Upon the shoreline of South Carolina, on the beach of Abren, stands a small, slightly-tilted house. It's a humble house that's bows, defeated, to the Atlantic Ocean as it laps tirelessly at the shack's front steps. At a distance the ragged shack reminds you of an old humpbacked man leaning on wobbly, cane-like pillars. Its windows are wide as if it is astonished at what time has done to its framework.
The ocean outside its doors stretches out like a blue carpet. It's a moody body of water that sometimes crashes hard against the shore as if thumping its aquatic fists in a fit of bad temper. At other times the ocean's surface is as smooth as glass and the waves stroke the shoreline leaving a trail of creamy foam.
Avlin Thunbergade lives hereplays around the moss-covered bouldersruns along the shore, kicking up the golden dust of a thousand broken shells and dreams the dreams of a lonely thirteen-year-old girl. She misses her father who works as marine biologist and is away studying sting-rays at some old aquarium in another state. Her mother teaches English at the local high school during the week and homeschools Avlin during the evening. Tall and lean, Avlin looks out upon the world with a pair of eyes as green as her father's and hair as richly brown as her mothers dark tresses. She loves music and reading, but her greatest love is to run.
Not far from the little shack lives Alterious Grelnin. He's a crusty old hermit who has little patience for young people. He used to work with Avlin's father but the aquarium has retired him and given Avlin's father his job. His smile is twisted with bitterness. He stares out at the ocean with angry eyes, his peppered brows pulled together in a scowl. It's believed he got his awkward limp from an ill-tempered shark he'd been studying, although most people believe that the shark lost that battle and ended up as a stuffed specimen hanging in his den. Alterious doesn't like Avlin at all.
Winifinatril is a Senatori Seahorse of the Atlantic. He begins his life as a piece of white quartz that could easily be mistaken for a rock. Until he is touched by an ocean wave he remains trapped inside his stone egg. Once hatched, Winifin enters the second stage and becomes a blue-colored mist that can take the form of small animals or plants. At this stage Winifin can bond with a person. In the third stage, Winifin prefers solitude interrupted only by his bond. He begins to take on his adolescent form which can resemble various forms of sea life. In his forth form his solitary personality emerges and he prefers to stay in the ocean. He still cares for his bond but slowly detaches as he begins to rejoin the seas. In the fifth and final form, the seahorse is in his complete form. He is now a large, finned creature with a white body and blue arching fins. His midsection is that of a dog. Beautiful glass-like feathers cover him. His legs are silver fins similar to that of a seal and he possesses a dorsal fin that stretches from the base of his neck to the tip of his tail. His neck is long and graceful ending in a small oval head out of which five horns protrude. One long unicorn horn tops the coral helm that encases his head and gives him an ominous bug-like appearance. Along the bridge of his nose are two sharp blade-like spikes and below these spikes, two large mandible-like horns sprout from his lower jaws.
This is WinifinatrilThis Senatori Seahorse of the Atlantic and his roar echoes across the ocean like thunder on a summer day. This is Winifil and it is his egg Avlin will find.
Avlin woke up on the floor of her bedroom. She lifted her head from the brown carpet and stared bleary up at her bed. (The sheets were rumpled. Her pillow lay on the floor. One of her socks lay a few inches from her face. She could feel its mate clinging to her toes like a furry leech.) Sitting up, Avlin rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yanked the offensive sock off. She tossed it aside, yawned and then suddenly remembered her new pet. A feeling of excitement flooded through her and she got to her feet. Snatching up the brush from her bed side table. She ran it through her hair as fast as she could then hurried over to her dresser to search for some clean clothes. She pulled out a dark navy t-shirt and some white shorts. Tossing her pajamas on the floor, Avlin threw the t-shirt over her head, wildly flinging her arms around to find the sleeves. She pulled on the shorts, jumped into her soft leather slippers, and tore out of her bedroom
When she reached the hallway she slowed and silently crept past her parent's bedroom and into the kitchen. Avlin tiptoed to the freezer door, holding her breath. "Winifin was in there. She always kept him in the freezer at night for fear of him melting. Her hand shook as she reached for the freezer handle.
"Good morning," her mother said, coming into the kitchen behind Avlin.
Avlin whirled around to face her mother, "Morning, mom," She said hastily.
Her mother walked to the kitchen counter and peeked out the kitchen window. "Looks like a storm is coming," She whispered absentmindedly, "I don't want you going out if it's thundering."
As her mother began the task of making breakfast, Avlin sat down disappointedly at the little wooden table. She tapped her finger nails on the scratched surface and idly picked at the edge of the Sunday paper as her mom banged the pots and pans, searched for butter in the refrigerator, and withdrew a loaf of bread from the breadbox.
"But Mom!" Avlin groaned.
"No buts," Her mother replied crisply, "The last thing we need is you getting struck by lightning."
Avlin seethed but didn't make anymore comments. The last thing she needed was to be stuck inside for another day.
"What do you want, dear, eggs or toast?"
Avlin open her mouthed to reply, wondering why people called each other those long- legged, antlered-things that lived in the country. "Do we have any bacon ?" She began. Just then there was a rapping on the door. It was a sharp, commanding rap, like the kind made by a heavy cane. Avlin knew who that was before she even heard it, Alterious Grenlin was outside knocking. As if her morning wasn't turning out to be enough of a dud without this unwelcome guest showing up at the front door.
