World of Make-Believe: Khirsten's Story

It's A Whirlwind

Joe felt an odd feeling creeping over him as they swam further and further into the darkness. It was obvious this part of the castle was rarely, if ever visited. By the looks of things it had once been one of the main rooms, frequented by all. He wondered what had happened to cause the inhabitants to abandon the room. it looked so lonely and somehow sad all dark and in disrepair. He lay a hand on a cracked pillar and felt a shiver run up his spine. He was feeling... something beyond himself. He didn't like it. It was foreign and odd.

He felt Khirsten take his hand.

It's okay. She smiled, feeling what others have felt isn't going to hurt you.

That's what this is? He looked at her wide eyed, This is what you feel all the time?

She just nodded, falling silent as they approached a large, solid wall. Khirsten squinted, barely able to tell that on the wall there was something. But what she couldn't make out in the desolate darkness.

Can you see that? She asked Joe.

He just shook his head, swimming closer, touching the smooth surface. Suddenly the algae beneath where his hand had pressed began glowing.

Holy-! He leapt back.

The selkie female swirled around in joy, falling back to see the whole picture as algae of different colors began glowing in correspondence to the agitation of its brother. Slowly a picture came into view. Khirsten gasped. It was a large, beautiful selkie female on the wall. Her shape was forever portrayed as full selkie. Joe noticed that even in seal form her eyes were piercing teal. Her fur was so blond it looked nearly white. Khirsten let her eyes drift to her mother, whose fur was a fine soft, pale blond. Her mind raced, it was following a trail of hints that led to some conclusion. Khirsten touched her own fur, the reddish blond coloring. Her mind wandered to all the others of her kind she had seen. Some had been grey, others black, a few brown... Even Khirstens half siblings had mottled brown, black or grey fur. None had the solid, pure coloring of Khirsten and her mother.

Joe watched in awe as the female selkie rose to the image and placed her forehead against it. She opened her mouth and let out a mournful cry. It was then that he was hit with a thousand images at once.

A white selkie flying out of the water with the ocean spray, seducing a man, fleeing back into the ocean with her unborn pup. A young slightly darker selkie swimming alongside the white magical being, riding the waves. Then the white selkie faded out and the towheaded one grew, seduce another man, and then that selkie gave birth. Over and over she gave birth. Out of one of her litters was a pale blond pup. That pale blond pup grew and one day, as she was moon bathing she met a human man. That human man stole her skin and took her as his bride. The selkie woman became pregnant. She gave birth to a beautiful strawberry blond child.

And just as quickly as the images started they faded. He looked to Khirsten, who was watching him worriedly.

Do you have any idea who you are? His voice was nearly frantic, You're the fourth generation of one of the first selkies to exist.

Khirstens eyes widened, I thought it may be something like that... She drifted to the mural, placing a hand upon the soft coloring. But I never thought it would be a reality- She cut short as the algae lit brightly where she touched.

Suddenly the light flared, from it sprung blue sparks. The effect rippled up the mural, changing the scene. She leapt back into Joe's outstretched arms.

Are you hurt?

No. She gasped, clinging to him, But look.

Khirsten reached out for her mother as she swam back to be with them. They took in the new mural before them. It had darkened considerably. In a bright patch were selkies of all sizes and colors, surrounded by the dark clutches of some ominous being. Around the evil being was the ocean and above it all was a golden selkie, half woman half seal. Her magic was shining around her, freeing her imprisoned kin.