Other Half of Chapter Two

"Oh, shoot,"--Wait a second, do you remember where we are? Well, we're at the part where they find out that they're not staying at the La Lava hotel. Here we go again.

"Oh, shoot!" Kenneth is saying. "I forgot to tell you that La Lava doesn't allow kids."

Wow! Madeline is mad! "Lava is such a jerk!" Ruby yells. Apparently Ruby is too. The Selva Lodge looks pretty much like any old American motel. Kenneth is already across the parking lot. They follow him through the gate into a concrete courtyard. There is a pool and there are lots of children playing in it. Madeline and Ruby end up in room number 4, mom in number 5, and Kenneth in number 8. Ruby and her sister are pulling on their old speedos when mom bursts in yelling "Surprise!" She holds up two bikinis. Ruby gets a red polka dot one and Madeline gets a green striped one. Madeline is surprised because her mom doesn't like or allow bikinis. Ruby puts hers on happily but Madeline leaves hers on the floor. Ruby dives in after Kenneth leaves and starts playing with some kids who don't speak English or Spanish.  Madeline calls her over so that she can put sunscreen on her. She knows that it is almost out so she says so. She just wanted to go to the souvenir shop, which would be fun, with Ruby. The shop isn't fun and it's really weird. Ruby finds their favorite coconut sunblock and asks how much it is. Madeline can barely make out the shape of the the teenager behind the counter. His eyes are golden. This guy is really creeping her out. Then they head back to the pool. Mom is really upset but she's fine now that she knows they were only getting sunblock. Madeline sees something strange happen. Ruby gets out of the pool and runs into the arms of a which like lady. Turns out that she is the owner of Selva Lodge. After talking with her and her husband for a while, Kenneth returns with tacos for everybody. Madeline loves them and Ruby thinks that they are disgusting. "What is in these?" Ruby asks. Now everybody is pestering him to tell them. He finally gives in and says that the tacos have fried grasshoppers. When Madeline realizes thet he isn't joking, she goes and jumps into the pool and doesn't come up until the tacos are gone.