Page 154 of Bewitched By the Sea Monster
“I know. I thought that too. But laws can be broken?—”
“That’s a big law to break.”
“Right. Yeah. But someone with a lot of money and power would stand a chance at breaking it.”
“Of course.” Jackson rubbed at his cheek. “Let me guess…Rune Bloodworth is the villain?”
“I—”
“Andhowwould the logistics of this work?How,Pippi? No one noticed a big swathe of humans went missing?”
“They—”
“The talkingcreatures never shouted‘Hey! I’m Bob Nobody from Texas. I’ve been kidnapped’to any tourist? Not a single one,in five years?”
“Theycan’t. They have runes branded into them that dictate what they can do and say.”
“Well, that’s convenient.”
“It’s the truth. I’veseen it. It burned Marvin before you woke up because he tried to tell me more about the curse. And Alistair?—”
“Who”—Jackson’s eyes glittered—“isAlistair?”
Ooof, well, I’d stepped in it now, hadn’t I?
Jackson’s expression turned cold—a human face etched into emotionless marble. “That’s the second time you mentioned that name.Alistair.Who is he?”
My tongue thickened into a gelatinous blob. “Alistair,” I finally managed, “is the Loch Ness Monster.”
A knitted V formed in Jackson’s brow. “It has a name?”
“He.And yes.”
“How do you know that? Nowhere lists that name. How did you figure that out?”
My stomach corkscrewed into my throat. I clenched my teeth around my next words, in case somethingmorethan words came out. “He told me.”
“He…who?”
“Alistair. The Loch Ness Monster. He told me his name.”
“The Loch Ness Monster? The one creature on this island that doesn’t talk?”
“Hecantalk. But nobody can hear him. But…”
Jackson’s face reddened, making him look a bit like a pulsating tomato.
“I can,” I continued. “I’ve been able to all week. Since that night we went skinny dipping. He’s…I mean…he’s the reason I’m alive. He saved me.”
“What?”
“I-I’m sorry Jackson. I should’ve…I don’t know why I didn’t. I…I was confused at first. And then I didn’t knowhow.I should have told you. But, yes, he saved me. When that tide ripped me out to sea. I was lost.And scared. He plucked me out of the water and protected me. And I found out he couldtalk. But I’m the only one who can hear him. And I don’t fully understand why.It’s awful, though, that his voice is silent to everyone else. Because he’s sweet, and?—”
Oh. Stars.
I’d said too much.
Far too much.