Her mother unconsciously patted down her curly hair as she walked briskly to the door.
"Who is calling at this hour?" Her mother wondered out loud.
"It's Alterious." Avlin said grimly.
"That's Mr. Grenlin to you!" her mother corrected with a look of stern reproof.
Avlin rolled her eyes, watching as her mother opened the kitchen door and smiled with surprising warmth at the man who stood on the porch.
"Hello! Alterious, good morning! Come in and have some breakfast with us."
Avlin heard the scrapping the old man's bum leg before Alterious limped into kitchen. He carried a thick manila envelop in his free hand. When he spied Avlin at the table, he threw her a sharp look that traveled over her face then dropped to the floor as if he suspected she might have left something there to trip him up. When his eyes found no snare they shifted back to her face.
"Just got these papers for Andrew," he said. Then he moved across the wooden floor towards the chair directly across from where Avlin sat. He set the large envelope on the table with a soft rustle.
Avlin stiffened debating on running from the room. He grumbled something about sore bones as he dropped into the empty chair. Avlin slid her chair a couple inches back from the table. Seeing the old geezer up close made her reconsider eating at all. Alterious seemed not to notice her discomfort. He reached across the space between them and pulled the Sunday paper toward him.
"You're sure you don't mind the extra work, Meria?" He asked.
Avlin's mother shook her head, "Don't be silly," she assured him as she returned to her pots and pans, "I'm just sorry Andrew couldn't be here. He's been horribly busy. There's just so much work for him and no one seems to realize the job is too big for one person. He often mentions that the museum could use a seasoned advisor like you, Alterius." Meria poured the egg mixture into the frying pan and added a couple of slices of cheese. "Avlin, dear, I have to go to work very soon, how are you doing in your Math? Do you understand the lesson? Mrs. Totts said she thought you were finishing up your work very early these days."
Avlin shrugged and tore her gaze away from dent her father had accidentally put in the microwave during a brief stint working out of the house. "It's okay. It's been mostly review stuff, but today we're going over polynomials. The lesson tape is kind of in depth so it will take me longer today than usual." Alvin didn't mention that she had tried to finish up her work so that if her Dad came home this week she'd have some time to spend with him.
Alterious turned a page with a flourish. "So," He said quietly, "doing well in science, too?" He asked.
"Fairly," She answered.
Alterious peered over the Sports page at her. "I heard from Mr. Owen that you have ordered a large amount of shrimp over the last few days."
Her mother delivered two plates of eggs with toast to the two people sitting at the breakfast room table and paused to fix her daughter with a piercing stare. "I don't recall you mentioning shrimp, Alvin!" Meria stood with her hands on her hips, looking for all the world like a teacher at the head of class.
"I used my own money," Avlin muttered. "It's a science experiment that has something to do with birds. The seagulls love shrimp."
Alterious laughed, his gaze disappearing behind the paper again. Alvin heard him wheezing as he grumbled something that sounded an awful lot like, "That's the same excuse I used."
"A waste of good food if you ask me," her mother said.
Alvin's fingers tapped nervously on the table. She was very much aware of Alterious big, fat ears straining to listen in to the conversation. "Yeah but it's my favorite seagulls Redwing, and Jonathan Livingston," Avlin complained.
Her mother banged the pots and pans some more as she tossed them into the sink. "I bet you're going to tell me that Jonathan is practicing fantastic Arial maneuvers."
Avlin glared at her mom. "No, actually he isn't. If you must know, he is lazy, boring, and as big as a balloon."
"And he's just going to get fatter!" replied her mother.
Avlin was beginning to wonder why they were arguing over this useless subject. Her mother seemed to think the same because after a moment she sighed deeply and said, "Well it's your money can't really stop you from using it on silly things, kids will be kids."
Alterious Grenlin set the paper down, Picking up his fork; he neatly cut up his egg omelet. "There are so many things out there on the beach for kids to explore, so many odd things for them to find and hide in strange places like under the bed or in glass jars." He stared hard over the table at Avlin. Alvin's eyes flickered nervously to the freezer. His gaze followed hers, and for an awkward moment they both looked at the refrigerator. Alterious took a bite of his eggs, nodded and reached for the salt. Avlin picked up her own fork and began to eat. She was grateful for the excuse not to talk anymore. Her thoughts returned to the reason she found herself buying shrimp and fending off Alterious intense glares.
Everything had begun two weeks ago, in the early afternoon, on the stretch of beach Avlin loved to roam. The weather had turned glum and clouds had moved in to dampen the sunshine. She had been collecting seashells and throwing bread crumbs to Jonathan before he left to go where ever gulls went when a storm was on the way. Suddenly, Mr. Grenlin, appearing out of nowhere, stalked up to the shoreline until his toes touched the creamy white froth of ocean waves and started yelling at nobody. Startled, Avlin had looked around at first, relieved that she wasn't the object of his anger, but confused by the fact nobody else was in sight. Apparently, Alterious saw something because he raised his fist, shaking it furiously at the ocean as he ranted. Then, Alterious had abruptly turned away from the ocean. Alvin saw that his face was covered with sea spray making it look as if he was actually crying. Badly frightened by the wildness in the old man's eyes, Avlin dropped the bread, scooped up the shells, and ran for home. Alterious voice had followed her, like a gust of stormy wind. She heard him yelling something about the thunder and about stealing ocean treasures.
