Eye Of The Fortuneteller

8

“Drew!” Kelsey screamed. “Drew! Help me!”

But Drew was riding his wave to the shore. He couldn’t hear her.

Kelsey dug her nails into her back. Trying to scratch the jellyfish off. Her fingers sunk into its gooey body. And with a sickening thwop, it closed around her hand.

“Help me!” she screamed. “Somebody, help me!” She twisted and turned until she wrenched her hand free.

Get back to shore, she thought. That’s what I have to do!

A wave began to swell. I’ll ride it in, Kelsey decided. It will be the fastest way back.

As soon as it reached her, Kelsey pushed off and tried to catch it. But her timing was off, and she missed. She tried for the next one. But the wave seemed to wash right over her.

She missed wave after wave. And it seemed like the harder she tried, the faster the waves passed her by.

Her skin started to burn under the creature’s slimy hold.

“Swim in!” she told herself. “Just get to shore and get help!”

Kelsey paddled as hard as she could. But she seemed to be moving in slow motion. She noticed that the water around her was churning. Growing thick and cloudy.

She swam harder. Her hands thrashed the water. But she felt as if she were swimming in Jell-O.

Why is it so hard to move? she wondered. Why am I stuck in the same spot?

The jellyfish on her back gripped her skin. A sharp pain shot through her body.

Kelsey kicked her legs. Harder and harder.

Her arms ached. And the muscles in her shins were beginning to cramp. With every move, she gasped for breath. But she had to get to shore. She had to get that jellyfish off her back.

I must be close to the beach now, Kelsey thought.

She looked up.

She was farther away than when she started!

“How can that be?” she screamed.

She needed to rest before she tried to make her way back again. She closed her eyes. Then she flipped over on her back and floated for a few seconds – until she felt something on her shoulders.

She turned her head from side to side.

Two blobs rested on her shoulders.

Two hideous bluish blobs.

Jellyfish!

Giant blue blobs of jellyfish!

The shiny blue blob that sucked on her right shoulder was chunky and clear. But the one on her left shoulder had little red lines running through it.

Poisonous! She was certain.

She flipped over quickly, but before she could peel the horrible creatures off, her legs began to sting. Then her arms. Then her stomach and the back of her neck. Even the soles of her feet.

“They’re all over me!” she shrieked.

Some were small – like clear jellybeans. Others had tentacles that shimmered in the water. They curled around her limbs. Closing around them. Tighter and tighter.

A tiny one was stuck to Kelsey’s eyelash. Every time she blinked, she looked through its slimy, cloudy body.

Kelsey’s heart raced. She felt dizzy. Everything around her started to spin.

Don’t panic! she told herself. Swim!

Kelsey’s arms sliced through the water as she struggled toward the shore.

But swimming grew harder and harder.

The water felt thick and gooey.

She was swimming in a sea of jellyfish!

Kelsey’s eyes darted around her. There were jellyfish everywhere. There seemed to be more jellyfish than water. Waves of jellyfish rolled toward her. Crashing against her skin with a sickening splat.

She flailed through the sea of slime. “I’m not going to make it,” she groaned. “I’m not going to make it back.”

The jellyfish sea thickened around her. She could barely lift her arms to swim anymore.

And then a huge wave lifted her up and carried her toward the shore. As soon as her foot hit the ocean’s sandy bottom, she stood up and charged out of the water.

“Help me!” she screamed. “Somebody, help me get these things off!”

But the people on the beach didn’t move.

Why wasn’t anyone helping her? What was wrong with them?

“Kelsey!” Drew shouted. She spun around to face him. “What is wrong with you?”

“Jellyfish! Jellyfish!” was all Kelsey could say, shaking her stinging arms and legs.

“What jellyfish?” Drew asked, staring out into the ocean.

“The ones all over me!” Kelsey cried. “Look!”

“Kelsey,” Drew replied, “there are no jellyfish on you.”