will make me just a little smaller , but still mostly.....human, "she cooed.
Adam jumped back from her. "Oh no, there is no way I want to mess with that stuff. Not after what it did to you!"
Mary Lou stamped her clawed foot roughly on the ground. "I thought you said you don't mind how I look."
"I don't; but that doesn't mean I want to look like you, " he said shortly.
Mary Lou approached him slowly, easing closer to the shampoo bottle. "Listen, dear, its just like you said, it will only be for a short while. What difference does it make? Anyway, it might just be the cure! I mean, two human and one alligator is closer to human than I am now."
Adam paused and seemed to think it over. Mary Lou's smile grew even bigger. I have him now, she thought. She walked over to him, sidled up beside him, and ran her left claw gently through his silky hair, softly brushing it. "Please, Adam. If you love me, you will do it for me. Please, we don't have much time." With her right claw she quietly removed another bottle from his backpack.