Chapter 1: Peculiar
Cold water caresses my face as I plunge into the deep. Already I hear the shrieks and whistles of the beautiful beluga whales lurking nearby. The sea helps me calm down, it helps me to escape the horrors of my life. In my town-Rosenstadt ( translating to town of the rose)- if you stick out you are said to be a witch. Nobody knows about my secret talents, however you can see one of my unique things. My skin is blue. A beautiful light shade of blue. Even my own mother shunned me- she was ashamed of me. Disgusted by me. So for 11 years I’ve got help from my belugas . The poor souls trapped in what’s known as ‘ Whale Jails’. The belugas whales held captive in there are my whales. For many years I’ve tried to free them, but it never works. Most days I just sit ( well float!) and talk to them- you see this makes me even more peculiar, I can talk to whales...We talk about anything really, there life, my life and everything in between. So as I continue to sink deep, deep down I think about how I’m supposed to tell them the news. My aunt- whom I’ve lived with all these years- has told me we are moving away. “ мы едем в Англию, чтобы жить лучше, найти лекарство для твоей кожи” those were the exact words she told me in Russian. It translate to: “ Teal, we are moving to England to get a better life, find a cure for your skin.” How could she do this too me! She knows the bond I have with the whales. I simply can’t abandon them, what good will come of that? They’ll be shipped off to some aquarium where they’ll spend the rest of their days performing for spoilt children and half- witted adults who don’t know where these whales have come from. They won’t know what these whales have been through. Not at all. It infuriates me. The metal bars come into view. I can hear happy whistles coming from my very own baby beluga: красота ( translating to beauty). I helped her mother give birth to her, it was a truly memorable day. “ Hello my little one!” I say as I stroke her cute little face through the grates. She nuzzles into my hand which sends a warm feeling rippling through my heart. “ Teal, what brings you here at this time of night?” Asks Храбрый (Brave), the leader of the group and the father to Kpacota. “ I’m afraid I have some very tragic news” I let the words slip out of my mouth regretfully, I wish I didn’t have to tell them. “ Go on child.” Храбрый asks expectantly.
“ My Aunt, she says we are going to move to England, which is a place far far away from here.” Tears stream out of my eyes like a runny nose on a winters day. But they float into nothingness like footprints washed away at the beach. All the belugas are silent. Until one whom I named ‘Pizza’ ( the first English word I learnt) spoke up. “ But that means you will leave us... you can’t do that! We need you Teal. It’s only a matter of days before we’ll all be shipped off to the stinkin’ Sea Worlds.” He spoke softly with anger rumbling in his voice. Then an idea popped into my head. A really good idea. What if I never went home? I could escape with the whales! But the only question is how can I let them out? The metal grates are practically invincible. But didn’t I see a gate on Pizza’s side of the jail? But the guards aint up for any sweet talk! I could STEAL the keys... I swim through the water kicking my way out of the deep. When I break through the glassy surface, I see the men talking at the side, on the jetty. Th keys glisten in the pale sunlight, sparkling with little droplets of snow on one of the man’s belt. I slowly tread water then reach up for the icy jetty. I push myself up until my waist is out of the water. My body welcomes the freezing cold with a shivering sensation. But I don’t feel it. You see one of my hidden talents is the ability to withstand below freezing temperatures. Tentatively, I reach out my hand and touch the keys. Their glacial touch burns my hand, but I don’t take my fingers away. I have to do this. The keys fall to the floor and I snatch them up like they are going to run away. I plop straight back into the water, a rush of adrenaline courses through my body as I think of what I had just done. All the belugas bombard me with the same question, “Did you get the keys?” A jubilant grin spreads across my face like jam being put on crispy toast. “ Yes!” I say with a smile. Now it’s just a case of unlocking the gate and freeing my animals. But is this really the right choice?
