Jinx On The Divide by Elizabeth Kay

him; they were just so weird. Despite the lid of the pitcher plant being firmly shut, he couldn't resist going over to peek inside.
    "I wouldn't," said Betony, but it was too late.
    As Felix lifted the green oval lid, a voice said, "Well, hello." It was so sudden and so unexpected that he nearly jumped out of his skin.
    "It's not a pitcher plant at all," said Betony. "Look, it's not attached to anything. It's the jinx box -- and you've gone and opened it."
    "Perhaps you'd prefer me in a different guise," said the plant, becoming a box once more.
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    "Shut the lid, Felix," said Betony.
    "Oh, I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry," said the box. "I've been eavesdropping, you see, and I know whom you're looking for. A human child called Rhino. And I know where he is."
    "Really?" said Felix. "Where?"
    "Sit down, both of you," said the box silkily, "and watch the show."
    Felix looked at Betony. Betony shook her head.
    "It can't hurt," said Felix obstinately, and he sat down. Betony pursed her lips in annoyance, but after a moment or two she sat down as well.
    One side of the box darkened, and Felix realized that he was looking at the interior of -- well, a bathroom. Shelves full of potion bottles lined one wall, and another was taken up by a big window through which he could see a mountain, like a two-pronged version of Mount Fuji. Someone was looking out the window, with his back to them.
    "It's a japegrin," said Betony. "Look, he's got bright-red hair."
    "So does Rhino," said Felix.
    "Really?" said Betony. "How odd."
    It looked as though the figure could hear them, because it turned around to face them immediately. It was definitely Rhino. The box seemed to be acting as a window.
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    "Oh," said Rhino, zipping up his trousers. "It's you. Is there no privacy anywhere? What do you want?"
    "We don't belong in this world, Rhino," said Felix. "Speak for yourself."
    "I've come to take you back."
    "No way, José. I'm an important dude here. I'm telling those japegrin-pixie-whatsits how to make gunpowder. They think I'm the bee's knees."
    Felix blanched. "You're doing what?"
    Rhino smiled. "Yeah, how about that? I'm the professor now."
    "But what you're doing is wrong, can't you see that? I've seen magic at work in our world, and it was a nightmare. Science doesn't belong in this world. If it got into the wrong hands ... Actually, I'm surprised you even know how to make gunpowder."
    "It probably won't come to anything," said Rhino innocently. "I may know the ingredients, but that doesn't mean they'll be able to get hold of them."
    "Oh, come on," said Felix. "Charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur aren't that difficult to find."
    "The charcoal's no problem, sure, but sulfur? No school laboratories to steal it from out here."
    "Is that what you used to do?"
    "Used to take all sorts of stuff and sell it. Didn't get pocket money like some people. Mind you, you wouldn't
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    know where to get sulfur, either. Just because your parents are loaded doesn't mean you know everything."
    Felix could feel a tightness in his throat. He realized he was clenching his fists. "Volcanoes, you idiot," he said, between clenched teeth. "You get sulfur from volcanoes. The mountain we arrived on was a volcano, but I wouldn't expect you to know that. Gunpowder's only ten percent sulfur, anyway."
    "Are you sure?"
    "Of course I'm sure!" shouted Felix. How dare Rhino question his scientific knowledge?
    "So what percentage is the saltpeter, then?"
    Felix told him. Then he said, "Hang on. I thought you knew ..."
    "Thanks," said Rhino.
    Thanks? Felix stared at Rhino, aghast, realizing what he'd done.
    "Like I said, I'm an important dude here," said Rhino, still smirking. "Hey, is that a tangle-girl with you?"
    "Yes."
    Rhino laughed. "You want to watch who you mix with, Felix. Tangle-folk are trash."
    Felix dug his nails into the palm of his hand. He knew Rhino was deliberately winding him up for his own amusement, and he knew there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't