The event disturbed Avlin greatly and she told her mother about it, her mom said not to worry he just needs some one to pick on; but in Alvin's mind she had proof the old man was crazy. Nobody owned the oceans shells, or rocks, or whatever. These things were there for everyone. Why did he think she didn't deserve to enjoy them?
Later Avlin was digging through the seashells and she had found an odd stone. Surprised by the strange luminescence of the object, Avlin had run outside to wash it in the ocean. After she'd washed it and dried it, Avlin decided it wasn't so unusual after all, except for its curious color that reminded her of a pearl. She looked it up in a geology guide her father kept in his study. The emptiness of his office made her sad and she opened a window so the stale air could be swallowed up by the clean, salty smell of the ocean as she researched her find. The guide had many stones and Avlin had to pour over the different picture until at last she decided she had found a bright, white quartz stone. After remembering to shut the window again, she left her father's study, went to her bedroom and dropped it into Dill's pickle jar on her bedroom dresser. Despite the fact that quartz was not an uncommon stone, Avlin had never actually had one of her own. To her, the stone was another valuable keep-sake to remind her of the ocean.
The next morning, Avlin had discovered the pickle jar on the floor, minus the quartz stone. A frosty mist filled the jar. To Avlin it looked like smoke with dozens of glittery lights that moved like stars in a galaxy. Not able to see her stone Avlin had panicked and opened the lid. The mist floated out to hover over her floor. Avlin found this weirdly cool and touched the white stuff with shaking fingers. She jumped as the mist pulled into itself until it looked like a baseball, turned blue, and then snorted like a bull. Avlin leapt back with a strangled cry. She jumped into bed and stared frozen stiff at the strange thing from behind her pillow. The little ball of blue smoke had floated around her room for a long time. It took Alvin a while to build up her courage but when the ball didn't do anything except hover from place to place, she again reached out only this time she stroked the mist. The ball flattened into a pancake shape and began to purr like a cat. Alvin smiled with wonder. The elongated puff circled around a little statue of a horse in Alvin's room. It suddenly sprouted an equine head with a tuff of forelock hair and a tiny flowing tail. Under Alvin's amazed gaze, it galloped along on her bureau neighing. Avlin had risen from the bed to get closer to the little horse but before she reached it, the tiny horse fell into one of the open drawers of her dresser and disappeared. Avlin rummaged through her socks until at last she found, not a horse, but a hamster. The hamster peered up at her, twitching its ears and sniffing at her fingers. She had laughed so hard she had forgotten to be afraid.
From that day Alvin knew she had discovered a rare treasure from the ocean. She named him Winifinatril, because that was the noise he made when sniffed her fingers that first day and blew soft air into her face. She had gone into her father's study, this time not bothered by the thin layer of dust that coated his things, and researched ocean life and the food chain. She had decided that since Winifin came from the ocean he had to eat things in the ocean. She tried seaweed, and shells, and even driftwood before she discovered that he loved fish and shrimp. In this way, Avlin had learned how to take care of Winifin (as she came to call him), feeding him an assortment of different fish and shrimp. During the day she would carry him around in her pocket. A couple times he would turn into a horse and make her laugh. Every night when he got tired he would crawl back into his pickle jar and begin to melt. Avlin would always put him in the freezer because he seemed to always prefer colder spots in the room. When he darted into the freezer one day as she made her lunch, she saw that he loved the ice cube trays so she let him stay there. She didn't know why Winifin liked the ice but she could tell by his joy that it was the right thing to do.
So the weeks had passed. Her mother didn't understand Alvin's desire to stay inside after all the wanderings along the shoreline. Meria worried about her daughter. "You know Kathy called 4 times," her mother would inform Avlin, as they sat down to breakfast in the kitchen.
"Oh." Avlin would reply without interest, kicking one of the legs at the kitchen table.
"Don't you think that you should call her back?" her mother asked, shoving a plate of eggs and toast under Alvin's nose.
"Not really." Avlin grumbled stabbing her eggs with her fork.
"Why not?"
"Well," Avlin began, "Um I don't know. She doesn't like to run or spend much time outside, for one thing." Her mother hadn't forced the issued Avlin continued thinking of the girl that had moved in last summer to Albern beach. She thought of her thick glasses, and frizzy hair and her odd obsessions with sea dragons. Avlin even remembered how they had fought about whether sea dragons existed. Avlin had insisted that they were just a stupid legend that some dim-wit had dreamed up. Clearly hurt, Kathy had shaken her head saying "you don't know what you're talking about." Avlin had fumed for days, but now she was beginning to doubt her own convictions. Perhaps Kathy would be the one to trust with the secret of Winifin. Alvin didn't know how to go about mending their friendship. Kathy hadn't given up on Avlin as a potential friend and would call her often. But Avlin didn't want to admit to Kathy that she had been right all along and that sea dragons really did exist. Besides, what if Winifin like Kathy more?
