Chapter 72: Superpowers

I TURNED MY ATTENTION to Ruthie. Dark eyes blinked at me. "I hope he didn't get her," she whispered between chattering teeth.

"He?" I asked, relieved to see her responding. She was going to be okay.

"Ja-jaws."

I cracked a smile. "You're all right."

She coughed, a hiccup-like explosion that I recognized as a poor attempt at laughter. "I look like Edward Scissorhands, don't I?" Her mouth turned down, trembling.

I hugged her, grateful to hear her talking, no matter how self-deprecating she sounded. She lifted a shaky hand to touch her face.

"Don't!" I blocked her hand. "You'll make it worse."

"Worse?" she croaked. "Why doesn't it hurt?"

"You're still in shock, sweetie, but at least you're talking now. I'm glad you can't feel them yet."

Before peeling off the towel to look at her injuries again, I lowered her down to the sand and grabbed our backpacks. I stuffed them under her feet.