Infusion
Chapter 1
I look at my mum, her eyes shaking in their sockets. I know right away she's gonna cry. I stare at her, shaking my head.
"Mum, I'll be fine" I say.
Anyway, I'm Cassandra. I'm sixteen years old, and I'm moving to where my grandmother used to live in New Zealand. I look at my mum. She sniffs, and instantly hugs me. I roll my eyes to the ceiling.
"Why so dramatic..." I mutter. Come on! It's true. I'm sixteen. I have a life... My mum lets go. She says she'll miss me.
"I'll miss you, too mum" I smile. I kiss her on the cheek, and pick up my suitcase. I wave as I open the door, and as I walk away, I hold on to the locket with a photo of me, mum and dad in. I close my eyes and remember those years growing up with them. I walk out onto the step, and down the series of stairs which lead to the sreeet. I walk into the late morning weather and sounds of Italy. I walk down the street, strolling through a busy city. Not far away, is the harbour. I make my way to the dock. The sounds of the sea, pulling me in. I look for my uncle. I see his boat bobbing about near the pier. I look around, and I see his head pop up.
"Uncle!" I call. I walk to the end of the pier, and he smiles at me. That welcoming, happy, warm smile he always gives me when I see him. My uncle offered to take me to New Zealand. He's been to many places in his boat. He said New Zealand wouldn't be a problem. That makes me wonder...
"Good day!" I chime with a smile. He looks at me, grinning.
"Good day" he laughs softly. I climb on to the boat, and pull my suitcase with me. I look in the cabin of the boat, filled with things my uncle had collected on his journeys, sailing. I smile as I see the familiar picture of me and my cousin, Alex on a boat trip. I was only eleven then. Oh, those childhood memories come flowing back like a flash.
"We all set to go?" my uncle asks me with a grin. I nod in excitement. He turns the key, and the engine roars in a quick chug. I smile. That sound means so many things... So many places...
The boat begins to move, and soon speeds up as we travel across the blue, wide sea. I look around and see many things. Rocks, dolphins, fishing boats, fellow sailors. I saw sea life. Amazing things. I smile. Remembering those times when we travelled by boat.
It took us a week and a half to get to New Zealand. We stopped for fuel every now and again, but it was worth the journey.
When I arrived, I remembered the holidays with grandma. They were great! But, I'm here to save her house. She did ask me to live in it when she passed away. Me and my uncle take a small walk to the empty house. When we arrive there, I swallowed, took a deep breath, and unlocked the door to my grandma's house. I walk in. The smell of wood and pine. That fresh, spring feel to the house. I smile remembering the summers I used to spend here. My uncle lingers behind me. He stands in the doorway, looking around the porch. I glance back at him. I smile, saying: "Thanks."
"No problem" he chimes. "Will you be okay on your own?" he asks, sounding worried. I smile.
"You know you can stay if you want" I said. He looks at me, half a smile on his lips.
"Eh go on then" he says, smiling. Me and my uncle were like best friends. Not uncle and niece. Friends.
Chapter 2
I toss and turn in my bed as the outside world rumbles and bangs with a storm. I lie there, looking up to the ceiling. I turn my head to the digital clock on my bedside table. 01:32am. My uncle is in the room across from me. How is he sleeping through this? Well, I guess he's used to it since he's spent most of his life at sea.
I hear lightning crackling. I jump, startled. I decide to get out of bed, and sit down stairs with a hot cup of cocoa next to the fire. I relax, trying to keep the storm out of my mind. That doesn't work.
The rain and wind bang against the glass windows, like something trying to get in. I put the cocoa on the table and get up to look outside. As I open the curtain, I see cliffs. I look from the first one I see to the last in my sight. Wait. What was that? I look back to see two shapes. They look like people. I rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I wasn't seeing things. There were clearly two shapes or things on the cliff. They look like people. Their arms are held up to the sky.
"Weird" I mutter to myself.
The the sky bangs with another flash of lightning. I jump. I close my eyes, and take a step back. Then I open them. I close the curtain and make my way back up to bed. I open my door, and I can hear my uncle snoring away in sleep. I sigh and think he's lucky. I get in bed and put my head under the covers, trying to block out the storm. I slowly drift off to sleep.
