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“Hurry, let’s get out of here,” Enrique said, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the door. Outside, the whole library was dark. All the lights had shorted out from the storm.
They ran through the dark stacks, dodging the shelves as if they were navigating an obstacle course. More lightning pulsed outside, strobe lighting the library, but instead of the clap of thunder, cackling laughter rang out over the bay again. Suddenly, books starting crashing off the shelves, pelting their heads. They tried to dodge them and ran faster. When they reached the entrance, Shelly glanced back at the library. It was empty. That scared Shelly almost more than anything else, but before she could linger on it any longer, Enrique grabbed her hand and pulled her through the door. They dashed down the hall, running full speed, and emerged outside.
“There you are!” Attina said, running up to them.
Alana was right on her heels. They both looked afraid.
Instantly, the storm began to recede, the clouds withdrawing and vanishing.
“How is this possible?” Alana asked, her face drained of color.
“Yeah, it was raining plastic,” Attina added with a shudder. “And were those glowing eyes in the ocean?”
“Yes. It’s her. It’s Ursula,” Shelly said. “She didn’t want us to find that story.”
“You’re right,” Enrique agreed with a frightened expression. “She wants that trident—no, she needs that trident. It’s the only way she can break her curse and escape from the bay.”
“And she’s willing to do anything to get it,” Shelly said, her stomach knotting up.
Ala
na’s eyes shifted to her and held her gaze. “And you’re her only hope of getting it.”
“And if she gets it . . .” began Attina. Her words hung in the air. They all knew how dangerous the sea witch would become if she escaped from her watery prison with the power of the whole ocean behind her. Shelly bit her lower lip. She inhaled and felt her gills flare.
“But if I don’t help the sea witch, then I’ll turn into a fish. Forever,” she said.
They looked at one another for a long, deep moment. Enrique clasped Shelly’s hand. She glanced down at the scaly skin that peeked out from under her sleeve. It glinted like silver in the dwindling daylight. “We’ll help you,” Enrique said. “Just tell us what you need us to do.”
“Listen, it’s getting too dangerous,” said Shelly, wheeling on her friends. “I’ll text you if I need help. But I think you should all head home to safety. I’ll be okay. Promise. I couldn’t bear anything bad happening to any of you. And thank you for your help. It means a lot. Really.”
Reluctantly, the twins nodded and biked away, leaving Shelly alone with Enrique.
When she tried to tell him to leave, too, he said, “You’re not doing this alone.”
“Resistance is futile?” she replied.
“See, you are a true nerd,” he said with a glint in his eye.
* * *
Shelly laid her bike on the beach, then followed Enrique down a long pier that stretched out over the black water. They had to formulate a plan for how to deal with the sea witch. Shelly heard the sloshing of waves and tasted the briny tang of salt water on her tongue. It felt like walking out to the edge of the universe. The dark ocean seemed to have no end.
“You sure this is safe?” she said, glancing off the pier. The salt turned acrid on her tongue. Unlike a lot of kids, Shelly had never been afraid of the ocean or the mysterious creatures that lay beneath the surface. But that had all changed. Each wave that sloshed against the pier made her jump as she imagined black tentacles shooting out at her from the depths.
“We’re outside Triton Bay,” Enrique said with a lopsided smile. “The sea witch can’t leave the bay, remember? I come out here sometimes when I need to think or be alone. Also, the views are incredible.” He pointed back toward the lights of their little seaside town.
Just a few days before, their town had seemed idyllic and safe, but now Shelly knew a darker truth. Their town was haunted by an evil, malevolent presence imprisoned in the bay.
“Think your bro noticed that we took his ID?” she asked, following him down to the edge of the pier. They’d returned it to his backpack before biking there.
“I doubt it,” Enrique said. “He was too busy working with the dolphin trainers.”
She glanced down at her hands clad in the gloves. “I never should have tried to change myself. It was a huge mistake.”
“Why’d you do it?” he asked thoughtfully.
“When I first switched schools, I didn’t have any friends. And no friends is the worst. But then I finally made some. And I guess I was afraid that if I didn’t win my race at the next swim meet, then I’d lose them.”
