Secrets at Sea

Chapter 1

I'm sitting alone in a dark room. The metal flooring under me saps whatever warmth I have from my body and replaces it with ice. I shiver trying my best to think warm thoughts. My dad always told me to go to my happy place whenever I was scared or in pain. I think of warm beaches, my feet buried in the sand, the sun heating my body to the point where my skin will be covered in freckles by the next morning. 

Something moves in the darkness and I hear metal scratching against metal. My eyes are open but I'm blind. I strain my eyes, leaning forward as if that would help me to suddenly gain night vision.

I can hear the waves crashing up against the shore. Children laughing as they run by me, kite in tow. I watch the ships sailing on the horizon. The people aboard enjoying the open ocean without a care in the world.

A light flickers in the distance. The brief illumination making me very aware of my surroundings. I'm in a very large room, much larger than I had anticipated. Boxes and crates lining the walls around me. Rows and rows of crates stretching off in every direction. 

I start to build a sandcastle. My hands reaching into the grainy earth as I begin molding a new reality. One where a princess lives safely in her castle with her every want catered to. Nothing bad ever happens to this princess because she is safe. She is safe.

 I hear the noise again, but this time closer. I bring my knees up to my chest, shivering from fear. It's pointless to run. I wouldn't make it ten feet. 

The smell of the ocean is addictive. So fresh and so salty. It was always my favorite thing. I'd make my dads bring me here every chance I got. Every vacation would be to visit a new beach and see the ocean from a different angle.

A scream fills my ears. It's so close, as if the owner of the voice was just in front of me. The distant light flickers again and I see a giant figure standing before me. It's tall and its limbs are long. 

I close my eyes and enjoy the sounds of the ocean. Shutting everything else out but the water. 

The light flashes once more and I see its face. 

"Sea! Can you come here?" Dad yells from the bottom of the stairs. I blink my eyes open, startled, and throw the pile of clothes I have been scrounging through into the suitcase laying on my floor. I rush down the stairs.

What does he want? He knows I need to be at the airport in twenty minutes!

"Yeah?" I sigh, clearly frazzled. I stop at the bottom of the steps and am immediately confused; my dad's eyebrows are furrowed, which hasn't happened since he started working at home two years ago. "What's up?" I ask.

"Chelsea, I need you to do me a huge favor when you're on your trip." He doesn't break eye contact as he continues, "I know that the cruise is stopping in Hawaii as a refueling place and you'll be there for a day or two. I have a package that I need to get to my colleague during that time. I would arrange the meet-up, but I really need you to give him the package."

"I don't mind doing that, but why can't you just ship it to him in, I don't know, the mail?" I joke. He doesn't smile. Instead, the look in his eyes change and I can tell he's being extremely serious.

"I can't ship it. It has to be delivered by someone I trust." He takes my hand and places a small silver box on my palm. The box looks like a ring box that people use to propose with. Dad then places a small silver key next to the box. "This," he points at the key, "is the only key that will open the box. I need you to keep both of these safe at all times."

"What's in it?" I ask, both slightly freaked out and thoroughly intrigued at the same time.

"It's just a gift for an old friend. You remember Mr. Talbot? He moved to Hawaii about three months ago with his wife and daughter. I just need you to give this little gift to him when you reach the port on the island." He states, and then pauses. I can see a change in his face. His brows relax and he does his 'that's my girl' face that I've seen every single day of my life. "Thank you so much, Shells. This means more than you know."

"Hey, you're the one sending me on this post-graduation trip with my friends. It's the least I could do!" I say as I start heading back up stairs to continue packing. I put the box in my suitcase and cover it with another layer of clothes before slipping the key through the chain of my pendant necklace.

"That's my girl!" He shouts and I roll my eyes. There it is.