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I know how cold you are on the inside。 I know how you believe different things。〃 He felt her closing in on him as she moved toward him。 〃What exactly is this thing？ Is this a toy？ Is this something else？ Is this something you talk to？ Is this。。。is this。。。some kind of devil god？ Do you worship graven images now？〃 She said it in a half…joking manner； and that was the worst of it。 She wasn't taking Dagon seriously。 He could feel it in her tone。
Owen felt as if his tongue had been cut out。 He felt a heat rash along his neck。 He looked from the statue to his mother and back again。 Then； he grinned。 〃Don't be ridiculous。 You have such a small mind。 You're so quick to judge me when you yourself are the one with the cold heart。 You set a trap for dad and now you punish him for that same trap。 You can't even love your only child。 And your imagination … your paranoid imagination … finding some carved art in a koi pond； something that you claim you watched me bleed over； did you ever for a moment think that perhaps I hated myself so much that I wanted to slit my wrists？ But something made me stop。 Something kept me from hurting myself。 But it wasn't the thought of you； was it？ It wasn't the love of my mother that saved me； was it？ It was the thought that maybe one day I'd have a moment just like this。 A moment when dad is out of the house。
A moment when you're at your worst。 And then； do you know what I am going to do with you？〃
〃What are you talking about？ Owen？ Owen？〃
〃Give me that；〃 he said； snatching it from her hand。 〃It's mine。 Not yours。〃
She stood before him； trembling。
Owen cradled Dagon in his arms。 He closed his eyes； and whispered a brief prayer。
When he opened them； he said； 〃Here is something I hope you think about until the moment you die。 I am going to be your dutiful son as long as your years continue。 But the moment that I get an inkling that you are old and feeble； I will e to your bedside one night； and I will press my hands over your nose and mouth until you smother to death。 And in those last moments； you will look on me and know that everything you were ever afraid of was true。〃
His mother pressed her hands to her lips； but was unable to speak。
It was the power of Dagon； of course。 It was there； in the room。
The god was there with him。
Dagon whispered within his blood； 〃You will die like the bitch that you are。〃
Or had Owen himself said it aloud； in a whisper； to his mother？
2
This is how it will happen； the voice came to him。 You will tell her things。 You will tell him things。 He harbors a madness。 He is breakable。 Then； she will kill him。 You will save her。 She will kill him and you will have her。
He slept that night with Dagon next to him in bed； and dreamed of the great realm beneath the sea； and he no longer felt his age； but felt as if he were again a child； and Jenna was with him； the Queen of the Deepest Fathom。
3
〃Hello sweetie；〃 Mrs。 M said。 She had just finished the Sunday crossword puzzle； and looked up from the paper。 〃You all ready for four more days of this。。。this tempest？〃 The kitchen was like a brilliant day pared to the murky rain outdoors。
Owen had e in through the back； his towel in his arms。 〃Up for a swim； Cathy？〃
Mrs。 M shook her head。 〃Feeling a bit downtrodden from the rain。 Ask Frank； he'd probably love a race with you。〃
〃Mr。 M's around？〃
〃He's enjoying the summer here after all。〃
〃That's great。 I would've thought with the rain。。。〃
Mrs。 M didn't seem to notice his ment。 She crossed her legs； one over the other； and Owen thought for a moment that it was the most luxurious movement he had ever in his life seen。 〃You here for Jenna？〃
〃I doubt she wants to see me。〃
〃Owen；〃 Mrs。 M said； setting the paper down on the kitchen table。 She arched an eyebrow。 〃Something's changed about you。 What is it？ Turn around。〃
Dutifully； he turned about and then back to face her again。
〃You're different now。 What's that all about？〃 She said it with a sweet amazement。 〃Are you in love？〃
〃No；〃 he said； too quickly。
〃Jenna's in her room。 She sleeps later and later。 Go call her if you want。
She should get up。 It's nearly ten。 No one should sleep this late。 Not at her age。 Not in summer。〃 Then； Mrs。 M leaned forward； her breasts dropping slightly out of her robe。 〃Between you； me； and the wall； Owen； I think she's really depressed over something。 But I'm the last person she'll confide in。 I imagine it's about a boy；〃 she whispered。 〃That McTeague character。〃
Then； she said； lightly； 〃I always thought there was something not right about him。〃
