The Sea Turtle

Chapter 1

It was almost summer, only 1 week left that's all Charly had to survive to be done with the 6th grade, she hated school and couldn't wait to be done. She was the outcast and the weird girl. Who's mother died, who's father was no existent, who became the crazy one that would freak out at random moments and scare the whole classroom. The panic attacks. Only one person could stop them and calm her down, her brother Ben. As the bell rang all the kids ran out the doors with their friends and flocked to the beach or pool. She lived in a small beach town in North Carolina. Charly though slowly walked alone to the Ocean Wildlife Rescue facility that her mother use to own. Now her brother, Ben ran the facility with her "Uncle Jack". He really wasn't her Uncle, he helped her mother run the facility back when she was alive.
There can't be a kid without a father. But Charly's father doesn't exist in her life. He divorced her mother before she was born and ran away to New York. Just as her father did her other brother Brian did the same thing, run away. No one ever knows where he is, but random times will pop back up in the small North Carolina town for only a day or two, with a gift for Charly and then leave again. Ben hated Brian, so a fight would always break out between the two of them, prompting Brian to leave.

Soon Charly arrived at the Ocean Rescue Wildlife Center.

"Ben!" she yelled there was no answer. So she went over to one of the large in ground tanks and leaned over. There was a new shark in it, a hammerhead from the looks of it. She watched it thrash and swim around, then noticed how part of its jaw was missing. It was gross.

"Charly!" she heard her name yelled and turn around to see another worker and Ben's best friend Luke walking over, "Back up" he said.

"I'm not gonna fall in, I'm just looking"

"Even though he is missing part of a jaw, he can still...bite you" he said as he grabbed her and scared her. She laughed.

"What happened to him?"

"Tourist boat found him, but we aren't real sure"

"Where's Ben?"

"His office"

Charly got up and started to head there. Luke was distracted by the swimming shark and didn't notice she left

"Charly wait" said Luke, but she was already around the bend.

When Charly got to the office she heard yelling and arguing. Through the window she saw Ben, Uncle Jack and some other random guying. Ben was yelling at the random guy, while Uncle Jack looked to be trying to calm him down. Then Uncle Jack motioned to the outside, to Charly. Ben turned around, calmed himself and smile. He said something to the pair and then walked around. He scooped Charly up and kissed her forehead.

"Hey how was school?" he asked.

"It was good I guess" she said

"Did you see the new shark when you came in?" he asked trying to change the subject and to get her happy.

"Yes" she said, "Its really cool!"

Ben took off her backpack and put outside his office door. The name tag on the door still said "Jessica Henderson" they walked over to the shark tank and both bent down next to it.

"Is it going to be okay?" Charly asked.

"I don't know if it will be released, probably send it to an aquarium. But it should be fine. It's still eating" replied Ben who kept a hand on Charly's arm to make sure she didn't fall in. 

Charly was silent for a moment. "Who was that guy you were yelling at?"

"Oh don't worry about that"

"Is everything okay?"

Ben sighed "yes. Don't worry about it sweat pea"  it was too late though.

Charly started to breathe heavily. A panic attack was starting. Ben turned to her and held on to both her arms. "Charly look at me" he said. She didn't "Charly look at me" he pulled her chin up. "Slow deep breathes" he said to her. And she did it. Luke was standing nearby and looked on. Uncle Jack had just come out of the office with the man and moved the man out quickly. Charly soon calmed down.  "There you go sweat pea. Everything is fine, okay?" She nodded as he stroked her hair and put a piece behind her ear. He then scooped her up into his arms. He walked over to Luke. "You guys good here the rest of the day?"

"Ya we will be fine. You can head home" said Luke. Luke patted Charly's back, "Can't wait for a fun summer with your running around here" Charly's smiled a little and then Ben grabbed her backpack and they left. First they ran into Uncle Jack.

"Hey squirt" he said taking her from Ben.

"Hi Uncle Ben" she said sitting his his arms.

"We going to have a fun summer together. Now that your older you can help out more around here!"

"Really?!?"

"We will talk about it" said Ben.

Uncle Jack smirked at Ben. Ben rolled his eyes. Then Uncle Jack winked at Charly  .

"Alright. Let's go Charly" said Ben.

Uncle Jack put Charly down and Ben took her hand. They started to leave and Uncle Jack patted Ben on the back "get some rest" and then they left.