chapter 86
In Which Stimple Is Not Actually All That Scary
Jackson had never really been in a fight before. I mean, he had fought with his sister, but you don’t hit girls, ever, so these fights were always short-lived. His little brother had jumped on him a few times in the past, but his little brother was five. What did you expect? But Jackson had done some play-fighting with his dad, punching each other in the arm, swinging in harnesses while they kicked at each other, you know, stuff dads and sons do, so Stimple’s punch didn’t hurt very much. It actually shocked Jackson more.
Another punch to the thigh.
“Ow! What are you doing?” Jackson jumped out of the way.
“I am so sick of you … big people!” Stimple kicked Jackson in the shin.
Jackson pushed Stimple backward. “Knock it off! You’re being ridiculous!”
Stimple swung a fist at Jackson’s chest, but Jackson jumped back. “Stop calling me ridiculous!” Stimple growled.
Jackson stuck out a foot and tripped Stimple, sending him flying to the ground with a heavy thud. “I’m calling you ridiculous because you are ridiculous!”
Stimple jumped up and threw himself at Jackson. They both landed on the ground, and the air was knocked out of Jackson’s chest. Stimple may have been short, but he was one heavy troll. Stimple grabbed Jackson’s arms and tried to pin him down. “Take that back!”
Jackson struggled underneath him. He had to get him off! “Okay, okay, I take it back. You aren’t ridiculous.”
Stimple loosened his hold a bit, and at that moment, Jackson kicked and did a backward somersault, throwing Stimple off. Then Jackson jumped up.
“You’re not ridiculous. You’re a big baby!” he cried.
Stimple rolled over and stood up. “That’s it. You’ve asked for it!”
Jackson took a step back, his legs apart, his hands up, ready for the next attack.
Stimple’s eyes opened wide, and his bushy eyebrows went right up into his head. He took a hold of his nose hair and began parting it to either side of his mouth. His lips slowly moved outward and he began to grin, yellow teeth and all. “Grr! Grrr!” he grrrd out of his teeth.
Jackson cocked an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”
“I’m scary! Look! A troll that smiles! Isn’t it the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen? Aren’t you terrified for your life? Look at you! You’re trembling in fear!” He took a step toward Jackson.
“Are you serious? You think you’re scary-looking?” Jackson slowly lowered his arms.
“Grr! Grrr! I’m a big ugly troll! Grrr! Nightmares for weeks!” He took another step toward Jackson, parting his nose hair even further.
“Ah, Stimple?”
“You’re not scary-looking.”
Stimple shook his head. “Yes, I am! Grr! I’m the most hideous thing you’ve ever seen! Don’t you just want to leave now? Run away forever? Never see me again?”
“Um, no?”
Stimple faltered. “What do ya mean?”
“You’re not that scary. I mean, some of the stuff stuck in your nose hair is a little unappetizing, but no, you’re not scary. Or ugly.”
Stimple’s smile turned to a frown. “Well, I don’t understand then.”
“What?”
“That’s what my mother said when she left.”
“She said you were scary?”
Stimple let go of his nose hair and sat down on a rock. He put his big head in his big hands and stared at the ground.
“When she left. I asked her why. She said it was because I was so ugly and so scary-lookin’. Then she left.”
Jackson walked toward Stimple. “That is an awful thing to say. I’m so sorry.”
“What’er you sorry for? You didn’t say it!”
“No, but you can say you’re sorry by sympathizing with people you know. It makes them know they’re cared for.” Jackson put his hand on Stimple’s head. He really, really didn’t want to accidentally touch his nose hair that was now hanging off his shoulders.
Stimple snorted. “And why would you care for someone the likes of me?” He rubbed his nose with his fist.
Jackson tapped Stimple’s head gently. He looked up so he didn’t have to see the nose hair. “Everyone has a story, Stimple. And some people just need someone to listen to theirs.” Stimple didn’t say anything. He just sighed.
“Why don’t you believe in prayer?” Jackson asked, using a casual voice so it didn’t sound like he was prying or trying to antagonize Stimple. (Antagonize is when your little brother is sleeping beside you in the car and you lean over and poke him so he wakes up crying. You really shouldn’t do that, because you’re just teasing him in a bad way.)
Stimple sighed again. “Why should I? Never did me any good.”
Jackson looked at Stimple. “You mean, you prayed once?”
Stimple said nothing. Jackson looked back at the prayer tree. All the colors were so mesmerizing … Jackson felt a warmth fill his body. And then something caught his eye.