"We don't have much in common." Avlin finished lamely. Her mother made a sound in her throat "Avlin that's because you don't want to have anything in common! You have to learn how to make friends you just won't get them out of the blue"
"I have to leave for work." In all the time Avlin had been thinking she hadn't noticed that her mother had finished the dishes, dressed for work, and was just now grabbing her purse off the kitchen counter. Avlin watched her walk to the door. She felt a surge of pride. Her mother was so pretty and smart. She might know what to do about Winifin. But then Avlin remembered the tired look her mother wore each evening. She knew her Mom wanted her Dad home just as much and was trying to keep things happy at home. Avlin didn't want to add more worry to her mother's life.
"Bye, Mom," Alvin said suddenly after her mother's departing figure, "I promise I'll try and get together with Kathy. I've been kind of down lately and didn't want company."
"That would be nice," Meria said with a smile in her voice.
Alterious Grenlin stood up "I'd better get home. Got some thinking to do." And he limped toward the door. He didn't say good bye to Avlin. She didn't expect him to, but suddenly, from out on the porch, Alterious spoke in a strange voice, "You need some help with studies, you can drop by, Avlin." He spoke her name like it tasted salty, but Avlin was too surprised to take offense. "You ought to try feeding those seagulls some mineral salt. They need that stuff to help digestion. She listened as the two of them moved off the porch together.
Avlin Heard the car door slam as her mother left. It was quiet for a second then she heard Alterious odd steps on the porch. It sounded like Alterious was limping across the porch in the opposite direction of his cabin. Avlin got up and listened she turned her head following the sound of his steps as he thumped around to the back porch in the direction of Alvin's bedroom. There the hammering of his cane stopped for a few seconds then continued until it made a full circle around to the kitchen door. She heard him step off the porch and onto the stone gravel of the path. Avlin was frozen at the table, her heart pounding. She must have stood there for at least five minutes before deciding it was safe to move. She reached for the refrigerator door and swung it open. Winifin was pounding away on the inside of the pickle jar as a little frog with gangly legs.
Avlin took the jar out and crept to her bedroom. She tucked away her math book under her bed and placed the container on the floor. Winifin hopped out. He swirled into blue mist again. Avlin noticed something was wrong with him the moment he turned back into mist. He was glittering and pulsing. Avlin watched on edge, her eyes wide with alarm. She hoped he wasn't dying or something. Winifin flashed green and then began to grow larger. His mist swirled faster. He swelled then began to spin like a tornado. He whirled into a dog, than a fish, shifting into a cat, a foal, than stopping back at a dog. He was now much larger than a hamster-sized puff of hazy smoke. In the shape of a silver German shepherd, Winifin wagged his bushy tail and trotted happily around her room. There was a flash of light in the window. Avlin looked up a face was peering in at her. It was impossible to make out the features because the sunlight was streaming into her room outlining a head and bent shoulders. Just like that it was gone. Avlin jumped up and ran to the window. She saw the sea grass ruffle like somebody was running through it. A car door slammed in the distance. Had that flash been merely sunlight or had it been a cameras flash? Avlin remembered the real estate agent that had showed up after her Dad nearly lost his job. She had been a pushy woman who barged into the house and bullied her way through the rooms as if she already owned the listing. Then there was that that snoopy town photographer who had invaded their privacy after her Dad got the position at the museum ousting Alterious. That man had wanted to know about Alterious's accident with the shark and about Alterious's fall-out with the museum staff. It was all so confusing. All those things mattered and yet they didn't. Not when Avlin had something so special in her life. Something that had to be kept a secret. Everything paled beside the fact that things had changed for Avlin.
Avlin gulped and tried to stay calm. Had they had been seen?
Avlin ran out of her bedroom and dashed down the cramped wooden hall. Winifin scrambled along behind her. "I have going to get help. It's illegal to take pictures of people in their house." She opened the front door and peered out. Whoever had been there was gone. Racing into the kitchen she picked up the phone, then paused. Who could she call? The police? How would she explain Winifin? To her astonishment, her fingers dialed Arterious Grenlin's phone number. Her hands shook as they held the phone to her ear. It rang twice before someone picked up.
"Hello?" said a gruff voice on the other end of the phone. At first Avlin didn't answer "Mr. Grenlin?" she managed, her voice trembling. "Avlin?" snapped the voice. "Are you ok? What's wrong?" Avlin took a deep breath. Tears ran down her cheeks. She was about to betray Winifin and it hurt a lot. "Oh, I am so frightened. Somebody took a picture of us! I know it someone was outside my window. They took a picture of… " Avlin closed her eyes, "Him." They both knew she meant Winifin.
"Who was it?" demanded Alterious.
"I don't know I didn't see their face!"
"I'm coming over there right now! You're going to have to hide him."
Alterious hung up. A dead tone rang in Alvin's ear. Winifin licked her hand. She ignored him and put down the phone "That had she been thinking, calling Alterious?" She went over to the kitchen table and sat down. Winifin laid his head on her lap and hummed soothingly. At last there was the scrape of a cane on the porch followed by the ungainly step of a man with a bum leg. The doorknob turned slowly, then the door swung open and Alterious Grenlin slipped inside the kitchen. His gaze went immediately to Winifin before shifting to Avlin's pale face.