The next morning, I get ready to go out. To find a school. I take a bus down town to look around. I looked for the school that my mum said had been built here four years ago. I soon come across it. I look at the doors, and walk in. It's a Wednesday I look around. It seems like a normal, Australian high school. I go to the main desk, and the woman looks at me with tired eyes. "Yes?" she asks politely.
"Uh... I'd like to enrol here" I say to her, a little uneasy. "Oh" she nods. She looks through a file and pulls out a sheet of paper.
"Please fill this in and give it to me when you're done;" she explains as she hands me a pen.
I take a seat, and fill out the form. Name. Age. Date of birth. Ethnicity. And so on. After a few minutes, I finish. I hand her the form with a smile.
"Thank you" she smiles. "We'll contact you when we have a place for you" she explains. I nod, and take my leave.
As I walk out, I see a boy and a girl. The boy had dark, brown hair. And his eyes... Like clear, blue water. The girl had light, silvery-white hair. She smiles at me as I pass. Her eyes the same as his.
"Wow" I say to myself. They seemed... different.
Chapter 3
I walk through the large, mahogany wooden doors to the school. I walk through the corridors, and to see offices and classrooms on each side. I look at my timetable. I have art first. I walk into the art room, seventh on the left. I look around. It smells nice. The teacher in the room raises his head as he sees me.
"Ah, Cassandra?" she asks, a little unsure. I nod. She then points to a boy and a girl at the back of the room.
"Sit there, please;" she orders.
"Okay..." I say, recognizing the two. I had bumped into them when I enrolled here. I walk over to the seat, and take it. The girl smiles at me warmly. I smile back.
"I'm Soria, and this is my friend Kai. You new here?" she whispers in a friendly tone.
I nod. "Yeah, I'm new" I whisper back.
"Welcome to Riversea High" she says warmly.
"Thank you" I reply.
Then I turn to look at the art teacher. She starts talking about scenery. The moon, sunsets, skies. I smile. Remembering those times me and my uncle use to watch the sunset. After the teacher explained, I got down to work. By the time we had to leave, I had drawn and coloured a picture of the sea at sunset. I smile at the work.
"Great piece" Kai says to me.
"Thank you" I smile.
I put the piece in the file we are supposed to have, and get going. Kai and Soria catch up to me.
"Hey" Soria smiles.
"Hi" I chime. "So, what's it like here?" I ask. Curious as to know what the school's like.
"It's one great school" Kai says to me, smiling.
"Great" I reply, happy with his answer.
The day goes quickly, and I get home. My Uncle is sat on a sofa with cardboard boxes all around him. I stare. Grandma's stuff. My eyes are caught by the big, blue stone in a box. It's many shades of blue as the lines and wrinkles curl into each other. I remember Grandma telling me about this stone.
"This was a treasure of hers, wasn't it?" I asked.
He nods.
"She was highly interested in the sea. It was like she was part of the sea herself. Like a mermaid. Land and sea" he says, like he always tells me.
That night, I read grandma's book. The book she made when she was young. I stare at a picture of some silhouette. I look closer. A head with hair, arms, and- Woah! Where the legs should be... there's a tail. A fish tail. I blink.
"Mermaids..." I say to myself. "How's that possible?" I question. Next to the picture is writing. Her writing. I read it. It says:
'Alkina. She asked me to take a picture of her.
So if she ever left, I had a part of my best friend with me.'
My mouth drops. My grandma was friends with a real, live mermaid? I shake my head. I turn the page, and there's a picture of a man and my grandma. He looks like Kai. His eyes are a deep, sea blue. Just like Kai's. He looks different from him, but similar features. I read the writing underneath the picture:
'Evrin. He was Alkina's brother. I fell in love with him. We were a couple for a while, but he had to leave.'
I turn the page. There's nothing. All the rest is blank.
I put the book down and turn off my lamp. I fall asleep. I can't get the book and the mermaid out of my mind.
