The Ocean Down down Below

Chapter 1: The Start of an Adventure

The start of an adventure

Down she looked. The midnight liquid looked to go on for miles below her feet. The wind brushed her golden hair into her face as she took a new breath of icy air. Her jade eyes stared out at the horizon. It felt amazing. This was where she belonged, on the golden sand near the jade green sea. The ocean seemed to capture her in one word. Different. Ellie wasn't like other girls. She felt like one with the ocean. She had no friends except one. This friend was also different. The boy and girl made an amazing team. As the icy water lapped against her feet a smile spread across her face. Her friend would be here soon, but for now, she just lay on the warm sand. She could lie here for hours just staring at the orange sky turn to a baby blue colour. Then her thoughts were interrupted by a darker hand in front over her pale face. Ellie then sat up to see a boy. Ellie recognised the boy straight away. It was her one and only friend, Ronan.

Ronan helped Ellie to her feet and began to frolic down the empty beach. They were having the time of their lives as Ellie's hair flew behind her while the sand that covered her before drifted off her and into the distance. They laughed and played for a long time moving down the beach at every step they took. Smiles were spread across their joyful faces until they suddenly heard a cry of pain. Then the duo ran at a quicker pace to see what was going on. Finally, they reached the end of the beach near the rocks and saw a moving animal lying on the golden land. Together they screamed in panic.

"What is it?" Was the question they keep on asking each other. They tried to guess what the creature was as they slowly moved closer to the moving animal, crouching behind every rock they saw. Ellie stepped closer the new creature they had just discovered however Ronan stayed behind.

"Is it? Is it?" she staggered rubbing her eyes in disbelief. Ronan then came closer to Ellie

"Is it what?" asked Ronan thinking his best friend had seen something crazy.

"A mermaid," Ellie replied. Before Ronan could say another word the mermaid shouted another deafening cry. Ellie's eyes started to widen as she covered her ears from the terrible sound the mermaid made.

"I thought mermaids and merman were meant to sound good," Ellie screamed over the deafening cry. The screeching stopped and the beach was silent again. The next thing Ronan knew Ellie was running back to where they had come from. Ronan chased Ellie leaving the sobbing mermaid by herself once again.

"Papa, Papa" Ellie roared over and over again running through the sand to her Grandpa's beach house. Her feet tirelessly carried her through the sand as she tried to reach the other the side of the beach despite her feet getting jammed in the sand. After that Ellie heard a louder shout that overtook her constant roar for help. It was Ronan. He yelled

"What are you doing?" Ellie slowed her pace and yelled back.

"What are you doing? Go back and help the mermaid while I go get help."

Ronan didn't like to argue with Ellie so he turned around and ran to the mermaid. When she saw Ronan leave, her pace sped up a lot faster than before as she continued to call for help. She clutched the metal locket, that her grandma had given her before she died, in her hand and then right in front of her was her Grandpa's shabby old beach shack.

Feeling terrified and excited at the same time Ellie raced up the wooden plank stairs into the white painted house. Along the walls were picture containing memories of the past. The old tiny TV was playing the news and her Papa just sat there knitting a jumper for Ellie so when her parents came to take her back to Tokyo for next term of school she would be very warm. Ellie was panting when she stood in front of her Grandpa.

"Ellie, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" her Grandpa said as he started to panic. Ellie shook her head.

"Papa, I need you. Ronan and I saw a mermaid and it's in trouble." Ellie said still panting.

"A mermaid? Ellie did you hit your head or something like that" her Grandpa said starting to panic again. Ellie shook her head again and her Grandpa gave a sigh of relief.

"Please, Papa please come and help." Ellie pleaded. Her Grandpa stood up and shook his head in anger. Then he bellowed,

"Ellie there are no such things as mermaids in Australia. Come to think of it there are none in the world." Steam looked to have come out of his ears as his face went ruby red in anger. Ellie didn't wait for another second and hooked her sharp fingernails into the side of his arm. Without waiting another second Ellie pulled her Grandpa out the door with all her might. Her Grandpa gave a cry of pain but Ellie kept on pulling him until they made it to the steps. Ellie could not pull anymore so she let go but to her surprise, her Grandpa rushed down the stairs and started to run down the beach. Suddenly, she chased after him until they both got a glimpse of the mermaid.

Like Ellie's her Grandpa's eyes widened and he started to stagger. Pointing at the mermaid his jaw dropped in awe. Ronan heard something behind him and he turned.

"Ellie your back! I have news." Ronan said excitedly

"What news? Hey, why is it so quiet?" Ellie questioned him

"Well after you left I got the mermaid to stop sobbing and I find out that she is a famous celebrity. Oh also her name is Alana" Ronan replied to Ellie's questions

"Ok, so lets.... Wait what A CELEBRITY!" Ellie screamed at Ronan

"Ellie calm down! Now you and Ronan did the right thing calling me here but you can not tell anybody about Alana. Not even your parents." her Grandpa told them.

"Well, that will be easy! I will be in Tokyo in 1 month!." exclaimed Ellie. Then her grandpa shook his head and said,

"No Ellie. No one can know ever. This has to be our secret." her Grandpa said sternly. His face had just become austere. His eyes stared into Ellie and Ronan's eyes. They knew that he wasn't joking and promised to keep the secret.