Andy Jackson: Child of Land & Sea

Saved By A Mortal

Act IV — To Stop The Tide

Part I — And I can hardly wait to discombobulate, I'll send you back and packing in a shipping crate.

"Just relax," Sally said, but she didn't sound relaxed. "It's only an orientation tour. And remember, dear, this is Paul's school. So try not to... you know."

"Blow shit up?"

"Pretty much, yes."

Andy sighed. Paul Blofis was Sally's new boyfriend. He was an English teacher and had managed to convince Goode High School to accept Andy for the next school year. Andy had tried to warn him that it wasn't a good idea, but the man just wouldn't listen to reason.

"You haven't told him the truth about me, have you?"

Sally tapped her fingers nervously on the wheel. "I thought we should wait."

"So we don't scare him away?"

"It's just one morning, Andy. It'll be fine."

"I'll be expelled before even starting school."

"Think positive, honey. Tomorrow you're off to camp! And later today, you've got your date—"

"It's not a date!" Andy protested. "It's just... Anthony."

"He's coming all the way from camp to meet you."

"Yes."

"You're going to the movies."

"So?"

"Just the two of you."

"Stop it!"

Sally held up her hands in surrender. "I'm just reminding you, Andy, that if by any chance you have something to say to that boy, today is the perfect time."

"Consider me reminded."

Andy got out of the car and went into the school. Two cheerleaders ambushed her in the halls. "Hi," they smiled. "Welcome to Goode," the blonde one said. "You are so going to love it!"

The other girl, with a name tag written Kelli on it, said, "What's your name?"

"Uh, Andy."

The two girls exchanged a look. "Oh, Andy Jackson," the blonde one said. "We've been waiting for you."

Having a bad feeling about that, Andy was about to run when Paul Blofis showed up to greet her. The cheerleaders backed off. Andy anxiously passed them, kneeling Kelli in the thigh. Her leg made a hollow, metallic sound.

"There you are," Paul was saying. "Welcome to Goode!"

"Yeah, hey, Paul."

"Andy, you look like you've seen a ghost," Paul said. He patted her on the back. "I know you're nervous, but you've got nothing to worry about. We get a lot of kids here with ADHD and dyslexia. The teachers know how to help."

"If only ADHD and dyslexia were my biggest worries," Andy mumbled looking over her shoulder to where the cheerleaders were watching her. Then Andy looked down the hall and saw a girl with frizzy red hair also staring at her.

Andy cursed under her breath. Somebody called Paul and he went to see what the person needed. The red-headed came swinging. "I thought I'd never see you again! As a matter of fact, there were some days when I thought I'd imagined you..."