3

I looked in my mirror and saw my blue eyes red and swollen. I hated the idea of going to a ball. Jay was right I rather be reading I love reading. I probably read every book about ten times in the library and at my house. I never loved reading so much. I sighed and plopped on my bed and grabbed one of the hundreds of books that were on my bed. "Let's see where was I". I could read forever and I couldn't stop reading I just got hooked on everything, when I read and it gets me away from my life. I don't know how long it lasted but I looked up and saw my aunt standing in my doorway yelling my name. "Oceania can you come and eat please" "yeah sorry" "caught up on reading again, you get to do the dishes for me calling your name so much I need my voice for the ball next month"my aunt sings at balls, weddings, birthday parties.... we get money from that, her and I working a bunch. I read some more before I went to bed. I couldn't sleep I laid in my bed looking at my bookshelf rubbing the mark the knife gave me when the fish person attached me. We have been enemies since I can remember my dad told me the story the day before he left for war. I didn't know that was the last time I ever see him again.

We once were all friends merpeople and fish people lived in harmony. We loved each other. There were family's even but everything went wrong when the fish people's king calmed they don't get enough money and taxes were too high. The next day fights broke out people killed one other. Then war started. Families were pulled apart lovers crying out to there love of one... my mom made him stop so I wouldn't have nightmares. Even if i was just eleven, That was the same day I wanted to know more about the history of the fish people and merpeople, so I started reading.

I woke up to someone screaming. "Evie you ok?" I said going downstairs" "yes, the screaming came outside I think" I opened the door and saw a little girl get slapped to death by Mr.Marz "no" the girl was just four and her mom was crying. I swam at the girl pushing her out of the way. I felt the pain go through my arm and tail. "OCEANIA!" My aunt came swimming up "no no no" " Oceania?" "It hurts" I held my arm trying not to cry suddenly Eric, and Jay came swimming up. "Here Jay ripped a piece of cloth holding down on my cut. I suddenly started screaming "hey hey Oceania look at me," Eric said with his it's going to be ok voice. "You're going to be fine" "it hurts" "I know it does just hold on ok". Suddenly everyone drew silent and I saw the queen above me. "Are you ok sweetie" "it hurts" "I bet, don't worry you're going to ok" I nod as tears rolled down my cheeks like the ocean currents. She left and the king came up after a while. "Mr.Marz said that you pushed the little girl out of the way" "yes I did, a four-year-old shouldn't go through this pain" I glared at Mr.Marz "and your meaning?" "I'll take a hit for anyone if it means less pain for them". He just stood there for a while looking at me. Then suddenly say "you are lucky to have ones that care for you as much as you care for others" he rubbed the little girl's head and left.