Selkie Of The Sea

The Call

The air was salty, and the scent tickled Hilda's nose. She gazed off at the shore, sitting down on a rotted log, next to her brother, David.
He was sketching in his journal, not paying much mind to the small girl.
She was used to it. She was five years old, and still couldn't talk. She wasn't sure why, she knew how. She understood words, but her voice wasn't there.
The ocean waves rose and lifted, like the soft breathing of a mother. David was scribbling in his notebook, drawing a man on the soft canvas pages.
He shivered from the salty wind, pulling his blue vest closer.
Hilda breathed over his shoulder, trying to see what was on the paper. David furrowed his brow, holding his notebook closer.
"For someone who can't talk, you sure are loud." David grumbled, turning to Hilda. She frowned, folding her arms.
The small girl slid off the log, sand dusting her soft red dress. A tiny crab waddled up to her, and she smiled, holding her hand out to it.
David stomped his foot on the crab, glaring at his sister. "You're getting all sandy!" He exclaimed, closing his notebook.
Hilda frowned as her brother removed his foot. He didn't kill the crab, and it simply flipped onto his back.
Smiling, Hilda used her hand to flip over the crab. It scurried to the ocean, in which Hilda watched.
Her eyes were focused on the water, and a soft calling filled her ears. It seemed to beckon her near.
She stood up, dusting her dress off and waddling towards the water. Her black boots imprinted the sand, as the tide splashed against them.
The call drew near, before David grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the water.
"Are you crazy?" David exclaimed, his eyes narrowed. "You could've drowned!"
He began to pull Hilda back to the shore, as Hilda stared at the water as they walked away.

Back at the house on the hill, on the balcony of the lighthouse that was attached to the cabin, Marvin stared at the ocean solemnly. He missed Johanna. But she was gone.
"Dad! Hilda almost drowned!" David called, joining him on the balcony, still pulling Hilda's sleeve.
No answer. Marvin was consumed in thought.
"DAD!" David yelled. Marvin blinked, turning around. He smiled tiredly, seeing his children. David was frowning, and Hilda was smiling.
"Ah, there's the birthday girl." Marvin said, ignoring David's comment, and scooping up little Hilda. "Happy birthday!"
"Didn't you hear me?" David frowned, but decided to give it up, following Marvin down the stairs.
"Hilda, your dress for your party is in your room, why don't you go get ready before grandma shows up." Marvin said, setting down Hilda, who retreated to her bedroom to get ready.

Hilda stood in her room, a small bedroom she shared with her brother. Her bed was opposite of David's and in the middle was an unfinished mural, painted by her mother and brother.
Hilda placed her hand on a blue hand print next to the art.
Her mother's hand print.
Next to the large hand print was David's, which was now Hilda's size.
Hilda wished she knew her mother, but had small mementos to remember her, specifically the chest that she left behind. It was David's but Hilda felt drawn to it.
Hilda waddled over to the chest, where her dress was draped over. Hilda took the dress, but looked to the chest. It was always locked, and David always had the key. But he wasn't in the room...
Hilda looked over to her brothers bed. She scurried over, and turned over his pillow. Perfect. He left a small key tied to the bedpost, carefully covered by the soft blue pillow.

Hilda was quiet and careful as she took the key. She was about to unlock the chest, when the bedroom door opened. She widened her eyes, hiding the key and grabbing her dress.
"Don't put your stuff on that!" David exclaimed, running in. He stood in front of the chest, frowning. "Mom left that for me!" He said, scowling at the little girl.
Hilda nodded frantically, grabbing her dress and retreating.

"Happy birthday dear Hilda, happy birthday to you!" Marvin, David and Grandma sang, as Hilda sat around her cake. She smiled, blowing out her candle, before David shoved her face into the cake.
David laughed, as Marvin and Grandma were silent. Hilda laughed silently, wiping the cake off her face, and dress.
"David! Her dress is ruined!" Grandma reprimanded. "Marvin, your children are both animals." She turned to her son, scowling. Her scowl brought out her wrinkles.
"Mother-" Marvin was cut off.
"No. Hilda can't talk and David doesn't know how to act." Grandma continued. "I understand it's been hard without Johanna, but get over her. It's been five years."
Marvin was silent. "David, you and Hilda go to your rooms."
"But dad!-" David protested.
"Now!" Marvin exclaimed, pointing to the bedroom, causing the two to retreat to their room.

Hours later, the arguing between Grandma and Marvin had stopped, as Grandma went to lie down in the living room.
David was asleep, but Hilda wasn't. The voice was back, calling her.
She sat up, and felt around her neck for the key. She had attached it to a necklace after being shunned away.
David slept like a rock, so this would be easy. She crawled out of bed, and unlocked the chest. On the top was shells, and a few of David's drawings. But underneath was a large shell.
The call Hilda was hearing...was coming from the shell.
She held it close to her ear and heard the singing of a woman.
Hilda's mouth was open, and she wanted to exclaim, but no sound came out.
She held the shell close to her heart, looking deeper into the chest.
Photos of her mother. She was so beautiful! Her hair was long and brown, and she always wore a huge white coat over her clothes.
Hilda smiled, looking at the photos as she reached into the chest. Her hand brushed against something incredibly soft.
Hilda put the photo down, and looked into the chest. A fluffy white coat. Just like the one in the photo.
She took it out, and noticed it was just her size. Grinning, Hilda put it on. It was glowing. She quickly scurried to the bathroom so the light didn't wake her brother.

Hilda stood in front of the bathroom mirror, her coat on and the shell. She held the shell close to her ear as the song floated through her ears. She was positive that was the voice calling her.
The call of the sea.
She quietly snuck out past her brother, father, and grandma, who all slept soundly. She toddled out, until she stood on the shore of the sea.

This was where she was supposed to be. She waddled into the water with her coat on, being led by fireflies, and with a flash of light, she had transformed.
She was a small white seal. She swam in the ocean, alongside bigger seals that joined her.

The seconds and minutes in the water shortly turned to hours, as she swam around the cove where her home was nestled. She felt safe and comfortable, but eventually she grew tired. The seals led her to the shore, where she fell asleep, curled up in her coat and her head nestled in the sand.