There's one rule shared between the island's tribes: don't touch the water. When Cressa-la breaks this law, her world, and body, changes. Sure, change is normal... but when has growing scales ever been normal?
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Watty Award Winner 2015: Best Us...
The spectacular above artwork is by MulanJiang . It's of Lily-flor.
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Rai-si is silent for several seconds as the words sink into my brain. Without thinking, I take a step forward.
"Isn't that a really big wave?"
The boy glances at me, as does Rai-si, and nods. "Formed from earthquakes or movements of the ocean floor."
I blink. "But there hasn't been—"
"Get to your house," Rai-si demands harshly. "Tell no one what you've heard. We'll discuss this matter later."
"But—"
"Go," he growls, the glint in his eye convincing me to back away. The boy from the Revli Tribe watches my every movement. Something flashes in his eyes, something dark and dangerous, followed by a strong glint of curiosity. It sends a chill down my spine.
I shake the shiver away, reassuring myself I'm just paranoid due to recent events. The boy, the wolves, the deaths, the fish, the water, and now a tsunami. There's just so much, and I'm definitely seeing things.
I make my way to the structure I call home, glancing over my shoulder every few steps and breaking my concentration on the water at the end of the island. How would they know if there was going to be a tsunami, anyway? There wasn't an earthquake, no movement of the ground at all. How could they possibly know?
I reach for the knob on my door and grasp it, risking one last glance at the tribe that had traveled all the way down to us just to offer us shelter and to warn us. They're so different from Wurn or even Initi, looks included. We don't paint ourselves like they do.
I've always wondered why they were so different, although the Tribe Leaders say they do that for survival. The only thing that doesn't make sense is that they're the smallest tribe of the three. Wouldn't they be worried more about losing people than painting their faces with bright colors that could help animals and predators find them quicker? It must make it impossible to hunt in dangerous parts of the island.
I watch as Rai-si turns away from the boy and begins to stride toward the middle of the village. his eyes lock onto mine and he picks up his pace. I hold tightly to the door handle now, unable to turn it as my heart crescendos in my chest. Why is he looking at me like that? he resembles a wild animal, just like the wolves that attacked us.
He reaches me and grabs my arm, squeezing hard. My fingers tighten around the knob and begin to ache as I hold on to it for dear life. I've never seen him like this.
He growls through his teeth, "Did you touch that water, Cressa-la?"
"What—why, Rai-si?" I stammer, my knees slowly turning to liquid. "What's happening?"
He shakes me a bit and I whimper in fear. Everything's going hazy and my nerves crackle like ice.