"You ought to have him hidden!" He whispered urgently and he began ushering her with his twisted old cane down into the cellar. With Winifin beside her Avlin hurried down the basement steps. Alterious thumped down behind her. As they reached the bottom of the stairs he looked around at the various boxes stacked there. Avlin figured he was trying to ascertain how much junk he could use to hide Winifin. He hobbled over to a plastic pool that had been stored there for a number of years.
"Fill this with water!" he growled. Avlin didn't question him at all. She went over to the basement sink and picked up nozzle of the hose which her dad had left attached to the faucet. As Alterious positioned the pool against the wall, Avlin filled it with cold water. Winifin hid in a corner nervously watching them. Alterious began fiddling with a hoolahoop and an old dusty curtain. Minutes passed. All Avlin could do is watch him meddle with object after object until he had rigged up a curtain in front of the pool. Then he surrounded the pool with boxes, pieces of old gates, spare lumber, and a broken TV. He stepped back to examine his handy work. It looked like… a heap of junk. Avlin figured it was better than nothing. Alvin tossed a couple of her old toys into the pool.
"Winifin!" she called. Winifin crawled past her and gracefully slid into the pool. He looked rather pleased with his new play area and rolled around bumping the plastic toys.
"Good boy! Winifin." Avlin turned and left, carefully adjusting the junk so that Winifin was completely hidden. "Thanks!" She began addressing Alterious but he was no longer there, Avlin heard the thud of his cane on the stair and then the slam of the kitchen door. Avlin tiptoed up the stairs. She shut the basement door behind her. Hearing her depart, Winifin began to howl pitifully. She ran to her room and slammed her door trying to block out the noise. She felt terrible for Winifin. When he continued to cry from his hidden place, Avlin went over to the grate in the corner of her room and spoke comfortingly to him. Winifin ceased to wail, but she could hear him moving around restlessly in his pool. "Please, Winifin, it won't be for long. Only until we catch the sneak who took our picture. I promise to come visit you later. When he fell silent, she went to bed and reached underneath it to pull out her math book. Opening it, Avlin began her school. She knew she'd need all the evening time for Winifin now. He was used to being with her all the time. She'd have to make sure she didn't fall behind in her studies.
By the time her mother unlatched the front door and walked across the threshold into the kitchen. Avlin had finished her homework.
"Avlin I'm Home!"Meria called, keys jingling.
Avlin jammed her Geography book into a drawer in her dresser. She ran down the hall to the kitchen where her mom was setting her briefcase on the counter. Alvin hugged her tightly.
"Oh man, you were gone forever!" She breathed into her mother's sweater. Her mom hugged her back.
"You seem to have missed me more than usual today!"
Avlin looked up at her Mom, stepped away and shrugged awkwardly.
Her mom laughed as she strode down the hallway and into her room. Avlin glanced at the freezer thinking of Winifin down stairs. She went back to her room dragging her feet.
"Is Dad coming home today?" She yelled through her mom's closed door.
"Not today but he said He might stop by tomorrow."
"Oh." Avlin said dully and continued into her room.
Collapsing onto the bed with a sigh, she wished her father were here. She could have told him about Winifin and he would have understood. He might have even known what to do about the picture taker. He always had a plan, even if it was just to get donuts. There was always the route, the method, and the timing. Yea, he was always talking about timing… how life pulsed in patterns that played out in such a way as to make it important to plan for the unexpected. Well, the unexpected had arrived and he wasn't around to help her plan out a solution.
"Did you finish your home work!" called her mom from somewhere in the house.
"Yes!" Avlin hollered. Then suddenly, she had an idea. "Can I call Kathy?"
"I think that's a great idea," her mother replied.
Avlin hopped out of bed, trotted down the hall and went into the kitchen where her mom was starting a pot of boiling water. She opened up the cabinet where her mother had taped a sheet of white paper. The numbers of various people were penciled there, beginning with Alterious Grenlin. She dialed Kathy's number. As the she waited she tried to muster up the courage to face a possible rejection. After all, she hadn't been very nice to Kathy. There was no reason to expect any friendly response to this call. In fact, maybe this wasn't such a good idea… Avlin decided to hang up.
"Hello, who's calling please.?"
Avlin recognized Kathy's cheerful voice. "Hi Kathy, this is Avlin."
"Hi Avlin, what's up? Finally break the enchantment of silence that the sea dragons placed on you?"
Avlin giggled at this strange response. "No, there's no spell on me." Well aware that her mother was listening Avlin kept the conversation regular. "Do you think you could come over today?" Kathy let out a squeak of glee. "Sure what time?" Avlin thought a moment. "How about 5:00 pm it will still be light out and we can go for a walk on the beach. I think I found something, something weird. Kathy was ecstatic. "All right! I'll see you at five."
Avlin hung up. She let out a long sigh. It wasn't as hard to talk to Kathy as she thought.
"Is it okay if Kathy and I go for a walk on the beach after dinner?!"
"Sure!" her mom answered. "We're having spaghetti tonight. It's your turn to do the dishes."
Avlin was so relieved at the prospect of meeting with Kathy, she didn't mind doing the dishes at all. She had to tell someone about Winifin and who was more trustworthy than Kathy, the dragon lover. If Kathy didn't believe her nobody would. Well, not counting Alterious. And wasn't that just the weirdest thing, Alterious helping her hide Winifin. He didn't even ask how she got the water dragon. Maybe the old coot was more complicated than he appeared. He hadn't called her mother or her father. Why not?
