The pale sand flickers with quartz and minerals under my feet. It shifts and slips as I draw nearer to the ocean. Gingerly, I dip a toe into the water, bracing myself for the chill. COLD! I jump back and glare at the water. Stupid cold. It’s the middle of July! You should not be freezing, ocean! I stick out my tongue at the bright blue water and hear laughter. I turn my head around searching for the sound. No one else should be able to get on this beach.
“Who’s there? This is a private beach, and you’re trespassing!” I shout, trying to sound more confident than I am. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of silver diving behind a group of rocks. I attempt to run towards the rocks. Stupid sand. Gritting my teeth in frustration, I grab a large conch cell and approach the outcrop.
“Hello?” A flash of light blue hair pops up from behind the rocks. “Ah!” I scream. The sand slips from underneath my feet, and I fall backwards. Quickly, I lift my shell up at the intruder who tilts their head in confusion. A laugh bursts from her lips at the sight of me. It sounds like the tinkling of silver bells, and I stare at her in awe. Granted, I look like a mess, tripping over my own two feet and covered in sand, but hey, I’m trying.
“Were you really trying to defend yourself with a conch shell?” The stranger laughs again. My eyes flicker down onto the shell before I throw it to the side. “Who are you?” I ask softly, my cheeks red with embarrassment.
“My name is Kailani Ona of the Selkies.” Kailani moves from behind the rocks, and I see that she’s wearing what appears to be a seal’s skin. Selkie? “And who are you? Daring to trespass on the sacred shores of the Selkie Queen,” Kailani asks pointedly.
“My name’s Alana. How can I trespass on land that belongs to my family?” I ask in return.
Kailani tosses her hair back and squats down before me. She tilts her head and flicks my nose. “You’re human, aren’t you?” She laughs again, and I touch my nose briefly.
I get up quickly, we’re inches away from each other. “Is that a problem?” I whisper only now noticing that her eyes are silver. Not pure silver, but they have soft flecks of amber in them. It’s mesmerizing. No, she is mesmerizing.
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“How far are you willing to go for a stranger?”
“Is that stranger you?”
“Maybe.”
Without another word, she steps back from me, and I miss her voice whispering in my ear. I hadn’t realized that somehow we had gotten closer to one another. She twirls a baby-blue strand of hair between her tanned fingers as she looks me up and down.
“There is a prophecy of a young stranger from the shores above who breaks the curse of the Selkies. I couldn’t help but wonder if that stranger was you.” Without another word, she steps toward the ocean. No, not me.
“What curse?” I step closer to her, desperately clinging to the hope that this is not some dream. “Are you in danger?” Only now do I see the scars lining her shoulders. What caused this? Or rather who?
“The whole ocean is. Something has been stolen from us. Something very special to the Selkies. If it is not returned soon-” Her head whips back to the ocean and her eyes grow wide with fear. “Listen, I don’t have much time. There is a gem hidden somewhere on this island, and I need you to find it. Otherwise, bad things will happen. Please.” She gives me one final pleading look before she turns to the ocean.
“Wait!” My words are lost in the wind as Kailani dives into the waves.
