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l cap off。
〃There now；〃 Jimmy said； approvingly。 〃You look less like a little boy than like a man。 The Mooncalf has such pretty hair for a moody guy。〃 He reached over and scruffed his hand through Owen's hair。 His fingers felt electric。 〃I know the name for this island。 I know。 It's called Bermuda。 We're in Bermuda；〃 he laughed； leaning into Jenna； kissing her just behind her ear。
No； Owen thought。 You're in the realm of Dagon。
8
A restless night came to him； and then another and another。 He lay on his single bed； sheets pulled back； and a fever such as he had never before felt washed over him。
Whosoever has loved the way I love Jenna Montgomery； he whispered to the stars through his bedroom window； has known sacrifice and torture and days and nights of endless wanting； thirst without satisfaction； hunger without morsel。 Whosoever has wept within themselves for what they could not reach； could not touch； has felt what I feel。
Whosoever has spent his life working his body； mind； and soul to its absolute limit to be the extreme candidate for the love of a beautiful and angelic girl as I have for her； as I have given myself to the shape that she would long for。。。
That man would not rest were a rival to steal the prize from him。
Dagon； he whispered soundlessly。 Dagon。 My god。 Bring her to me。
Eventually； Owen Crites slept better imagining the world under the sea where the people who were part of Dagon had dwelt； with their vast and imperious citadels； their large cold eyes and their wet shapeless forms； and he imagined the great sacrifice he would throw to them for their entertainment。
9
〃How are you going to waste your last summer？〃 Owen's mother asked as she switched off the faucet； plunging her hands back into the soapy water。
〃Now； don't blot； Owen； dry。 There's a difference。〃 She passed him the first dish； which he sprayed down and then wiped with the green…and…white hand towel。 The kitchen in the caretaker's house was as narrow as one of the closets in the big house； but the window looked out on a small sunken garden； behind which； the pine trees stuck out like crooked teeth。 〃Don't blot；〃 his mother repeated。
Owen began stacking the dry plates carefully。 〃I need a job。〃
〃You work for your father。〃
〃Not this summer；〃 he replied。 〃Hank'll do without me。〃
〃Hank？〃 his mother said； nearly laughing。 〃Hank？ Next you'll be calling me Trudy。〃 Then； her mood darkened。 〃Show some respect。〃 His mother reached down to pull the plug on the drain。 She reached back to her hairpins； pulling them out so that her gray…streaked hair fell along her shoulders。 She smoothed it back； and turned to watch him dry the rest of the plates and bowls from supper。 〃I know what you're thinking。〃
He glanced at her for the barest moment。
〃You're thinking that you'll work down where she goes at night。 The restaurant。 The dock。 You'll be there for the dances。 I've seen the boys working at those places。 They live here all year 'round。 But in the summer； sometimes they get the rich girls。 But those girls don't care about them。 The boys are just part of summer to those girls。 Just like the beach。 Just like a walk。〃
He remained silent； and kept his eyes on each bowl as he carefully wiped the towel through them。
〃I grew up in her world。 I know what she'd have to give up。 Don't ask her to do it。 Not if you care about her；〃 his mother said。 Then； she nearly snickered。
〃What's funny？〃 he asked。
〃I remember your father at your age； is all。 I remember him so well；〃 she said。 〃He's working on the pump now。 The pump and the well。 Today he worked on the azaleas and the roses。 Tomorrow； he'll probably check the pool。
If I had only known then。 Owen； you might as well go find that pirate treasure as think that a girl like that will be interested in you beyond these summerish flings。〃
Owen dropped the towel on top of the cutting board； and turned to walk away。 〃I know what you get up to；〃 his mother called to him； but he had already stepped out of the house； letting the screen door swing lazily shut。
〃You're nearly a man； Owen。 You need to grow out of all your imaginings now。〃
Her voice； behind him； was part of another layer of existence。 The smell of fresh grass mingled with the slight scent of the roses which were just blooming in spirals and curves up on the bluffs。
He walked to the edge of the hill； feeling the late sun stroke him like a warm hand。 At the rim of the koi pond； he knelt down and looked at his reflection in the green water。 Soon； the patchwork fish came to the surface。 He reached his hand into the murkiness； shivering with the chill； and found the god laying where he'd left it； behind the lava rocks。
He felt the edge of the god's face。
10
In a school notebook； Owen wrote：
Things Jenna likes。
1。 She loves swing dancing。
2。 She likes expensive perfume。 The kind older women wear。 Not like other girls。
3。 She likes sandals。
4。 She likes to let a boy open a door for her。
5。 She likes clothes from Manhattan。
6。 She likes to be plimented on how smart she is。
7。 She likes someone who listens to her。
8。 She likes holding hands。
Things Jenna hates：
1。 She hates heavy metal rock。
2。 She hates boys who look at her breasts。
3。 She hates having to wait for anything。 Ever。
4。 She hates Julia Roberts movies。 She reminds me of movie stars though。
5。 She hates when animals get hurt。
6。 She hates being treated like a piece of meat。
7。 She hates boys who want to go all the way because she told me three years ago that she's going to wait for the right one。
8。 She hates having to do things she hates。
11
He waited a week before going back up to the Montgomery place； and even then； it was after eleven； and the house was dark and silent except for the kitchen； where Mrs。 M always kept a light on。 At first； he intended to stand beneath Jenna's bedroom window and maybe toss a pebble at it to get her attention。 He noticed that the window … on the third story … was open； and he decided he'd call to her。
Then； he noticed that one of the guest room windows was open； too。
That would be Jimmy's。 The bastard。
Owen glanced along the trellis and gutters； and decided he'd try that route first。 He climbed the trellis with the agility of a monkey； although it threatened to pull away if he didn't balance his weight just right。 It wasn't much different from the rope climb in gym。 When he worried that he wouldn't make it to the third story roof； he remembered the breathing trick and began inhaling and exhaling carefully。 That was where the balance was： in the breathing。 Then； he grabbed the rain gutter； and scaled the slant of the roof。 He crawled along it； slowly； cautiously； and went to look in on Jenna while she slept。 He felt himself grow hard； imagining how he could hold her while she slept； imagining how he would smell her hair。
When he looked through the open window； he saw the other boy there； Jimmy； in bed with her； holding her； moving against her。
Owen caught his breath and held it for what felt like the longest time。
He could hold his breath under water for a few minutes； and holding it now while he watched Jimmy press himself i