Avlin met Kathy on the beach. The girl was walking down the shore carrying her usual books under her arm and wearing a ridiculously long black cloak. She wasn't wearing her glasses which actually made her face look thinner and her hair was tied back in a ponytail She looked different since last Avlin saw her, but not in a bad way. When they came together, Kathy greeted Avlin with a side grin.
"I'm ready for an adventure," Kathy announced. She swirled her cloak and produced a sinister look.
Avlin giggled. She had to admit Kathy had a terrific sense of humor. Avlin suddenly realized how much she wanted to share her secret. Kathy, with her sense of imagination and her willingness to accept what most people would scoff at was the perfect person to share in the secret. Suddenly, Avlin couldn't wait to confide in her.
"Well," Avlin began seriously, "Actually I wanted to show you something that you won't believe!"
Kathy leaned closer. "Really? And what is it."
Avlin drew breath glancing around the empty beach. "I found a real sea dragon!"
"Really?" Kathy's eyes widened. "And it didn't eat you?
"Of course not!" Avlin grumbled, "That's an old wives' tale. Sea dragons eat shrimp."
"I found his egg on the beach and I hatched him. His name is Winifin… "
The two girls stood with their head together, giggling, then serious, then giggling once more. Finally, they hooked arms and turned towards Avlin's house. Kathy's cloak billowed out behind her as she listened attentively to Avlin's chatter. Above the girls, standing on a sand dune, Alterious Grenlin watched with thoughtful eyes.
Avlin and Kathy giggled as they tromped up the steps of the porch together.
"Wait a moment Kathy." Avlin whispered in a hushed voice as they reached the front door. "Mom has no idea about Winifin. He is down stairs in the basement. Do we have a plan to get down there without her noticing?"
Kathy gave her a look of dread, "Oh my gosh, Avlin, moms notice everything."
Avlin held Kathy's arm "Look, just think of a good reason to get in the cellar."
"Ok." Kathy twisted the doorknob and swung open the wooden door to reveal the little painted kitchen.
"Hello Kathy!" Avlin's Mother said almost immediately.
"Hi Mrs. Thunbergade!"
"So how have you been?"Meria asked.
Kathy looked at Avlin "Fine. I am writing about werewolves, I am hoping to get it published by the end of the year. I just need to type it up!"
Meria gasped in surprise. " I wish you the best of luck with that!"
"Thanks!" Kathy replied, aware that Avlin was fidgeting beside her, "By the way, Avlin and I are going down to the cellar to look for a bucket to collect sea shells."
"Ok. Just be careful you two."
Kathy smiled at Avlin shrewdly.
"We will!" Avlin said as she followed Kathy to the basement stairs.
"Whew!" Avlin sighed, giving Kathy a high five, "That wasn't half bad!"
Kathy nodded her face beaming. "Thanks!"
Kathy and Avlin became very quiet as they neared the pile of rubble behind which Winifin slept.
"Winifin!" Avlin called out. There was a scraping sound then a splash. Avlin reached out and pulled aside the curtain. Kathy clapped her hand over her mouth to stop from crying out. There in the little pool was winifin in the guise of a scaly swan. Kathy swallowed before searching around for her voice.
"It's a dragon!"
Avlin glanced sideways at Kathy, she saw that her friend's eyes had welled up with tears "By all the thunderbirds!" Kathy exclaimed, "Dragons were real all along."
Avlin turned her eyes back on Winifin. He dropped his head on the rim of the pool, his eyes dull and foggy.
'Wait a moment," Avlin whispered, "I think there is something wrong with him!" Avlin ran forewards through the broken gate. She leaned over Winifin and gently touched his head. Winifin gurgled, raised his head to look at her, then slowly lowered his head back upon the rim of the pool.
"Oh my gosh, he is sick!" Avlin said.
Kathy looked frightened as she lifted Winifin's small head into her cupped hands. "Avlin is there anything you haven't done for him?"
Avlin shook her head biting her nails with fear "Wait! Alterious told me something about sea salt!" Avlin exclaimed out loud. She spun around and raced from the cellar. Leaping up the stairs she burst into the kitchen.
"Avlin what's the matter?" Her mother asked as Avlin flew into the kitchen in a wild frenzy. She slowed glancing around at the cabinets "Can I just have some salt?" Avlin's Mom tilted her head "Avlin what's going on?" she asked urgently.
"Mom, I am so scared!"
Meria stiffened, "What is Kathy hurt?"
"No, she's fine. You won't believe what I have to tell you.But first can I have the salt?" Avlin's Mom spun around and began tearing through the kitchen cabinets. She tossed a salt shaker to Avlin who immediately ran for the basement stairs. " Hurry Mom, this is an emergency!" Both mother and daughter raced down the stairs together.
"Kathy! MOM KNOWS!" Avlin screamed as she ran down the last flight. Avlin grabbed her mom's arm as they neared the rubble. "Please don't be mad at me Mom. I didn't want to hide this from you." Avlin went over to the pool and sprinkled salt onto Winifin. Her mother came to stand beside her and surveyed Winifin for the first time.
