Recluse Island

Chapter 33

December 2013

"Herman, Hallelujah, stay where I can see you. And no going in the water!"

Etta Jamestown called from where she sat on the beach beneath a yellow and white striped umbrella wearing an orange ruffle skirt and a navy-blue tank top as she opened her sketchbook.

It was another mildly warm day in late December on Pigscula Keys. The sky was a blank canvas of endless blue, the sun bright and warm as its rays fell over the treetops and white sand along Lincoln Ford beach which currently remained vacant.

Vacant, is exactly how Herman Schoomoker likes it. The fewer people the easier to conduct his research which involved studying and documenting the habits and characteristics of the green sea turtle. Science was Herman's passion (something he inherited from his mother who taught biology at Garfield High) and while he'd prefer to work alone, his mother insisted he needed a babysitter (though at ten he felt he was old enough to go out on his own), that's where Etta came in.

As for nine-year-old Hallelujah Omaha, well she just didn't like to be alone. Hallelujah was an only child and despite repeatedly asking her parents for a brother or sister she had never gotten one thus she turned to Herman for friendship instead. Herman's not sure why she decided this, they didn't like any of the same things. He liked science, being outside and reading. Hallelujah liked gossiping, eating chocolate, and telling outrageous stories (that usually landed her in trouble). But Herman supposed it was nice to have someone along to share his experiments with (even if Hallelujah never understood why he did them or what the point was).

"It's Alice! I told you my name is Alice." Hallelujah called to her, but Etta just shook her head in exasperation and began to draw.

Hallelujah harrumphed and plopped down in the sand beside where Herman was using his binoculars to scan the shoreline.

"Why won't anyone call me Alice?" asked Hallelujah dejectedly, crossing her legs pretzel style.

She wore a purple and white polka dot one-piece bathing suit and baby blue cotton shorts. Her hair was golden like the sun hung down to her elbows but now it was pulled back into a messy ponytail using five hair ties to keep it together all of which were different colors.

"Because that's not your name," said Herman logically.

"Yeah, it's better!" Hallelujah declared.

"It's not so bad," Herman assured her, lowering the binoculars.

"Well, I know Herman's not the greatest name but it's still better than Hallelujah. You know how I got it don't you?"

Herman replaced his binoculars in his brown satchel and removed a black and white composition notebook and Number 2 pencil. "Yes, because your mother was in labor for seventy-two hours and when she finally had you, she cried Hallelujah!"

Hallelujah nodded energetically. "Isn't that the worst story you ever heard?"

Herman shrugged and settled beside Hallelujah. He had on khaki shorts and a beige linen shirt with a straw hat. He tended to burn easily so the hat was essential.

"Well, I do," Hallelujah answered for him as Herman began his daily log of observations.

Day 16

No sign of any sea turtles. Will keep a sharp lookout.

Also, it looks like rain.