Sea Queen

Chapter One

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Running was never my idea of fun.

The teachers at my school had forced us to run round the concrete grounds that surrounded the school. I wasn't even halfway round yet, and I was completely out of breath, bent over, and my legs felt like they were on fire.

"Hey, loser. Too much work for your fat legs?" Kirsty said, sneering at me as she went past. Her group of zombies sniggered and laughed at me as they too ran past. I ignored them, and focused on not having an asthma attack.

I'm never really sure why I have asthma. Doctor had no clue either. In normal people, you get the lung capacity becoming smaller and smaller, but for me? I have perfectly healthy lungs. I just can never seem to get enough air, like there isn't enough oxygen. It only started a month ago, but Kirsty and her zombies never fail to tease me about it.

"Jade? Are you ok?" My best friend Anna ran up behind me. I nodded.and stood up properly.

She slowed down a bit so that I could keep up with her. Anna was amazing at running, one of the best in our school, when she tried, that is.

We did, eventually, finish, much to Kirsty's surprise.

We went back inside and changed back into our school uniform. Fortunately, P.E. was the last lesson of the day, and so me and Anna set off towards my house. It was a short walk there, but most of it was up hill.

"So glad it's Friday." Anna said.

"Yeah me too. And I can't wait for the beach trip tomorrow! I love Bisbury beach. I mean, it's just a perfect combination of the sea and forest. And you know I adore both." I said, grinning. Anna nodded.

We were both exhausted. Normally, we would stay up and talk all night when having a sleepover, but we both fell asleep almost instantly.

I had the weirdest dream.

I was standing on the sand on Bisbury beach, between the sea and the forest. The sand was cold underneath my feet, and the sky was a blinding white colour. There was a slight wind, icy against my cheeks and lips. And then it seemed, the wind spoke.

"Jade. You have been chosen."

It pushed me towards the sea. I stepped towards it, and felt the cold waters on my toes. Then deeper and deeper, until it was on my shoulders. I hesitated, and took another step.

But there was no sand under my feet this time, and I fell. The water went straight through my fingers, and I couldn't swim up. I needed air. I saw the light on the water become further away, and my lungs began to burn. Frantically, I tried to swim, pushing my arms, legs and hands, but it had no effect. I fell and fell, deeper and deeper, until all I saw was black.

"You have been chosen. The sea owns you now."

And that's when I woke up. Gasping for breath, and with a very worried looking Anna at my bedside.

"Jade? Are you ok?" She asked. I nodded and sat up.

Mum took us to the beach that day. It was lovely at the beach- the sun was shining and it was very warm, but I refused to go near the water. Every time I considered it, my dream replayed in my mind, over and over again.

"Come on, Jade. Aren't you going to go in the water?" My mum asked. "Usually you're straight in there, no questions asked."

I shook my head, watching Anna wade into the waves.

I had the same dream again that night, only it carried on.

"Jade. You have been chosen."

I stepped into the water. Falling, falling, falling. Water slipping through my fingers.

I was falling, my lungs burning, like before. I fell further this time, the light moving further away. All the air from my lungs had floated away, shining like liquid silver as they flew away from me. I had given up now, I wasn't fighting anymore.

"Come to me, Jade. You are mine." The female voice whispered

I had swimming practise that morning. Water.

I couldn't. I couldn't go near it. What if it did something? What if something happened? No.

I trudged downstairs, clutching my stomach. I tried to make myself look sick, keeping my mouth turned down.

"Mum? I feel sick."

"Alright, just go back to bed sweetie. I'll call swimming, let then know you aren't coming. At least you have the weekend to recover."

I went back upstairs, and climbed into bed. I tried not to fall asleep, I really did, but my eyes were too tired, and the lids too heavy.

Exactly the same dream as before.

I woke up to see my mum beside me, bringing me a bowl of something that looked vaguely like soup.

The day passed slowly. I seemed to have an addiction to water, and I had at least fifteen glasses of the stuff while I was at home. My throat was constantly dry and felt like sandpaper.

Mum went out in the afternoon, to get some milk, since we had run out. I was in bed, reading, and trying not to fall asleep. Everything seemed scratchy against my skin, and it was very sensitive, especially my legs. Even my bed covers hurt, and they were very soft. I had taken off my pajama trousers, and was just laying on top of the covers when the bell went.

I knew it wasn't mum because mum had a key with her- she had told me before she had left.

I quickly put my pajama trousers on and my dressing gown/ bath robe too, and went to open the door.

I struggled not to stare at the girl behind it.

She had white hair, completely white, in curls that went to below her waist. She looked about my age, about sixteen. She was wearing a white dress, with lace at the top, that fell straight to above her knees. Her skin was the same colour as her hair, with no colour at all. Her eyes were a startling contrast, a bright violet.

"You are the new chosen one." She said.

"Er.... What?"

"Let me in." She said. I hesitated a few moments, and then held the door as she walked past me.

"You have been chosen by Acia, or as you know her, the sea. You are her new vessel. I'm sorry, I wanted to see the new one before..."

She gasped, and held her throat like she was choking.

"It is coming. After I am gone, go to her. Go to Acia, she will show you the way." She choked out.

Then, she just fell to the ground. I ran to her side, and held her head so it was easier for her to breath.

"Good luck." She whispered, and then fell limp. I put my finger to her neck, frantically searching for a pulse, hoping and needing her to be ok. But there was no pulse, and her skin was too cold against mine.

Suddenly, she breathed out, and a blue gas gathered above her head. It began to move towards me, like it was alive. There was no wind, or even slight draught. I was paralysed by the shock of what I'd just witnessed, and so I just watched as it came towards me. I tried not to breath it in, but I needed to breath, and eventually I gave in. It swarmed into my lungs, filling my nose and my mouth too. I couldn't breath- I was choking on it. I spluttered and coughed, but I couldn't get even a bit out. It was like my dream, where I was drowning.

I blacked out.