Haunted Organic (2014 Watty Award Winner)

Ten: Belly (Part 1)

CHAPTER TEN - Belly

"You're awfully quiet."

Emerald hadn't said one word to her dad in the jeep.

She was still trying to come to grips with the idea that her friend had tried to kill her. And mostly that somehow, despite her best intentions, she broke her promise to Trinket and left her in the Organic Food Store. She had no recollection of how she got out. But she knew, she would never have left on purpose without Trinket.

She imagined her trapped there. Terrified, alone. Emerald looked out through the open window and watched the sea crashing into the cliffs, felt the salty breeze sting her cheeks.

"Okay, if you won't talk...I will," said her dad, cheerfully.

"Moo and Derby and I spent the day out on the reef in the boat." he said, not looking at her.

Moo and Derby were Howard's pals, and fellow marine biologists. They all went to graduate school together and often worked together on projects. Right now, they were focused on why small and medium-sized fish were disappearing off the coast of Sydney.

"All the shrimp are gone. The mussels, clams, lobster, squid, the bottom feeders," he said, turning the car off the cliff road and pulling into the street where Emerald's school was. She could've walked, but she figured her dad wanted to check in.

Emerald kept looking out the window.

"The coastal life is being decimated. We haven't seen a shark, a tuna, a mackerel, a sting ray in weeks."

"It sucks," she said, dismally, still looking out the window, "...probably global warming, climate change..."

"Sure, okay.....Or a giant, rogue sea monster, maybe?"

Emerald turned and looked at her dad.

"What?"

"I've been studying the board in your room..."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Wait. You looked at my private research?" she was turned to him now, her anger flaring like a bottle rocket.

"You know we don't breach each other's research."

The jeep pulled up to the school. There were news vans and police cars parked everywhere.

Emerald threw open the door and jumped out. Slamming it hard.

"How could you look at my private stuff, dad?"

"Emerald," Howard said, in a calm voice, leaning across the seat.

"I wasn't snooping on you. I mean it's not like I read some diary entry about how you liked some boy," he said with a smile.

Howard almost never got angry. He was calm in his heart.

"Ew, dad...shut up!" Emerald said, her arms crossed over her chest. Then, she laughed. She couldn't help herself. Howard laughed, too.

"Yeah, I'm not ready for you to like boys...or girls...or whoever you decide to date, you know, whenever you're ready...." Howard said, fumbling for the right words.

"...which hopefully will be after I'm dead."

"Ew dad, shut up. My brain is melting," she said, grabbing her head like it was falling apart.

" I can't talk about this with you."

"I know...' Howard said, pushing the hair back on his head

"I wish your mother was here...She knew how to talk to you about everything."

They were silent. They pretended to watch something outside and far away.