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 and me tonight。〃
〃She's。。。she's pissed。 I guess that's what it is；〃 Owen shrugged。 〃She's pissed and she wants us to talk to her。 I told her。〃
〃You。。。you told her？〃
〃After yesterday； in the truck； Christ； Jimmy； I can't not tell her。 I've known her all my life。 She's one of my closest friends。 I told her about us。
About how we're going to go away together。 How you love me now。 How everything's all right。〃
〃You。。。you。。。〃 he stammered。 The bottle in his hand dropped to the rocky ledge； shattering。 〃You told her。〃
It was ing out now。 The madness that they all had within them。
Owen wanted to smile； but knew that if he did； he would give himself away。
6
The rain thinned。 Minutes had passed while Jimmy had taken in what had just been said。 Owen could practically see the thoughts in the eyebrows as they squiggled around； flashing anger and confusion； and the way he chewed his lip； and his eyes wouldn't stop blinking。 Owen reached over and touched his scalp。 〃Sometimes I think I see a halo around your head。 I do。 I think you're some kind of angel；〃 Owen said； and then scruffed his hair。
〃You fucking told her？〃 Jimmy growled。 〃You goddamn fucking son of a bitch told her what we'd been。。。what we'd。。。〃
〃Do you think she didn't see？〃 Owen set his bottle down on the jetty； and put his hands on Jimmy's shoulders； pulling him into him。 〃Do you think she's stupid？ We're her friends； for Christ sakes。 She can see。 She told me she watched us that first night。 She saw us。 There was enough light to see our shadows； puppy。 She told me it upset her； but she understood。 She wasn't sure if it wasn't just one of those drunk boy things。。。or something else。 I told her it was。〃 Then； he added hesitantly； 〃Something else。〃
〃You fucking goddamn son of a bitch gardener's son living in your goddamn peasant fucking world you don't even know what you've done！〃
Jimmy shouted。 His face had contorted until it was more mask than face； a mask of pain and fury。 It was no longer human。 〃You fucking think that；〃 spit