Each baby born beneath the waves is killed--with one exception: the one hundred thousandth is spared. There's one rule shared between the island's tribes: don't touch the water. When Cressa-la breaks this law, her world, and body, changes. Sure, change is normal... but when has growing scales ever been normal? • • • Watty Award Winner 2015: Best Use of Visuals • • • Each baby born beneath the waves is killed--with one exception: the one hundred thousandth is spared. Among the spared, magic chooses a rare few, connecting them to the moon or sea. These are the One-Hundreds, mermaids and humans with the power to save the world-or corrupt it. When Cressa-la breaks the first rule of her tribe and touches the water surrounding her island, everything she knows turns on its head. Talking, sinister dolphins, mind control, and a whole world just under the waves await her on her eigteenth birthday... but she never asked for any of this. All she wanted was to become a Tribe Leader and take care of her village. It's amazing how one screw-up can change everything. A relentless darkness reaches for her, wanting her affections for his own twisted purposes. In opposition stands a fractured light, haunted by a painful past where corruption eroded friendship. Unless Cressa-la can bring the darkness to his knees and fight the war raging inside, the world is doomed. • • • Content warning: This story contains themes of depression and violence.

"Hello?" "Is your house on fire?" "No...?" "Man, I thought it was because you're so dang hot." "I think you need to work on that." ... One prank call One girl One guy One great story ********* Cover by RaghaddMurad Highest Rating: #1 in short story

Was published, but is now off the market--I'm sorry! Brianne is the opposite of her best friend, Kyla. Kyla is open-minded; Brianne is closed off, judgmental. Kyla is a hopeless romantic. Brianne? Not so much. So when Kyla shoves an apple into her face telling her to throw it across the cafeteria so she can find her future love, Brianne is anything but interested. And yet she throws the apple anyway. Who does the apple hit? Dannon Barone, the most popular boy in school. Though he's seemingly sweet and all-smiles, Brianne dislikes him. She thinks he's a fake, a fraud, someone who is just charming the crowds in order to gain popularity. But Brianne is about to learn that stereotypes are not true, and that she's been too quick to judge those around her. Brianne Nichols' life is about to change forever. And what does she have to thank for it? A bruised piece of fruit. Who would have known that a stupid apple could be right? | technically not part of the summary | Okay, so I know the prenote says to find any errors you can. Just letting you know there's no point to that anymore because I've reedited it two more times after this one (extensively so), and already sent it in to be self-published. The only reason that the prenote is still up is because a fan made an amusing slideshow and if I edit anything then the tags for the wattys will be gone and I'll no longer be entered , hahah!