Page 64 of We Are Just Us

“Don’t get used to it.”

They watched together, the water settling into glassy stillness, the sky deepening.

The sun touched the horizon.

Kieran held his breath.

“OW!” He yelped, jerking his leg out of the water. “Ow ow ow, FUCK—”

“What?” Rory spun toward him, board rocking. “What happened?”

“Something stung me!” Kieran’s voice pitched higher than he wanted to admit. “Oh my god, it STINGS!”

“Where?”

“My foot! My foot, Rory, it’s JESUS—”

Rory grabbed Kieran’s board to steady it, eyes scanning the water. “Okay, okay. Jellyfish probably. Can you paddle?”

“I don’t know! It hurts!”

“Then I’m towing you. Hold on.”

Rory grabbed the nose of Kieran’s board and started paddling hard toward shore, Kieran clutching the rails and whimpering.

“This is how I die,” Kieran said. “Killed by an aquatic blob.”

“You’re not dying.”

“It BURNS, Rory.”

“I know, just hold on, we’re almost there.”

They hit the shallows and Rory jumped off his board, dragging both of them onto the sand. Kieran hobbled after him, hopping on one foot, the other held up like it might explode.

“Okay, let me see.” Rory crouched down.

Kieran thrust his foot toward him. There, angry and red, were the telltale welts.

“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Kieran asked. “Am I going to lose the foot?”

“You’re not losing the foot.”

“Are you sure? Because it feels like it’s MELTING OFF.”

Rory tilted his head, clearly unconvinced. “You’re going to be fine.”

“You need to pee on it,” Kieran said suddenly.

Rory’s head snapped up. “What?”

“Pee on it. I saw it on Friends. It cancels out the sting.”

“Kieran.”

“Rory, I am BEGGING you.”

“That’s a myth.” Rory stood. “I’m not peeing on your foot.”