Jon didn't take school into consideration, or what his parents would say. All that mattered was that he had the stone. Well, sort of. He couldn't hold it. He was lugging it around with one of Mikey's baseball caps as a crude basket. The trip was a continual agony. Even the lightest breeze made his hand burn again. But this was more important than the pain.
Ahead, in the clearing, was Karyn. It really shouldn't have shocked him, but seeing her this way, even the second time, was enough to make him gasp audibly. Maybe it was just the daylight bringing out her warped features.
"I heard that, you know." Karyn didn't look at him. She was looking at the creek instead. Her reflection, probably, judging by the expression on her face. At least she wasn't crying. Jon hadn't seen Karyn do that since they were in first grade, and it was rather disturbing, though understandable, before. Last night she had clearly been devastated. Now she just looked zoned out. Empty. Dead. "I'm a real freak, aren't I?" Even her voice sounded dead. Matter of fact, without inflection, as if she were talking about the weather.
Jon gulped.
"Nothing to say, huh? Can't blame you. Wait...what are you doing here? I didn't expect to see you again until tonight." Her face pinched oddly, a rather unpleasant expression given her now low, swollen brow. "Did...did Mikey...?"
"Mikey's not a problem anymore. He's not using the stone again. Ever."
Karyn stared uncomprehending for a moment. Then her face came to life. She still had lips to smile, at least, and her eyes, while small and beady under that low forehead, were a brilliant green in the morning light. She leapt to her feet. Well, hooves. And it wasn't a leap so much as an awkward lunge. "You can't mean-"
"I've got it." Jon smiled.
"Then what are you waiting for, Jon-boy. Fix us!"
"I can't. I-" Karyn's face fell. "I mean, we can. But I can't...look, let me explain. Mikey made a wish that the stone would become red hot whenever I touched it. I found that out the hard way." He lifted his right arm.
"Oh God. Your hand!"
"I know. Hurts like you wouldn't believe. But I had to bring it here. I can't fix us, but you can. Besides, I'm not really sure I should keep this anymore. Here." He tossed the cap cradling the stone to her. Karyn peered down at it a moment, maybe not quite believing it was real. Gripping it clumsily in her three fingered hands, she began... "I wish..."
