My Brother Zach

What Jacob Saw

Minnie Mouse float boat pic above ^

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- wansari-dragon

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Jacob

Betty angled her iPad so that Aunty Mabel, who was on FaceTime, could see them both. Jacob struggled in his sister's lap, but when she shifted so he could sit comfortably, he leaned back, satisfied, and played with one of her long dark ringlets.

Betty and Aunty Mabel were chatting about something. They were using too many long words, so Jacob tuned out and just stared at the iPad. Aunty Mabel was wearing a colourful bandanna around her head. Her eyebrows were very faint and her eyelashes unusually short.

Jacob thought this was strange, because his whole family had long eyelashes. Girls in school were jealous of them. Once, May came up to him and said,"why do you have long eyelashes? You're a boy. Boys can't have long eyelashes."
Jacob did not like May. She was bossy and talked too much.

"So, how's the radio going?" Betty asked. Aunt Mabel sighed.
"Well, it's ok, but I've been feeling very sleepy lately, because of the tablets," she replied. "The treatment's nearly finished though."
"Spa treatment?" Jacob piped up. Betty blushed.
Aunt Mabel laughed. "Oh honey, I wish! But no, cancer treatment."
"Oh," Jacob said. He didn't know what cancer was.

A few leaves brushed Jacob's nose. He scrunched up his face and opened one eye.
Then the other.
It was getting dark. The sun had almost dipped out of view, and all the little birds were flying back to rest in the tree. Across from him, the girl who looked like Betty was lying on her stomach on the branch, her arms and legs dangling down dangerously. Jacob scooted over and began to play with her hair. It was long and dark and shiny, like Betty's. Jacob always played with Betty's.
He sat quietly for a while, before he heard a gasp and a splash. He looked down. No. The Minnie Mouse boat was still there.
Jacob wished it had been a Mickey Mouse boat. Or a Thomas the Tank Engine one. Minnie Mouse was for girls. May liked Minnie Mouse. Jacob did not like what May liked.
He heard another splash, then a groan. Jacob frowned, then slowly stood up, clinging onto the muffins of the 'Muffin Tree', as Liberty called it.
A few metres away was a large, sharp looking rock. Muddy water swirled around it. Suddenly something black popped out next to it for a few seconds, then went under again.
Jacob squinted at it when it came up again. He made out a head, covered in messy raven black hair. The head groaned again, and a bloody hand shot out of the water. Jacob squirmed and dropped down closer to Liberty with an uneasy feeling in his stomach.
Liberty stirred from her sleep when he tapped her. She yawned and lazily opened her green eyes.
"Mm?"
"I feel sick." Liberty sat up quickly.
"Are you gonna vomit?"
"Maybe," Jacob winced.
"What happened?"
Jacob took her hand and stood up using the muffins again. She shakily stood up too, towering over him.
"Look." Jacob pointed with his free hand that wasn't clutching hers. He glanced up at Liberty to see her reaction.
Liberty gasped at the head. "Oh my gosh, it's a person! We have to help!" She quickly dropped into the Minnie Mouse boat and began fumbling with the rope. When it didn't untie, she cried in exasperation and leapt over the side into the water.
"Liberty!" Jacob called. Was she going to leave him?
"I'm coming! Stay there!" she shouted as she began swimming towards the head. She was gasping and breathing heavily. Jacob didn't know why, but he did know she had a lot of cuts on her legs. Maybe they were stinging.
Jacob watched as Liberty finally reached the head. She reached out a hand towards it when suddenly, she was tugged downwards!

"No! Liberty!"