Jɪɴx ➪ 𝙡. 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙯

Bubble Wrap

chapter six; Bubble Wrap

JINX WAITED for a resolution, but they were all shouting out hopeless answers.

"You wait and fix the oars!" Coach said. "Or just sail the other direction, you big galoot."

Frank looked confused. "What's a galoot?"

Jinx looked at Coach expectantly, but no explanation followed.

"Guys!" Nico called down from the mast. "About sailing the other direction? I don't think that's going to work."

He pointed past the prow.

A quarter-mile ahead of them, the long rocky strip of land curved in and met the cliffs. The channel ended in a narrow V.

"We're not in a strait," Jason said. "We're in a dead end."

Time froze and Jinx struggled to breathe air. She placed a hand on her beating heart and attempted to note all the pretty colors around her.

Besides being attacked by feral dwarfs, this was another big fear of hers. She was in the middle of nowhere, trapped near a mysterious-looking island. Jinx had none of the survival instincts required to make it out alive from an island.

Jason's words echoed in her head, "a dead end?" She breathed out.

During her anxiety attack, a hand gently placed itself on her shoulder. Jinx shrieked and jumped back and elbow them in the stomach. Her heart beat faster and breathing felt like a challenge.

"Are... Are you okay?"

Nico knew that was a stupid question, but he felt awkward. He hesitated, he never knew what to do when a girl cried. Bianca, his deceased sister, usually didn't cry in front of him or tear up. Now his cousin was on the verge of tears and breathing heavily.

There were no words to describe what he felt like other than useless. Nico ignored the stinging pain from the blow and slowly approached her.

"Jinx?"

Her eyes frantically scanned his facial features. Her shoulders slumped when she realized she wasn't in any danger, but she didn't relax. Jinx crumpled to the ground and placed her head on her knees, blinking away the tears.

"We're trapped with no clear destination." She said with a clear voice.

Nico was confused. He didn't understand. "Hey, do you think you could restore time to its proper course?"

He meant it nicely, but he felt bad when he heard Jinx's voice crack.

"I can't control it." Her heart slowed.

Nico didn't know what he was doing, but his presence was enough for her.

"Why not."

She shrugged.

"It comes and goes when it wants to." Jinx lifted her head. "It usually activates by itself when I'm having a panic or anxiety attack."

Nico nodded and sat next to her, "so it's like your bubble wrap."

Jinx's brain took a pause and thought about it. Then she verbally agreed with him, "I suppose so."

"I'm guessing your fatal flaw is anxiety."

"Fatal flaw? What's that?"

Whatever it was, it sounds right. Jinx thought.

Despite the situation, Nico felt at peace. While time stood still, he felt like had nothing to worry about. It's a nice feeling, he decided.