Chapter 1
I look at my mum, her eyes shaking in their sockets. I know right away she's gonna cry. I stare at her, shaking my head.
"Mum, I'll be fine" I say.
Anyway, I'm Cassandra. I'm sixteen years old, and I'm moving to where my grandmother used to live in New Zealand. I look at my mum. She sniffs, and instantly hugs me. I roll my eyes to the ceiling.
"Why so dramatic..." I mutter. Come on! It's true. I'm sixteen. I have a life... My mum lets go. She says she'll miss me.
"I'll miss you, too mum" I smile. I kiss her on the cheek, and pick up my suitcase. I wave as I open the door, and as I walk away, I hold on to the locket with a photo of me, mum and dad in. I close my eyes and remember those years growing up with them. I walk out onto the step, and down the series of stairs which lead to the sreeet. I walk into the late morning weather and sounds of Italy. I walk down the street, strolling through a busy city. Not far away, is the harbour. I make my way to the dock. The sounds of the sea, pulling me in. I look for my uncle. I see his boat bobbing about near the pier. I look around, and I see his head pop up.
"Uncle!" I call. I walk to the end of the pier, and he smiles at me. That welcoming, happy, warm smile he always gives me when I see him. My uncle offered to take me to New Zealand. He's been to many places in his boat. He said New Zealand wouldn't be a problem. That makes me wonder...
"Good day!" I chime with a smile. He looks at me, grinning.
"Good day" he laughs softly. I climb on to the boat, and pull my suitcase with me. I look in the cabin of the boat, filled with things my uncle had collected on his journeys, sailing. I smile as I see the familiar picture of me and my cousin, Alex on a boat trip. I was only eleven then. Oh, those childhood memories come flowing back like a flash.
"We all set to go?" my uncle asks me with a grin. I nod in excitement. He turns the key, and the engine roars in a quick chug. I smile. That sound means so many things... So many places...
The boat begins to move, and soon speeds up as we travel across the blue, wide sea. I look around and see many things. Rocks, dolphins, fishing boats, fellow sailors. I saw sea life. Amazing things. I smile. Remembering those times when we travelled by boat.
It took us a week and a half to get to New Zealand. We stopped for fuel every now and again, but it was worth the journey.
When I arrived, I remembered the holidays with grandma. They were great! But, I'm here to save her house. She did ask me to live in it when she passed away. Me and my uncle take a small walk to the empty house. When we arrive there, I swallowed, took a deep breath, and unlocked the door to my grandma's house. I walk in. The smell of wood and pine. That fresh, spring feel to the house. I smile remembering the summers I used to spend here. My uncle lingers behind me. He stands in the doorway, looking around the porch. I glance back at him. I smile, saying: "Thanks."
"No problem" he chimes. "Will you be okay on your own?" he asks, sounding worried. I smile.
"You know you can stay if you want" I said. He looks at me, half a smile on his lips.
"Eh go on then" he says, smiling. Me and my uncle were like best friends. Not uncle and niece. Friends.
Chapter 2
I toss and turn in my bed as the outside world rumbles and bangs with a storm. I lie there, looking up to the ceiling. I turn my head to the digital clock on my bedside table. 01:32am. My uncle is in the room across from me. How is he sleeping through this? Well, I guess he's used to it since he's spent most of his life at sea.
I hear lightning crackling. I jump, startled. I decide to get out of bed, and sit down stairs with a hot cup of cocoa next to the fire. I relax, trying to keep the storm out of my mind. That doesn't work.
The rain and wind bang against the glass windows, like something trying to get in. I put the cocoa on the table and get up to look outside. As I open the curtain, I see cliffs. I look from the first one I see to the last in my sight. Wait. What was that? I look back to see two shapes. They look like people. I rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I wasn't seeing things. There were clearly two shapes or things on the cliff. They look like people. Their arms are held up to the sky.
"Weird" I mutter to myself.
The the sky bangs with another flash of lightning. I jump. I close my eyes, and take a step back. Then I open them. I close the curtain and make my way back up to bed. I open my door, and I can hear my uncle snoring away in sleep. I sigh and think he's lucky. I get in bed and put my head under the covers, trying to block out the storm. I slowly drift off to sleep.
