Chpt. 1

Cold dark water consumed her, pulling her down to swallow her whole. She struggled to stay above, drawing in water instead of air. Her arms flailed at her sides, legs kicking with a prayer of keeping her alive.

A wave slapped her face, sending rushes of pain up her sinuses. She couldn’t see, couldn’t find any land. Though, she sensed the presence of a Polic Shark, the largest and quickest sea animal below her.

She didn’t want to give way to leaving it signals there were pray above it, but her own life was being stolen by the churning waves. She shivered as her hand grasped the rock above her head. Only when she looked, did she see it was a large board from passing ships.

She swung her leg over the side and attempted to successfully make it atop the mis-made raft. Her breath was ragged, full of water in her lungs. She coughed over the edge, not bothering to cover her mouth like she was taught.

“Milo!” A voice shouted from ashore.

“I’m here, Elaine!” She paddled herself towards the woman’s voice.

“Dusks approaching, and so is the Polic Shark’s feeding hour!”

S**t, Milo scolded herself. She knew swimming out in Arakawa Ocean would only get her killed. The sharks below her were bred to the waters to keep out intruders.

“I’m coming as fast as I c-” She was cut off when a tail fin bumped her off the tiny raft.

She hit front first, knocking the air from her lungs. Water ate its way up her sinuses, leaving behind a painful, salty residue.

This ocean just hates me, she grumbled in her thoughts. And she managed to get her head above water before a Polic shark locked its powerful jaws around her shoulder. In attempt to escape, Milo kicked at the shark’s ribs, trying to not go all force to save some energy. She knew Elaine was watching the water, hoping her head would surface.

The brute fighting to keep her down stared at her with clear, white eyes. The Polic Sharks hunted by sound, and were completely blind. And at the smell of her blood leaving from her wounded shoulder, the rust colored beast was in frenzy.

His tail jerked in rapid movements, signaling others around him that he found a meal. Though, many ignored his call, coming only if he was in distress.

Milo dug into the pocket in her cargo pants, feeling around for her pocket knife. I know it’s dull, but the wound will distract him. Her fingers fumbled to grip the knife handle.

Damit, everything’s going black.

She jammed the knife into the shark’s pupil, stunning it for a moment. She wiggled free of its jaws as it writhed in agony. Its head shook vigorously, trying to dislodge the object from its eye.

Milo’s shoes scrapped against the concrete dock as she anchored her upper half upon it. Elaine cupped her arms under her adopted daughter’s, helping to balance her weight.

Milo glanced up into her foster mother’s brown eyes. “I guess I’m sorry?”

“You better be!” Elaine shouted, keeping her hand on the ignorant teen’s unwounded shoulder to keep her steady. “Oh boy. Cameron’s gunna be patching your arm.”

“Yeah, I know. I didn’t know the ocean would get a rain storm this early in Evergreen season.” Milo winced as Elaine probed one of her bite indents.

“Cameron already stitched your leg with the encounter of the hawk.” Elaine reminded sharply. “He’s going to be furious when he sees your shoulder.”

Milo shrugged as she followed behind her onto the streets of their town life. Nakatani stood proud with its large clock tower over head, filling the small town with rather loud bells every hour.

“What can I say? Nature hates me.” Milo chuckled to herself.

Elaine stopped them at a curve in the pavement as she waited to cross. A horseman nodded towards her as he trotted off.

She blew at the loose strands of red hair as it fell to touch her nose. Her hair was pulled back into a long braid which came down to her thigh. Her cheeks were high, and freckles dotted her face. She wore a white tee with overalls.

Milo was the opposite, natural blonde curls around her face in a wet mess as it clung to her narrow face. Her violet eyes watched always with a curiosity of the world around her. Her cargo pants and black tank top were wet enough to stick to her every curve.

Elaine decided to pick up a conversation. “Has the dream been reoccurring still?”

“Yes…”Milo gave a slight shiver as a cold wind touched her. “The same one where the ship sunk and everyone died…” Her voice trailed off. “So much blood…all my fault…”

“Milo Bitter!” Elaine bumped her. “You listen to me.” She took Milo by the face. “You are not a murderer. You didn’t kill them.”

“Every Rankoku must take blame for any incident they’re in. We defy God and life.” Milo continued her follow behind Elaine as her foster mother crossed the road. “We are the cause for death.”

Elaine spun around to slap her daughter and Milo hid behind her hands like they were a shield. “Enough with the pessimistic crap. I raised you better than that.”

“Yes, Ma’m.” Milo nodded. “Only, I was recalling what my master told me before he sold me.”

“Your master’s dead now.” Elaine narrowed her eyes. “And second, you’re not a pet, you’re my daughter. You may be different, but you’re a being just like every damn person in this town. So straighten up and act your age, and stop blaming yourself for what happened twelve years ago.”

Without hearing another word, the red headed woman turned her back on Milo and headed forward once more. Milo instinctively followed as if Elaine had her on a leash.

“I’m sixteen this year, aint I, Elaine?” Milo gave a smile.

“Yeppers. March third, right?” She stopped on the first step to their house.

Milo nodded, glancing at the house she knew too well. It was tall, two stories. Most houses in Nakatoni were one story unless a hotel. The white paint curled a little at the bottom of some windows, the only three in the house. One in the living room / kitchen area�"which consumed most of the first story- only to leave a downstairs bathroom. One in her parents’ room, and one in her room.

“When’s Jay commin’ home?” Milo cautiously asked as they entered the house. “Wait, hold that thought, I’m going to get changed.”

Her fingers spidered over the railing upstairs and she proceeded to her room. The old, polished boards squeaked under her running shoes.

Cameron was fixing his bedpost as she made her way past her parents’ room. She kept a silent prayer to be thankful he didn’t see her wounds just yet.

Her forehead nearly bumped the top of the door frame as she stood a good five foot eight. The frame hung low, for the members previously living in the residence were rather much smaller.

Milo’s room could’ve been the living room for how it was designed. A bed sat in the far corner of the medium sized room, closest to the window. A bear rug- complete with head, paws, and tail- was sprawled out in front of a long couch, looking as if it were awaiting itself to rest upon it. Two book shelves, brimmed with books Milo seemed to be very fond of and read cover to cover snugged in the corner. On the far right was a lamp, tall, black and sturdy. And to ruin the look of a living room, her dresser with a rather large mirror hung out against the wall next to her bed.

She stripped down, wanting to rid herself of the wet clothes when a sharp pain pinched her shoulders. She whimpered slightly.

“Oh right. The shark bite.” She mumbled. “Cameron’s gunna be so pissed.”

She slipped on another pair of cargo pants, these ones with a camo design and a white tank top. She balled her socks up into her shoes and stashed them under her bed for safe keeping.

“What the hell did you do to your arm? Milo Jade Bitter!”

She knew that voice too well and it made her flinch.

“It’ll take all day to stitch you up all good!” Cameron threw his wrench and it smacked her in the back of the head.

She faced him. “All I can say is that nature hates me.” She shrugged.

Cameron’s dark hazel eyes focused on her. He had a good, chiseled face with black hair pulled into a small pony tail. On him were faded jeans and a tight red tee.

“You stupid Rankoku.” He smacked her upside the head. “Maybe I shouldn’t stitch you up.”

“Good, I don’t care if you do.” Milo rolled her eyes.

“Sorry to interrupt your fun…” Elaine entered. “but there seems to be a call for you Milo. She says she’s your mother?”