Oceana: The Hidden Kingdom

A Normal Week Becomes My Worst Nightmare.

Ugh, tomorrow school starts. Aquata thought to herself as she and her family went to the store to buy the supplies. Her new backpack would be sapphire blue, as well as most of her other supplies. There was a buy-one-get-one sale on notebooks, so she got a water patterned book for a diary. With everything happening these last few days, it would be best to keep track of them so nothing unexpected happens at school. "Aqua, do you like my backpack?" Her little sister asked. She smiled. "I love it, Callista."   Her little sister clapped happily. She was a big fan of the Little Mermaid, so you can already guess what her backpack looked like. Little Callista and her fairytales. I don't remember a time when I believed in fairytales, they're made up. But I won't tell her that, I'd hate to see her dreams crushed. If anyone at school crushes her dreams, I'm going to crush theirs. Nobody picks on my sister and her adorable fairytales, even if they are imaginary. Aquata thought again. "Mommy, I'm tired." Callista said after yawning and rubbing her eyes. "Don't worry, honey. We're almost home." She said as they rounded the corner to their house. "Aquata, can you make Callista something quick for dinner before she falls asleep?" "Sure. What would you like, Callie?" "Grilled cheese!" Aquata grinned and ruffled her sister's hair. As she put the stove on with the butter already in the pan, she decided to put the school supplies and her homework in her backpack. She put the sandwich in the pan and covered it with a lid. A couple pf minutes later, it was ready and they were happily munching on their grilled cheese dinner. Their mother joined them, making sure they had everything ready for tomorrow. "Callista, put on your pj's so Aquata can read you a story." Mom said, giving me a pleading look. I sighed. "Fine, I'll read her a story. Where's Dad and Jonah?" "Oh, just on a little field trip to the mechanic. Your brother really loves tinkering with those old car engines they found at the garage sale." She chuckled. "Aquata! I'm ready for the story now!" Her sister called from upstairs. "Goodnight Callista!" Mom called. "Night night, mommy!" Callie replied. Aquata walked up the stairs, trying to come up with a bedtime story to tell her sister. "Aqua, story time! Yay!" Aquata sat on the edge of her little bed. "Um, once upon a time, there was a girl who lived by the sea. Her little sister wished with all her might that her older sister would be a mermaid. But little did she know, the older girl hated being a fish. She lived underwater in her castle, always bored with nothing to do, always thinking of her sister. One day, she went out with her pet fish. She found a shipwreck and found some lost things. Before she knew what she was doing, she made her own collection of things from the human realm, things that made her want to go back to living with humans and a human family. But of course, her real father, the merman king, wouldn't let her. She ran away to the coral reef. Seeing a ship approach the waters over her head, she decided to take a peak. When her father found out what she was doing, he took his big fork, er, trident, and zapped the ship to pieces. Ariel saved them all, including a prince. She wanted so badly to go back on land, that she set out by herself without anyone knowing, to find the evil sea witch, Ursula. Ursula made a trade with her. Her voice for human feet. Ariel agreed. What do you think happens next, Calli--" beside her, Callista was fast asleep. Aquata chuckled softly. The Little Mermaid always helped Callista sleep, even though she'd heard this story many times but never tired of it. She tucked her in the covers and went back downstairs. "So, how did it go? I'm guessing you told her the story of the Little Mermaid again, am I right?" Her mother asked, making them sandwiches for tomorrow. "That story always gets her to sleep, so I figured I'd tell it again." She said. The door clicked open, and her father and older brother walked in. Jonah's  clothes were dirty of grease from working with his car, but he had a wicked grin on his face. "How does your car work now, Jonah?" Mom asked. "It runs perfectly now." He beamed. "Yeah, thanks to the new engine I found at a garage sale." Their father ruffled his dark, feathery hair. Jonah always had hair that looked like a bird's ruffled feathers. "So now you'll be able to take me to school?" "Sure, sis. Tomorrow's your first day in high school, think of it as a gift, or something." He grinned again. "Sure." Aquata rolled her eyes but ended up grinning. "It's ten already?" They whined when their parents announced for them to get to bed. The older they got, the siblings still didn't really like much sleep, but to Aquata, it seemed perfect. Tomorrow would be stressing enough. "Ok, goodnight!" Aquata called, already up the stairs. "Night!" Once she closed her door, her parents and brother started talking in hushed tones. "What will she do tomorrow? Whatever is calling her to the sea must be waiting for the perfect time to call to her again when she's alone at school." Jonah said. "There's nothing we can do, son. She has to make the choice to fight or leave and live as a--" Mom held up her hand to stop their talking. "What's wrong?" Dad mouthed. "Listen." She whispered. Singing. "Is that--" "Aquata!" Jonah knocked down his chair as he ran outside. Aquata was about to put her hand into the water, who seemed to be singing to her. "Aquata, snap out of it!" Jonah grabbed her shoulder. "What?" She had a faraway look in her eyes. "Oh no, it's happened again, hasn't it?" She shook her head, scared. "Aquata--" Mom asked once she saw her. "This has gone too far. We're going to lock her in until tomorrow." "What?!" She cried. "You can't do that!" Jonah shouted. "If you want her safe tonight, she'll be better locked in, away from this noise." He waved his hand accusingly at the water. Anyone listening in to their conversation must have thought they were lunatics. "Fine, but she'll be let out during the day, right?" Jonah asked. "Of course." Aquata sobbed into her mom's shoulder. "It's okay, sweetie. You'll be fine." She tried comforting her. "We will continue this conversation tomorrow." Their father's eyes seemed to say when he looked at Mom and Jonah. His eyes softened. "Go to sleep, dear. I'll be right behind you." He told Aquata. "I'm going to go to my room." Jonah said and stomped off. Their Mom sighed. "Lilia, get some rest." He said, kissing the top of her head. "Goodnight, Charles." She said. "Goodnight, love. And don't worry, everything's going to end up fine." She nodded and went to bed. Dad sighed and raked his hand through his hair. He went to the tool shed and got some wooden boards and a hammer and nails. Let's just hope tomorrow's a better day. Aquata thought back in her room, tears spilling out of her eyes as her dad hammered the boards into place over her windows and door. "See you tomorrow, love. And I'm sorry, for all of this. It's my fault I didn't find a way to stop this sooner." He closed the door, blinking away his own tears. "It's not your fault, Dad." She whispered once the door was hammered closed with the wooden boards. Tomorrow... Aquata sighed. Tomorrow will be a better day. She shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep.