Leaving Penelope’s shipwreck, Poppy paused. “Am I missing some stockings?” she asked, studying her swishing tentacles.

Paige scoped out her friend’s goods. “Yes, it appears you certainly are missing some stockings.” Glancing down at her own gyrating stems, she went on to say, “And it appears I’m flashing some bareness as well.”

Paige and Poppy looked at each other and rolled their eyes in unison. Every time they spent the night at Penelope’s, they always wound up with AWOL undergarments.

“I know Penelope’s parents have been hurting for money, but this is just ridiculous,” Poppy steamed. “She must have enough of our stuff to photograph her own lingerie catalogue by now.

“

They turned in their wake and buoyed back over to Penelope’s. As they cornered her in her room, Penelope’s father floated down the hallway wearing Poppy’s bra and, on two of his chubby tentacles, Paige’s stockings were pulled up taut.

One already had a runner.