Phosphorescence Read Online Free PDF

edge of the boat.
    â€˜NO, sit down and keep yourself quiet,’ he said sharply, but it was too late.
    Floating lazily on a wave, not more than four metres away, was a soft, mist-white shape, spreading and undulating on the water. My heart hammered in my throat. I slipped my hand into Jack’s and stepped closer to him.
    â€˜It’s fabric.’ His voice was gruff, but I could hear relief in it. ‘Just fabric. You know how storms throw things up.’ Whatever Jack had feared had now passed. He was back in control. Reassured by the timbre of his voice, I leaned over the edge, craning to see.
    â€˜It’s lacy, it looks like a tablecloth or something, it’s all lacy. Pass me a pole, Jack, let’s hook it in, it might be a treasure.’
    â€˜I think not.’ Jack’s hand was under my arm now, steering me back from the mass in the water.
    He was still pale, and he folded his mouth firmly shut as he opened the throttle and we left the inexplicable lace floating on the sea. No one would speculate with me as to what it might be, everyone was playing down its interest and importance back home, and I soon forgot about it. But later that week, Dad’s friend Billy Lawson came round with some shrimps and told Dad he’d found a wedding dress.
    â€˜It was hooked up in my pots. Gave me one helluva shock, I’ll tell you. People say it was from up the coast. Some honeymoon yacht in trouble, everyone drowned.’
    Dad and Billy were on the doorstep talking, and I was in my room with the window open. But I leaned out to listen, and shouted down in excitement and dread, ‘That’s what me and Jack saw, we saw the wedding dress. Is the bride dead?’
    Dad and Billy looked up, startled to see me. Dad rammed his cap on his head, a sign he was ready to leave. ‘No, she’s not. People love to make up stories. I doubt it is actually a wedding dress, it’s probably some old rubbish that has been dumped. I shall ring the Port Authorities to find out what ships have been in the area making a mess.’ And with an expression of finality Dad marched off with Billy in tow.
    Jack though was definitely still shocked. I saw it when I went to tell him what Billy had said, and hesuddenly looked frail. ‘Don’t go listening to gossip,’ he said mildly. ‘You come and help me with these nets and take your mind off that sort of nonsense.’
    Thinking back now, I realize that was the first time I saw any sign of Jack being old. I don’t notice it any more, but then I haven’t seen Jack and Grandma much because I have been working. Suddenly my life does not revolve around my family; I am part of the Christies’ world this holidays.
    Caroline Christie gives me lots of work so I am saving up quite a bit of money. I thought being around Josh all the time was going to turn our friendship into a swoony romance like a photo love story, but actually he has become more like I reckon a brother would be. Nell is here quite a lot too, and the three of us go out on our bikes, with Sadie on Josh’s crossbar. Today we go up to Salt and have hot chocolate in the birdwatchers’ cafe.
    â€˜Sadie, you mustn’t tell Mum,’ Josh warns her, adding some marshmallows to her fistful of sugar lumps in a blatant attempt to buy her silence.
    â€˜Tell Mum what?’ Sadie flings the marshmallows into her cup and stirs it vigorously, spilling a lot of the steaming contents. ‘I haven’t got anything to tell her, have I?’ She blinks innocently at her brother.
    Nell is gazing at her adoringly, but I whisper, ‘Don’t be misled. She’s very crafty. Watch her blackmail him now.’
    â€˜No,’ Josh agrees, ‘but Mum will go into a total psych if she finds out we brought you along the roadon my bike, so you can’t say you came here for hot chocolate, OK?’
    â€˜I could forget, you mean?’ Sadie is thoroughly enjoying the