~Side Stories~

Poppy~ Chapter 2

   Poppy's eyes fluttered open. Morning already? Wow. What a long night. She swam away from her shelf in the carved out cave she called home. Careful not to make noise as she looked around at the nineteen other sleeping mermaids and mermen. Mrs. Miranda would be here soon from her home to wake them up for the day- get them out and about from their sleeping spot and on their chores. She swam over to the windowsill looking out though the seaweed curtains... she did this quiet often in the morning, thinking. She looked out the window at the palace- so far away, yet it could still lite up the sun rise. She smiled. "Morning, Mommy. Morning Papa." She whispered to no one in particular. "Another day!..." She said trying to be positive... "Another... opportunity!!!..." She added as if hoping to get a response. "I still havent given up on you. I know your coming home. The head guard herself told me so-... Papa. Mommy... you are coming home?... right?... you promised you would be right back- I- I miss you..." She muttered to herself. Her heart pleading, yearning for a response. But she never heard one, except for one of the quiet 'blub blubs' of bubbles from fish nearby...
   "Y-You promised." She repeated.
   No response.
   Her eyes puffed up- and became red. She felt a lump in her throat...

   "Don't worry, sea shell. We may not be here right now-... but we will always be with you..."
A RESPONSE?!! Mommy?!? No! Mommy doesnt call me that, Papa does! But her voice was high pitched like a mermaiden's?!?
   Poppy almost screamed in excitement. "Who are you?!? Where are my parents?!? Lilliana? Is that you?! Oh! I knew you cared!!"
   "N-nono. I'm a secret? Okay? Im not Lilliana- though I'm sure she cares. But you wana know I secret about me?"
   "Hm?" Poppy asked leaning on the window sill- happy to have a friend.
   "Im still looking for my family too. In fact I grew up in this very sleeping spot." The girl must of had a smile on her face just from talking to poppy as well by how happy she sounded about a sad subject.
   "Really?..." Poppy smiled. They had something in common!!! "Hey... uh... Maiden?"
   "Yeah?"
   "Do you really think Mommy and Papa will come back to me?..." Then there was that dreadful silence Poppy hated. Had she left?
   "Sea shell? Do you ever dream...?" asked the voice.
   "Yes. I do." Poppy responded happily.
   "Good. Because dreams are powerful dreams- and with a little hard work. They just might be able to cone true. So you dream and you work, and your sure to find your family." The voice said.
   Poppy smiled.
   Her family.

~Crystal