4
〃Oh。 It's you；〃 Jenna said。 She was sitting up in her bed； the covers around her white cotton nightgown。
〃Hi；〃 he said from the doorway。 The room smelled of sandalwood and vanilla。
〃It's the rain。 It does this to me；〃 she said； wiping her hair back from her face。 〃I hate storms。〃 She added； idly； almost as if he wasn't listening； 〃It's like my summer got stolen。〃
He remembered the love that he had nearly forgotten。 He remembered why he loved Jenna so much。 She was there for him； always。 She had always been there for him。
〃Okay if I e in？ You know； like I used to？〃
〃Sure；〃 she said； drawing her knees up。 Then； 〃What is it between you two？〃
He went into the bedroom； and sat down on the chair near her desk。
〃Who two？〃
〃Don't be coy；〃 she said unpleasantly。 〃Jimmy。 Is it just sex？〃
〃Oh。 That。〃
〃Yes。 That。〃
〃I don't want to talk about it。〃
〃I think you do。〃
〃No； I really don't。〃 And then； something within him opened up。 It was like feeling a heat … a fire … in his chest； near his heart。 It was Dagon。
Dagon would inspire him。 He felt that strength； suddenly； just when he thought he would falter。 Without even trying； tears poured from his eyes。
〃Owen？ Owen？〃 she asked； but he was nearly blind from the tears。 She lifted the blanket； and patted a space next to her。 〃e here。 What's wrong？
Owen？〃
He bawled like a baby； and without knowing who … or what … had moved him； he found himself in her bed； her arms around him。
〃Aw； Owen； what's wrong？ What's wrong my precious； precious； precious baby boy？〃 She held him close； and Dagon was there。 He felt it。 He was not alone。
Dagon was there。
The voice that came from his throat didn't feel like his。 It was some small boy's。 Some crybaby who shivered and spilled emotion across the girl he loved。
〃He。。。I didn't。。。I didn't want。。。I can't talk about。。。I didn't。。。he just kept。。。he just kept。。。he kept。。。he。。。I tried to。。。fight。。。fight。。。fight。。。push。。。hit。。。but。。。he just kept。。。 he just kept。。。he just kept。〃
〃Oh my god；〃 Jenna said； her voice chilled and haunted。 〃No。 He didn't。 No。 Did he？ Owen？ Did he rape you？ Did he？〃
〃He just kept。。。oh god； Jenna； I can't face this。。。I wanted to。。。I wanted to。。。I wanted to。。。kill。。。myself。。。I wanted to。。。〃
And so it began； and she said all the things that she was meant to say； and Owen told less than he needed to tell； because she made the connections herself； and he sat with her for hours in her arms； and then； they made love。
5
He went to the boat that night。
It was over now。 It was all over。 Dagon was still within him； and he had won。
He wanted to take it to Jimmy。 He wanted Jimmy to suffer from it。 If he could； he would've videotaped the afternoon； he would've tape…recorded Jenna's voice saying over and over again that she loved him； that it was all her fault； that Jimmy should never have e to the island； that he was bad； he was evil； and they should call the police； they should do something。 She even told him that if that bastard ever set foot on her property again； she would take that gun and shoot him right between the eyes。
The storm continued to rage； but in muted anger； across the gray mood of sky。 The Sound and the distant islands that could be seen were like watercolor images； fuzzy and melting in the rain。 Owen wore a bright yellow raincoat that belonged to his father。 He was a fire in the darkness。
〃Mooncalf； you look like a fisherman；〃 Jimmy said。 He wore cut…off jeans and a striped rugby shirt that was already soaked through； and his hair was like seaweed； hanging in his eyes。 In his hand； a green bottle of beer。 〃Like； you know； a real New England Clam Chowder Fisherman！〃 He had to shout over a roll of thunder and a crack in the sky； then the world lit up for a moment； it returned to gray。
Owen laughed； shaking his head。 〃You're drunk； boy。〃
〃Want a beer？〃 Jimmy asked。
〃Sure；〃 Owen said。 〃How many you drink already？〃
〃Four。 Maybe five。 Who's counting？〃
〃Let's get out of the rain！〃
〃I like the jetty；〃 Jimmy said； tossing him a small bottle and then leaping to the dock。 He grabbed Owen's free hand。 〃No one's looking。 We can hold hands； all right？〃
〃I don't know。〃 Owen tugged away。 He twisted the top off the Rolling Rock bottle； and took a swig。 〃God； I'm sick of rain！〃
〃Me； too！〃 Jimmy tried to kiss him； but Owen stepped back to avoid it。
The rain lightened slightly； it was a warm rain； it washed across their bodies。 〃She's sort of expecting us；〃 Owen said。
〃Who？〃
〃Jenna。〃
〃Jenna？〃 Jimmy laughed； and then looked sidelong up the hill to the Montgomery place。 〃What for？ I thought it was you a