The next morning, I get ready to go out. To find a school. I take a bus down town to look around. I looked for the school that my mum said had been built here four years ago. I soon come across it. I look at the doors, and walk in. It's a Wednesday I look around. It seems like a normal, Australian high school. I go to the main desk, and the woman looks at me with tired eyes. "Yes?" she asks politely.
"Uh... I'd like to enrol here" I say to her, a little uneasy. "Oh" she nods. She looks through a file and pulls out a sheet of paper.
"Please fill this in and give it to me when you're done;" she explains as she hands me a pen.
I take a seat, and fill out the form. Name. Age. Date of birth. Ethnicity. And so on. After a few minutes, I finish. I hand her the form with a smile.
"Thank you" she smiles. "We'll contact you when we have a place for you" she explains. I nod, and take my leave.
As I walk out, I see a boy and a girl. The boy had dark, brown hair. And his eyes... Like clear, blue water. The girl had light, silvery-white hair. She smiles at me as I pass. Her eyes the same as his.
"Wow" I say to myself. They seemed... different.
Chapter 3
I walk through the large, mahogany wooden doors to the school. I walk through the corridors, and to see offices and classrooms on each side. I look at my timetable. I have art first. I walk into the art room, seventh on the left. I look around. It smells nice. The teacher in the room raises his head as he sees me.
"Ah, Cassandra?" she asks, a little unsure. I nod. She then points to a boy and a girl at the back of the room.
"Sit there, please;" she orders.
"Okay..." I say, recognizing the two. I had bumped into them when I enrolled here. I walk over to the seat, and take it. The girl smiles at me warmly. I smile back.
"I'm Soria, and this is my friend Kai. You new here?" she whispers in a friendly tone.
I nod. "Yeah, I'm new" I whisper back.
"Welcome to Riversea High" she says warmly.
"Thank you" I reply.
Then I turn to look at the art teacher. She starts talking about scenery. The moon, sunsets, skies. I smile. Remembering those times me and my uncle use to watch the sunset. After the teacher explained, I got down to work. By the time we had to leave, I had drawn and coloured a picture of the sea at sunset. I smile at the work.
"Great piece" Kai says to me.
"Thank you" I smile.
I put the piece in the file we are supposed to have, and get going. Kai and Soria catch up to me.
"Hey" Soria smiles.
"Hi" I chime. "So, what's it like here?" I ask. Curious as to know what the school's like.
"It's one great school" Kai says to me, smiling.
"Great" I reply, happy with his answer.
The day goes quickly, and I get home. My Uncle is sat on a sofa with cardboard boxes all around him. I stare. Grandma's stuff. My eyes are caught by the big, blue stone in a box. It's many shades of blue as the lines and wrinkles curl into each other. I remember Grandma telling me about this stone.
"This was a treasure of hers, wasn't it?" I asked.
He nods.
"She was highly interested in the sea. It was like she was part of the sea herself. Like a mermaid. Land and sea" he says, like he always tells me.
That night, I read grandma's book. The book she made when she was young. I stare at a picture of some silhouette. I look closer. A head with hair, arms, and- Woah! Where the legs should be... there's a tail. A fish tail. I blink.
"Mermaids..." I say to myself. "How's that possible?" I question. Next to the picture is writing. Her writing. I read it. It says:
'Alkina. She asked me to take a picture of her.
So if she ever left, I had a part of my best friend with me.'
My mouth drops. My grandma was friends with a real, live mermaid? I shake my head. I turn the page, and there's a picture of a man and my grandma. He looks like Kai. His eyes are a deep, sea blue. Just like Kai's. He looks different from him, but similar features. I read the writing underneath the picture:
'Evrin. He was Alkina's brother. I fell in love with him. We were a couple for a while, but he had to leave.'
I turn the page. There's nothing. All the rest is blank.
I put the book down and turn off my lamp. I fall asleep. I can't get the book and the mermaid out of my mind.
