A Siren's Tail

Today is my sixteenth birthday, and my father says I can go with him on the trip to the New World. It is a three month trip and my first time on a boat to go further than to the other side of England. I am beyond excited and my mother keeps clicking her tongue at me as she rocks herself in the rocking chair my grandfather had built. My mother is pregnant and will be due to have her baby a few weeks before father and I return from the trip, but I am not worried. My mother is a strong woman who has had three other children, including me.

My name is Chloe Smart and I live in Amesbury with my family of seven. I currently have two younger brothers. My fathers parents live with us, which makes us currently a family of seven, until the baby is born. Birthdays are a big deal in my village, because many children, especially girls, die before they turn fourteen.

I am on of the more lucky girls in my village, because I do not have to be married yet in order to help my family survive like many of the girls in my village. I am also the only girl who gets to ride in a ship before her family is ready to move to The New World. My father brings other families that are ready to and then comes back with information for left behind loved ones and more food for the way back home. This way we are still connected with old friends and family and get to learn of new things.

“What time are we leaving, Pa?” I ask my father when he comes into the house. I tie up the few pieces of clothing and look up at him. He chuckles and smiles.

” ‘Morrow once the sun over the ocean line. All the people we are taking are less ready than you are for the ride, Chloe. You can calm down, you know. It’s just a trip and we’ll be right back. It’s not a big deal. A crew member will come get you in the morn’ and then we’ll be set to The New World once everyone is aboard.” He then kisses my mother and rubs her little stomach bump.

“I am so excited, Pa. This is the first time I get to go somewhere farther away and I get to see The New World too,” I feel my eyes go big and I grin in excitement. Pa smiles and nods.

I wake up at a time far too early, but Pa is already gone to get the ship ready to sail. I look over at my brothers and they’re both snoring in front of the stone fireplace on the wolf rugs. I smile as I look over at Ma who is sleeping on her back with her hand on her stomach.Today is going to be a good day.

I quickly comb out my hair before getting dressed as fast as humanly possible. I slip on my shoes and then grab my bag before stepping outside and sitting on the porch. I look over the meadow behind our home and watch as the birds fly in and out of the meadow. It is still slightly dark outside and the air smells fresh.

“You should enjoy the clean air of home while you can, Chloe. Once we’re at sea you’ll smell only the sea and body odor for six months. It sucks,” I hear a deeper male voice say next to me. I smile as I look at a familiar older friend.

“Hello Tucker,” I say as I look at the dark brown haired and green eyed boy with freckles I have known since I could walk. He smiles at me before sitting next to me.

“I am serious about the whole fresh air thing, Bug. Are you sure you want to go over sea for your birthday? Why not just ask for a decent hunting dog or something?” Tucker asks before pulling an apple out of his satchel and taking a big bite.

“I don’t want a dog. I want to travel the ocean and see what it is like to be out there and not just here. I have forever been stuck in this village, and I want out. I am being given not just and out but I get to see The New World. Also, I get to travel with my best friend. It is going to be amazing. An amazing time.” I grin and lean my head on his shoulder. He smiles and nods.

“That is great and all, but now I am going to be stuck with your stink for six months,” Tucker says with a fake grossed out face on.

“You’re such a mean person to me sometimes,” I tell him with a fake pout. Tucker chuckles before he kisses the top of my head.

“It’s part of being three years older than you,” he says with a gleam in his eyes.

“Ah yes, the three years older thing again. It’s not my fault my mother was nineteen when she had me and your mother was sixteen when she had you,” I tease him. He grins.

“And I wasn’t even her first. You’ve met Nicolas,” he comments. I nod. Nicolas is a year and three months older than Tucker, but he is different from the rest of their siblings. He has bright red hair and light brown eyes, while everyone else has darker hair and light colored eyes.

“He is a peculiar one,” I comment in honesty. Tucker nods and chuckles again.

“I still think mother had an affair. I mean, she was a dumb teenager that got married at fourteen to save my grandparents and her younger siblings from not having a hut to live in,” he nods. I nod with him and smile.

“It’s okay if she did, I would have too. I mean she was forced into a marriage with an older man, she had to find fun somewhere.” Tucker nods in agreement before standing up and grabbing my hand.

“It’s time to get on the ship.” I grin in excitement and stand up quickly. It’s time to travel to The New World.