"Avlin why didn't you tell me?" Her mother gasped.
Avlin sobbed as she poured all the salt into the water. I was scared you would take him away."
Winifin closed his eyes sliding beneath the water. Before their eyes something began to happen. A light glowed forth from him spinning like a translucent whirlpool. He began to glow brighter and brighter. Avlin, Meria, and Kathy shut their eyes against the light. A thunderous roar broke forth from his throat, like the sound of crashing waves. Then the light faded away into the darkness of the cellar. The three people looked at the creature that crushed the pool beneath its tremendous weight. A serpent scaled in white and blue fins coiled atop the flattened plastic pool. Meria stepped back, hands trembling over her mouth. She was too shocked to react to the water all over the basement floor. "Its not real it can't be," she muttered.
From above them, in the kitchen, came the unmistakable sound of suitcases rolling down the floorboards of the hallway.
"Meria? Avlin? I 'm hooome!"
"Dad," shrieked Avlin, "come down into the basement!" She heard footsteps at the top of the cellar steps "Avlin, what are you doing in the basement?"
"Dad! I need you!" Avlin heard her dad start down the cellar stairs.
"Does your mother know your down here?" He stopped at the bottom step. His jaw dropped. His eyes bulged. He stared at Winifin, his dark brown hair ruffled by his trip. "While you were gone I found something and tried to raise it without telling anyone. I should never have done it but I didn't want to lose Winifin." Avlin blubbered.
Her dad stepped forward to gawk at the sight of Winifin sitting on the crushed pool and surrounded by water. He turned, looked at Meria, Kathy, and finally at Avlin. "He can't stay here."
"But Dad"
"I know this creature. I have seen it before. It's going to break your heart, but you must return him to the sea."
Kathy slipped past Avlin, looking both embarrassed and ashamed. "I guess I'd better go home now."
Avlin looked at her desperately, " I'll call you tomorrow. Thanks for trying to help Winifin and me." Kathy looked back at Avlin's father as she climbed the basement stairs. Alvin's father heaved a heavy sigh "This creature is a wild thing and no house can hold it. Do you understand? It belongs to the sea." Avlin's father paused a moment then spoke quietly," We'll load him into the back of the pickup truck and bring him to 'Old Man Shadow', the sea cave at the other end of the shore. He will be safe there. Meria, everything will be fine. Avlin and I will take care of this. It won't take long. Come on Avlin, call him if he grows any bigger we won't be able to get him out of this cellar."
Avlin's Mom pulled herself together to help her daughter and husband. "I'll call Alterious and let him know what's going on."
Avlin's Father nodded "Sounds like a plan." Her father and mother hurried up the stairs leaving Avlin alone with Winifin. "Come on Winifin, it's time for you to go home." Winifin uncoiled his body and slithered up the stairs behind her. He seemed subdued by her sadness. They reached the top of the stairs together squeezed around the kitchen table and slipped out the back door. Her father had parked the pick up, rear first, behind the house.
Avlin coaxed Winifin into the pick up truck. He stuffed himself into the rear bed with a hiss of displeasure. They tossed a tarp over him "Good boy Winifin stay there!" Avlin whispered urgently. Pulling open the door on the passenger side, she climbed into the front seat. Her father glanced in the rearview mirror as he pulled away from the house. "Honey, I know it's hard and I am sorry we have to do this, but you will understand someday." Avlin didn't answer as the starred out the window watching the ocean drift by. "Alterious is waiting for his dragon to come back, isn't he?" she asked. Her father peered through the front windshield as he drove carefully along the beach. "No," he said so softly Avlin could hardly hear him "Why can't you call them back?" she asked sadly, "Won't they remember that we cared for them?" Her father drew breath "No, they won't." Avlin swallowed hard "Why not?" Her father stepped on the gas and the pickup sped along the beach. As they arrived at the cave he slowed the truck to a stop. "You have to understand, these creatures were born to the sea and to the sea they shall return. Alterious believed his dragon would stay with him forever. He was wrong. Sea Dragons are wild, unpredictable creatures." Avlin leaned her head on the back of her seat. "So, Alterious waited all these years for his dragon to return." Avlin's father turned off the engine.
Her father fished around in his pocket. He withdrew his hand and revealed a strange, sapphire jewel that glittered oddly. Inside the jewel rested a single glimmering tear. Avlin took it from him gazing at with amazement, "What is it?" She asked.
Her dad winked at her. "You can figure that out, but I think you already know." She handed it back with trembling fingers. "You had a dragon, too."
Smiling knowingly, he stuffed it back in his jacket pocket.
