Page 153 of Bewitched By the Sea Monster
Anger frothed inside me. I gulped it down. Because this hashing argument had to wait. Something far more important needed to be aired out first.
“Jackson.” I reached for him as he stomped past.
“What?” he snarled.
“Jackson…I-I need you to listen to me.”
He gave a big, exaggerated sniff. “Unless it’s an apology, I’m not interested.”
“Jackson,please.”
And he must’ve seen the turmoil in my face when he deigned to bring his eyes back to me. I was crying—had been all morning—so my eyes were puffy, and I was jittering. And I was sure I’d gone whiter than a sheet.
He paused and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting.
“Jackson…there’s something…This island iswrong.”
He rolled his eyes.
“They’repeople!”
“Who?”
“The creatures!Marvin and Alistair, and the alicorns, the kelpies, the banshees...they’re allpeople.”
“Well…yeah. But they’ve been dead for 500 years?—”
“No, they haven’t! That’s a story the isle tells, to hide the fact that they cursedliving people.”
Jackson sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t…Pippi, I don’t have the patience for this bullshit. We’re leavingin a few hours. Did you pack your things yet? Or did you waste time kissing the cat’s ass in hopes he’d turn into a prince?”
“It’s not?—”
He walked away. Ignoring me.
And my anger, my hurt…everythingboiled over. “DON’T YOU DARE WALK AWAY FROM ME, JACKSON!” I bellowed.
He pivoted, his eyes burning with rage. “What the?—"
“Listen to me. Please. Just for a few minutes. This is…it’s important. It’s biggerthan our fight. People, real people, are getting hurt by this.”
Patches of red blossomed over Jackson’s cheeks and a vein pulsed in his temple. But he stayed quiet as he jerked his arm through the air, motioning for me to go on.
“The creatures on this island arehumans. They’ve been cursed—recently, I think. When the isle opened, or a little before.”
He rubbed a hand over his face. “Do you hear yourself right now, Pippi? Do you actually comprehend what you’re saying?”
I scowled. “Don’t talk to me like I’m stupid, Jackson.”
“Then don’t say stupid shit.”
“How dare?—”
“Curses areillegal, Pippi.”
“I know…”
“They taught us about curse laws in fuckinggradeschool.”
