The Oceans Unknown Wonders

My eyes were closed and the lights were dim as I was lying in the bathtub. As I poured buttermilk in the water it slowly started to turn the color of vanilla ice cream. Searching for complete silence and longing to escape reality I held my nose, closed my eyes, and went underwater. Coming up from the water I felt a cool breeze. My body shivered while I thought about what was wrong. I’m an honor roll student, I have plenty of friends, everyone describes my home life as perfect, and today coach Landon appointed me as captain of the swim team. What could possibly be missing? From downstairs mom gently yelled, “dinner in 15 minutes.” I stayed in the warm silky water for five more minutes. It left me with enough time to brush my hair and put on my comfy lilac pajama set. As I picked up my shirt off my bed I noticed something glittering on my dresser. It was a Scallop Shell necklace in the shade of “Utterly Blue”. It had light gold glittering giving it an effortless shine. It also had the letter A in silver in the middle of its body. The necklace was also a locket because I was able to open it and when I did there was a note inside. It read “To: Aster.” I thought it was odd that before I took my bath it wasn’t there. Once I came back there it was, it’s like it magically appeared. I tried not to be too concerned. I assumed the necklace was a “congratulation” gift from my family. My parents knew I was going to be chosen for team captain before I did. I figured my mom quietly placed the necklace in my room while I was in the bath. Also, the note inside the necklace looked just like her handwriting. Pushing the questionable thoughts out of my mind I put on the necklace before going down to dinner. I felt more confident and more like myself than I ever have. As I walked into the kitchen mom asked me to set the table. I grabbed 5 cups and set them on the counter. As I was filling up the cups with ice and water mom said “that’s a beautiful necklace.” “Thanks,” I said. I asked where she happened to find it. As she was pulling a broccoli and cheese casserole out of the oven she said the gift they bought me was on backorder and it will arrive on Sunday. She said “I'm sorry you have to wait four days. Someone beat us to give you a gift first.” While she prepares the kale salad, slicing fresh apple, orange, squeezing lemons, and adding a little salt and pepper she asks “what’s wrong?” I ask her “have you ever felt like something in your life was missing, but it couldn’t be because everything is nearly perfect.” She laughed and said, “yes I have felt like that before.” “When I first felt that way I described it as not being fulfilled with my skills. I took out my “Utterly Blue” notebook and drew out my strengths, weaknesses, and my attributes.” “Mom,” I say excitedly! “How do you know the color Utterly Blue?” I ask. She said “when I was around your age I remember a necklace” and then dad came downstairs and gave mom and me both a really tight but loving hug. I tried to continue the conversation but she kept rerouting the subject about swim, my brother Benji, and her and dad's work. When dinner was over dad and Benji went upstairs to attend a meeting for work while mom and I stayed downstairs cleaning. When I asked her to finish the story from earlier all she said was “keep the scallop shell necklace on and don’t look at the full moon tonight.” As she said this I saw her milk chocolate eyes turn to blue. I quickly agreed and said, “yes ma'am.” That night I didn’t feel safe to sleep. At two in the morning, I saw a blue light seeping through my doorway. This has never happened before. If it had I would've noticed it. I wake up too easily whether it's the sound of my own breathing or light seeping through. Just while I'm in deep thought a note slips under my door. It says “Aster meet me by the pool. And keep your necklace on.” The note wasn’t signed and it didn’t say to come alone. As I quietly step out of my bed the light seeping through my door goes away. Through the dark, I make it to Benji’s room. As I whisper “I need your help” to Benji who is ecstatic I woke him up so early he asks “are you dying?” I said, “well Benji I just might if you’re not with me.” He turns on his lamp and tumbles out of bed. As I laugh he gives me a “you better be quiet or I’m not helping you” look. I said “I need you to come with me to the pool” and I hand him the note.” “I need you to wait around the corner where you can’t be seen in case someone tries to hurt me.” He said, “so you have no idea who gave you this note?” I said, “no but I know what they want to talk about will change my life indefinitely.” When we make it downstairs we notice the outside doors are open. We look at each other worried and then continue walking. Without verbal communication, we use our form of sign language. I point to where I want him to stand. As I walk away he forms a heart shape with his hands and I do too. Before I step outside I breathe in and breathe out unprepared for what happens next. When I step into the back patio there are arrows pointing for where to go next. I see the moon's reflection in the pool and accidentally fall in. When I fall into the pool I'm in a mermaid wonderland. I see Tyler run to me and there I am talking with his girlfriends on the patio. I’m also here as a mermaid and talking to mermaids. Hey! I think to myself “there’s mom and Benji’s girlfriend.” I notice every mermaid here has the same scallop shell necklace as me except they are all different colors and have the letter of their first name. Mom and Benji’s girlfriend are swimming towards me to greet me but before they could say hi I took the necklace off. When I did this it brought me home. There I was on the back patio discussing everything I was experiencing with Benji’s girlfriend. I put the necklace back on and there I was in mermaid wonderland. I took the necklace off for the final time and ran inside. My clothes drenched, kelp in my hair, salt on my feet and Benji asked “where did you go?” Then I woke up. I noticed something glittering on my dresser. It was a Scallop Shell necklace in the shade of “Utterly Blue”. It had light gold glittering giving it an effortless shine. It also had the letter A in silver in the middle of its body. The necklace was also a locket because I was able to open it and when I did there was a note inside It read “To: Aster.” “I’ve always been drawn to the ocean, maybe it has something to teach me,” I thought. As I find my uniform for school I think about what I want my final essay to be. “That’s it!” I say. I’ll title it The Oceans Unknown Wonders.