Talking
Laughter from the other girls. “Well, you better go get it, or else you’ll want to make another one right now,” said one girl.
“Yeah,” said an embarrassed Jasmine. “You’re right.”
“You forgot your sack but you brought your skin all the way up here. You don’t want to put it by your cot?” Maria asked.
Jasmine had forgotten she was holding it. It was in her lap, all bundled up like a sweatshirt. “Oh, I guess I’m too lazy to go all the way over there.” I guess it’s like carrying around a jacket without wearing it. She pulled it off her lap and set it aside. I’m doing a lot of things wrong right now. I still don’t know what I am exactly or what’s in this world. It doesn’t look like me or anyone else has a phone to look it up either. What the hell am I supposed to say or ask that won’t make me look weird?
She decided to sit there and remain quiet while the conversation between Maria and her two friends carried on. A few names Jasmine recognized were mentioned, them being friends of hers as well as family members. Nothing too revealing came up in conversation until one of the girls, Valerie, mentioned a fellow named Jamie. “She told me she was going to try and swim through the waters around the fishing wharf again. I told her she’d have to be insane to try that after getting herself caught in a net like last time. I don’t think it matters how many times we tell her that humans and selkies don’t mix. She’ll be reminded the next time a hunting party comes marching into camp.”
Jasmine perked up in her seat. Selkies? What are those? Is that what I am? It was different from a human, whatever it was. She had to probe further. “So, Valerie, remind me what happened with Jamie? Why don’t Selkies and humans mix?”
Upon that second question she got a trio of bizarre looks like she’d asked where the sun went at night. “Because they’re dangerous,” Maria said bluntly. “Don’t tell me we have to remind you too.”
Shit. I really pushed the wrong button on that one. “No, no, no. I know that. I just wonder why Jamie has to be reminded that. Why’d she think it was OK to go to the fishing wharf?”
Valerie scoffs and shook her head. “Because of all the fish there, but the humans have a monopoly on it with all their boats and nets. One of them got their eyes on her and nearly stuck her with a harpoon. She’s lucky to have gotten out of there alive. Worse, she might’ve led them right to us. That’s why we sent you to scout that island, remember?”
Written by TheGreatJaceyGee on 18 October 2024