They climbed out of the truck now parked at the mouth of 'Old Man Shadow'. A cold wind rushed up beside her. She sighed and walked to the back of the truck .Her father unlatched the back door and opened it and pulled the tarp off the hidden dragon. Winifin uncoiled stretching and spilling out onto the gold sand. "Come on Winifin!" Avlin called. He followed her into the mouth of the cave. With her father in the lead, they wove through the darkness. About a mile into the cave, the darkness opened up to a cliff that overlooked the sea. Ten feet below the cliff, ocean waves lapped at its stony shore and the sun sparkled across the water. Winifin froze surveying the ocean. His tongue flicked out swiftly. He pounced toward the edge of the cliff, leaped and landed with a tremendous splashed into the sea below. His head popped up among the waves. He floated there, joyfully dipping his head again and again into the crest of each coming wave. Avlin's Father squeezed her shoulder. "He will be happy here where he can smell the breeze and live among the shoals." Her Father hugged her tightly then stepped back to the cave. "I'll leave you two alone so you can say good bye." Avlin nodded. Her father left, his footsteps echoing away into silence. Avlin watched Winifin until at last he looked up at her. He swam to the cliff's edge and lifted his head so that his eyes were level with hers. She gently stroked his head. "Winifin?" She asked bending down and looking into his eyes. "Can you do something for me?" Avlin sighed swallowing her tears "Give me one last ride before you leave." Winifin's eyes searched hers, as though understanding this strange question. He let out a roar as he changed in whirl of hazy smoke. And before her, he appeared as a beautiful horse. He reared, the white of his coat cast orange in the light from the sun. Avlin stepped forward in awe. Grasping hold of his mane and she pulled herself on to his back. She sat there hardly daring to breath scared to death and yet exited. Was he going to really take her for a ride? She was almost thrown off as he leaped off the cliff and galloped across the water that stretched out before them like a vast blue field of grass. Avlin hung on for dear life as they rode the waves. They galloped onto the open sea. He ran parallel to the shore. "If I could be a seagull… ," Avlin whispered singing a lyrically song that echoed in her soul, "then I would be alone… " As the foam splashed her face she stood slowly balancing herself as expertly as she could. "… above the waves we ran, as fire on the sea, unbroken as one before the crossroads of Heaven, proud as one who stands before the gates of hell and fears no evil. And as we ran," she cried aloud, "the sea roared, the waves cried, and we tumbled into legend." Avlin breathed as she surfed through the air on Winifin's back "So this is how it feels to fly." She saw her father's truck as Winifin galloped across the water. The truck swerved and stopped. Avlin's Father appeared beside the truck, frantically waving his arms. "Avlin!" He shouted, but his voice faded away. Avlin raised her arms up like wings. She sang her song to Winifin, hoping he would never forget her. "Whilst we road the roses wilted, the grass withered, and the harbors of Heaven opened up and rained down on us, It rained tears it rained fire, it rained thunder, it rained wind, It rained freedom." At last, the ocean ride snatched her breath away.
Suddenly, on the shoreline, stood Alterious with his crooked cane, and bent back. As he spotted Alvin and Winifin racing over the waves, he straightened and his crooked cane fell from his fingers. And his old overcoat was torn from his back and there he stood on the edges of the sea as he had once stood as a young boy. But he wasn't looking at them. He was looking past them Avlin's head turned to see what Alterious saw. There, in the frothy crest of breaking waves, arched necks broke the surface of the tumbling waves followed by humped backs and rainbow-colored sails. One after another, the dragons came out of the secret blue depths of the ocean. Each one, uniquely beautiful, each one powerful and sleek and swift as the reflections that skipped across midnight waters under a moonlight sea. Winifin slowed to a stop near the shore and Avlin slid off his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Goodbye Winifin."
Winifin turned his head toward the strangers. They arched their long necks and called to him. In an echoing chorus they began to sing, those creatures in the water they roared thunder in a sad song of solitude a song about waves and seabirds worlds to see.
She heard the pickup truck squeal to a stop behind her. Her father was suddenly beside her, his strong arms around her.
" It's okay, honey. I'm here."
Avlin turned and looked at him with despair. She saw Alterious, standing off to one side, tears running down his face."They're here they came back." He whispered.
Winifin gently rubbed his muzzle against Avlin's face. Avlin patted Winifin's neck. Winifin shook his mane. He laid his head on her shoulder, Avlin felt something hard bounce over shoulder and land near her foot she looked down and there in the sand was a Saphire gem inside rested a single solitary tear."
Winifin slid back into the ocean, slowly retreating from the shore until at last joined his kind. Alterious, Avlin, and her father watched as Winifin made his final change. He began to glow. His fins spread along his back, fanning out into magnificent sails to catch the sun. His horns grew from his head, curling into the adult form and over his eyes a corral mask formed, hiding his expressive eyes behind it. His neck lengthened Glass scales encased his sleek form. Winifin had made his final change. His roar echoed, crashing like thunder over the Atlantic to echo off mountains on some distant shore.
Avlin stepped forward and shouted the final words of her song to him, "We were untouchable and wild as one who rides the tendrils of the wind across threshold of the horizon. We were one!" She cried.
Winifinatril looked back at her once more and began to descend into the waves. He began to trumpet a wistful song that swept across to Avlin like weeping. The other Dragons turned into the failing sun with Winifin in they're midst. Slowly they began to go their separate ways. Some swam East others West. Winifinatril sailed neither way but swam into the setting sun. They watched his form disappearing onto the sea. As the sun sank with him it set the entire ocean afire. Amidst that shimmering sight Winifin was lost.
And in the final rays of the day, three people stood watching the empty ocean - three people who were forever joined in a secret that would belong only to those who knew, dreamed and believed in the legend of The Senitori Seahorse of The Atlantic.
"They never really leave you," Avlin said softly as she clutched Winifin's tear in the palm of her hand,"as long as you never forget them."
The End
