When Jimmy the Swamp Monster emerged from over the side of the boardwalk, people began to stare. Mothers took hold of their childrens' hands. Men put their arms around their girlfriends' shoulders. Teenagers in Bullworth indigo snickered. One brilliant young girl pointed and squealed, "Ew, gross!"
Their cries of alarm fell on deaf ears when it concerned the Harrington boy. He was busy with his arms crossed over his chest, watching Tad disrobe in preparation of leaping into that murky water himself. He controlled his features carefully, keeping his smirk of satisfaction turned inward so that Tad couldn't see it. Nobody said no to a Harrington. Not for long, anyhow. He would always, always win.
"I'll be right here," he told Tad. "Tell me if you see Hopkins' body, and I'll call the po--"
He didn't get any further than that before a sticky, cold, wet lump hit his back. The breath knocked out of him, he staggered rapidly forward with arms outstretched. Fingers clawed at Tad's arms, trying to hold himself up without thought for whether or not Tad would just fall down, too. Derby was finally stopped when his stomach hit the railing -- hard -- making him feel a wave of nausea. The jerking motion knocked his glasses off his nose. They slid through the air and landed in the water with a dead "plop."
A pair of Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses belonging to Derby Harrington were just... floating in the bay.
Rage began to build in Derby's veins like a rising storm. His skin went cold, his face pale, and his lips parted to bear his well-kept teeth. The stinking water was seeping right through his nice brushed wool yachting jacket, and he could practically feel the nice little gold rope trim matting and turning brown.
"You swine!" he snarled. The ear hinges of his glasses were sticking up out of the water like a lost sailor waving for help. Every bob only saw him growing more sour.
He raised one shiny Italian leather-clad shoe and stomped it down on Jimmy's foot. It was barely vindicating when he felt sharp heel bite into worn sneaker.