Ocean Secrets

Chapter Four: The Odds and Ends Shop

The sun was warm on my face as we walked around the shopping square. The clouds had cleared out making way for a beautiful day. Dad had stopped to talk to a local, who shared some of his interests. So it was just Mom, Troy and me. We walked along a brick path that was in between many different stores. There was bookstores, toy stores, clothing shops, small family owned restaurants, a visitor center and even a smoothie place. Most of the stores were locally owned, few were big company owned shops. I couldn't help but wonder about what happened this morning. Did I sleep walk? How could I just close my eyes, and end up on the beach? "You guys want to look in here?" My mother's voice woke me up from my day dreaming. "Hm?" I looked up at where she was pointing. "Odds and Ends." I read out loud. "Sounds interesting." My mom turned to Troy, who was walking right next to me. "Maybe they have some cool rocks." Troy smiled. "Alright, let's check it out."

We walked into the small building, everywhere you looked there was cool little objects, some things even hanged from the ceiling. As I looked around I was spooked when a large older man appeared from behind the glass counter. "Hello there!" He said with a toothy grin. "Looking for anything special?" He asked. The man was maybe in his late forties, he had bits of grey hair and a big red face. He wore a vest with little hooks and things for fishing, judging by what he sold, I assumed he liked to fish and collect things. "Do you have any rocks?" My mother asked. As soon as my mom said rocks the man sprung into action, "Do I have rocks?" He repeated with a raspy chuckle. "Well, I believe this here might interest ya!" He lead us into the corner of the store, where there were different displays filled with rocks. "Whoa." Troy gasped as his eyes grew wide. "That's a lot of rocks." The man chuckled. "I suppose so, yep. Looking for any particular rock?" As they started to talk, I began to wonder around the small store. I like rocks too, but I didn't collect. I glanced at things, occasionally taking it away to look closer. Once I got to the end of the wall I came to a doorway, with strings of beads hanging over it. I jumped again when an older lady suddenly walked into the doorway. She looked about the same age as the man, she was also large and she had long silver blond hair with a blue bandana that went across her forehead. "Oh, sorry dear." She said. I nodded my head politely. "It's alright." I began to walk away when the women stopped me. "See anything that catches your eye?" She asked. I replied with a shy shrug. "Let me know if you need help with anything." She said with a jolly smile. I walked a little ways before I noticed a odd silver trinket sitting in a box of various other things. I pulled it out to get a better look at it. It was rounded with a long point at the end, sort of like a round triangle. On the rounded side, there was a small clear red ball inside. There was a chain on the back that connected to a clear glass orange ball, about the size of a marble. The whole thing was no bigger than my hand, the main piece was probably as big as my thumb. "Ah, that's a special piece." The women said. "Frank, what was the story behind this one again?" The older man from before walked up to us and glanced at the object. "Ah yes." He said with a smile. "It was about fifteen years ago. I was fishing way out in the ocean when I hooked a real big one!" He re-enacted his story by reeling in his invisible rod. "She put up a good fight, she did. When I gave it one good pull, I flew backwards onto the boat. That fish somehow got it's self lose, but." He pointed at the trinket. "She left that on the end." I looked back at the little silver object, and ran my finger down the little squiggly lines that ran through out the object. "Cool." I said. I couldn't help but wonder where it came from, and how did the fish get it. "You can have it if you'd like." The man said. "How much is it?" I asked. The man smiled. "Ah, you can just take it. It's been sitting here in this shop for fifteen years." He said with his raspy chuckle. "Really?" I glanced between the two. "Sure, go ahead." The women said with a cheery smile. My mom appeared behind me, Troy holding a few different rocks in his hands. "Oo, that's cool." She said as I passed her the object. "Neat." Troy leaned in to see it. "You got that from a fish?" He asked. The man laughed. "Sure did. Did you find everything you'd like?" I nodded my head, and so did Troy. "Yep, I think so." My mother replied. The man quickly got behind the counter and started punching numbers into the cash register. "Seven fifty two." He said. With that, my mom paid and we left the store. "I'm getting hungry." Troy whined after we walked two steps from the store. "Let's find Dad then we can go have something to eat."

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"Well, that was good." My dad said as he got up from his seat. "Mm" My mom nodded. "Very good." "Best sea food penne I've ever had." I agreed. We ate at an outdoor-indoor restaurant that was very tropical themed. We all got up from the white rectangle table to go pay for our food. As I got up I noticed the little small trinket that I had just gotten from the strange little shop sitting on the ground next to where I was sitting. It must have fell out of my pocket. "I'll be right there." I said before I turned back to the table to grab the trinket. I picked it up, then quickly turned around. I gasped as I felt ice cold water splashed all over me. I looked up to see a girl that was around my age with her hand over her mouth. "Oh my gosh!" She gasped. "I am so, so, sorry!" The girl had long raven black hair that was up in a ponytail, tan skin and odd deep green eyes. "It's okay." I replied as I shook the cold water off my hands. "It's actually quite refreshing." I smiled. The girl gave a quick laugh, then suddenly started to stare at me. "Oh my gosh." She mumbled, looking down at my feet. I looked down to see little strange red-orange patches all over my legs. "What in the!" I looked back at the girl, who suddenly looked scared of me. "You're one of them aren't you?" She mumbled. I looked around to see people looking at me strangely, and whispering among themselves. What is happening to me! My heart started to race as I felt a hundred glares staring at me. I quickly ran inside the indoor part on the restaurant and then out the front door. I heard my mom call after me, I couldn't turn back, not until I knew what happening. I didn't know where I was going, I just kept running. I ran out of the shopping square and stopped when I came to a crescent shaped wall. I ran around and hopped down the stairs that lead to the beach. I looked around me, there was people everywhere, walking in groups on the beach in the sunset. I couldn't stop, if I stopped they would stare at me. What is happening to me? I kept thinking, over and over in my head. My legs suddenly started to ach, like they were covered with bruises, like I pulled every muscle. I couldn't run anymore, but I couldn't stop, I needed to get home. It's the only safe place I can go. I closed my eyes and pushed myself to run faster, ignoring the pain. The house wasn't far, we walked to the shopping square from there. It only took thirteen minuets to walk, it would take less to run. Completely focused on my goal, I didn't notice that the pain turned into a burning feeling. Like bathing in overly hot water. As I ran around where the beach curved, I saw the little blue beach house just a little further away. You can do it! I told myself. Never in my life have I ran so fast, so far. I slowed my speed to open the front door, in a rush I only closed the screen door then quickly ran up the stairs, tripping over my feet. I ran into the bathroom then quickly shut the door behind me. I gasped for air as I leaned against the door, slowly sliding down it to sit on the white tiled floor. Why is this happening?