Una

The fresh, autumn breeze calmly blew through my hair as the last yellow leaf of the season softly landed on the cold, hard ground beneath my bare feet. I had the well-earned reward of resting in the newly cut grass because I had finished my troublesome chores early that morning. I sat wondering, what should I write about? While searching for a blank sheet of paper and my most beloved quill pen, I began to question the different topics I could put on to the paper. After much thinking, I had finally decided to write about how edgy and anxious the animals seemed; they acted as if they were worried, confused, and scared.

I dipped my pen into the dark black ink and began to write:

Since my childhood, I had always felt a connection to animals; they seem to share a certain element of mystery that has always intrigued me. They appear to know certain aspects of life, we as humans, cannot mentally grasp. Studies show that there is a possibility animals can sense danger, whether it be from a predator or a natural disaster.

I smiled brightly at my work. I dipped the pen once more into the ink only to write: The animals, when the wind unexpectedly dropped dead. I looked up from my paper only to see my younger sister, Sarah, excitedly jumping; with her wide eyes and unnaturally pale face; it looked as if she had seen a ghost.

"What's the matter?" I impatiently ask her, "Can't you see I'm writing?"

"I saw a sea monster!" She screamed, "It was down by the lake, just swimming there, and it was huge! It must have been as large as ten million- no, billion- school buses in a row. You have to come see it, Maryam. You have to."

Without hesitating, she quickly grabbed my hand and dragged me towards a beautifully glistening lake behind our bushes. These 'episodes', as I liked to call them, had been happening repeatedly lately. She would claim to see an unrealistic creature and beg me to come and look.

"It's right there!" She exclaimed, pointing at the calm lake.

I turned to face her, "There is nothing there, sweet, little Sarah."

"Look, Maryam! It's right there!"

I turned towards the once glistening lake only to spot a glimpse of a dragon-like head and a long swerving tail. I stared wide-eyed at the water, shocked. Without thinking twice, I grabbed Sarah's hand and ran back home, to the other side of the bush.

While I was running, a mysterious voice whispered, " Una..."

Upon reaching home, I put Sarah straight to bed. Instead of falling prey to sleep myself, I decided I should write about what had happened today. A documentation of your day keeps Alzheimer's away, I always say.

As I ventured outside to retrieve my quill pen and papers, I couldn't help but feel a strange force pulling me towards the lake behind the bushes. I grabbed my writing supplies and headed towards the mysterious body of water.

Upon reaching the bushes, I felt a shiver crawl down my spine, I turned slowly, only to be blinded by a strong wind that pushed me into the reservoir. Struggling against the water's cold hold on me, I climbed out of the lake. Catching my breath, I turned to see the water unbelievably calm.

"I knew there really wasn't a sea monster, " I muttered. "It must have been a trick of the lights"

"Some lights those must be!"

I turned around to see the sea monster's emerald green eyes inches from my face.

"Oh my God," I whispered in awe, "you are real."

"As are you," the creature said, smiling.

"I must take note of this!" I exclaimed while searching for my writing supplies, failing to find them.