The Stolen Queen: Chapter 1

Editor’s note: This is the second part of a story written by Sophia Squire, an eighth grade home-school student who lives in St. Ansgar. The prologue to this chapter is available at thegazette.com/kids. Chapter 2 will be published in January.

Are you a young writer like Sophia? Submit your original story to kids@thegazette.com — we would love to read and share your work.

You might have wondered what it’s like to not have one of your senses. People say if you’re blind, you have superb hearing.

For me, it’s different.

I can’t hear, so you might think, “Can you see better, then?” Nope! I even have glasses.

I supposed I was missing out, not being able to hear the waves on the beach. But I just liked the water.

I was on the beach with my friend, Naomi. We surfed and went to competitions together. I was familiar with the water and knew how it felt.

On that day, though, the water felt different. Restless, almost. It was unsettling because, as the water swirled around my ankles, I heard a voice.

It was a woman. She cried out, “Save my people!” Then, she went silent.

Naomi didn’t seem to notice it. She just headed into the waves like always.

I looked around nervously. Nobody else was here. Who was this?

I looked down at the water — and saw it was glowing.

I blinked, and it was gone.

Come on, Liliana. Follow Naomi and stop freaking out.

I’d been told to never go in the water when the conditions were right for riptides. The forecast that day should have been perfect for swimming.

At least, I thought.

With my first step past the breaker waves, I lost my footing and was pulled under by the current. It was glowing again, a line of fast moving, glowing water. Water filled my nose and mouth and burned my eyes. I kicked in panic, my mind clouding. I felt myself being pulled out to sea. My heart beat fast against my rib cage. I needed air.

When I sucked in a breath, fearing it would be my last, I didn’t breathe in water.

Only air.

Under the ocean.

Then, I felt it. The change in me.

When I pressed my hands to the water, it pushed back from me.

I was standing in sand.

What happened to me?

You decide: Where did the ocean push Liliana?

A. Back onto the beach, where Naomi found her.

B. To a sandy peninsula she had never visited before.