exhaled ruggedly and then turned away quickly.
“You’re all crazy,” he muttered as he flung himself into the cabin and continued steering the boat.
The tension quickly eased and morphed into awkwardness. Every one quickly turned and grabbed a seat along the side of the craft. Jackson made sure he sat down next to Samson.
“Who is this guy?” he asked, gesturing towards Henry.
“Don’t mind him,” Samson grunted. “He seems rough around the edges but he is my friend.”
“No kidding about the edges,” Jackson snorted.
“He is almost a good man. Don’t judge him too quickly.”
Samson stood and entered the cabin and began talking to Henry in a low, inaudible tone. Jackson leaned back, accepting the breeze that moved over the water, alleviating the hot, sticky air of the river, and let his eyes wander around the boat. He fixed his eyes on Solange, the girl sitting at Dr. Kali’s side. The sun shone on her dark skin, giving off a soft glow. She was almost invisible, saying nothing and obediently following the professor’s orders, but Jackson now realized something: she was beautiful. Her round, bright face and almond eyes were inspiring, her thin scar on the right side of her face mystifying.
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