Introduction

Growing up I always felt a little bit different. Now this isn't one of those stories about the outcast loner who was some sort of freaky weirdo. I had quite a few friends and a lot of fond memories. I grew up in a very poor orphanage, so we didn't have many toys, but we made up our own games. We were like one big family and it was always a mixture of devastation and excitement when someone got adopted.

When I say I knew I was different, I mean I was always a little deeper than the other kids. More thoughtful. More observant. I would sit up at night for hours staring up at the moon, like if I stared long enough I would end up there. I was always so intrigued by the moon and the sun. I remember as a child people used to warn me not to stare at the sun, it would damage my eyes. But I found it hard not to stare. It was so beautiful. I also remember seeing people squinting when it was sunny and no one could look even near the sky without squeezing their eyes shut and tearing up. But not me. I've always been able to stare up at the sun without anything happening. I never teared up or squinted and my vision has always been perfect. Sometimes when the other kids wanted me to play during the day, or read them a story at night, I would have to say no because I felt this overwhelming pull from the sun or moon, calling me to sit in their rays and watch them glow. None of the kids really understood, but no one really ever picked on anyone in our orphanage. We would get a bully once and a while, but we always brought them down a few pegs.

Some of the kids have been at the orphanage for years, while others get dropped off and are only there a few months, weeks or sometimes even days. Some of the long timers remember being left by their parents. They have faint memories of what they look like and the day they were left. Others, like me, don't remember their parents at all. The difference with me, though, is all the other kids were dropped off at least on the door step in the middle of the night. But I was found in the middle of the woods. Clarice and Charlotte, the owners of the orphanage, told me the story once. They said they heard me crying in the middle of the night and rushed outside to see where I was. They followed my crying into the woods where they saw me in a small clearing, the moon shining directly on me. The ran over and quickly picked me up. As soon as they cradled me in their arms, not only did I stop crying, but the beam of moonlight disappeared. Clarice looked down at me. I had been left on the ground, no clothing, not even a diaper. Only a necklace. A key, with little gears, a star and a moon. Clarice held me close and decided to name me Selena, which means "The Moon". I have never taken off the necklace. Not once. Clarice and Charlotte said if any other baby had shown up with a necklace they would have taken it off, as it's a choking hazard. But something told them that they should leave mine on, so they tied it around my wrist until I was older, when they told me I could wear it as a necklace again. I always used to tell the other kids that the necklace was my mother's. I obviously had no idea who either of my parents were, but I felt like it was hers. Like she left it for me to have as a piece of her.

I used to sit up as I stared at the moon and dream about who my parents were. I would bet my father was an astronaut, really strong and handsome, with jet black hair and masculine jaw. And my mother was a philosopher, with long blonde hair, like mine. Really smart and cunning. I even made up a whole story of why they gave me up. My father had died in a shuttle accident just days after I was born. My mother hadn't told my father, but she was dying, so she knew she had to give me up, even though she didn't want to. She brought me close enough to the orphanage so I would be heard, but not too close so she might be seen. She hugged me and kissed me and told me how much she loved me before giving me her necklace. A moon key necklace my father gave her as a gift.

"It's the key to the stars." he told her as he gently put it around her neck. "As long as you have the key to the stars, you have the key to find me."

She gently placed it over my neck, kissed me once more, then fled through the woods. I hadn't really thought about why I wasn't clothed... But I didn't think it was important. I would play this scene in my head over and over again, the same exact way, until I fell asleep.

I had fallen asleep sitting up at the window on more than one occasion. Sometimes Clarice or Charlotte would notice and set me back in my bed. Ever since I came to the orphanage my bed had been next to the massive window in our bedroom. I had the perfect view of the moon and the Light Wings. Little butterfly like animals that had colourful wings that glowed bright. They flew around at night and made the most beautiful display of colours and light.

But there were also plenty of nights I spent reading to the littler kids who hadn't learned to read yet. Their favourite story was the one about the Royal's, which wasn't actually a book, just a story everyone knew. A true story, of course. Our world was sectioned off and run by the Royal's. The Princess of Water, the Princess of Air, the Prince of Fire, the Princess of Earth and the Princess of Lightning. All of the areas the Royal's lived in were the most gorgeous places you could see. Except for the Princess of Lightning. Her kingdom was dark all the time, with thick clouds that loomed over head, heavy fogs covering most of the ground. It was still beautiful in its own scary, eery way. All the Royal's were nice and honest people, other than her. Anyone who hadn't met her had heard she was evil and wanted to run the whole world by herself. People feared that with the power she had, it may one day be possible. But the other Royal's were incredibly powerful themselves. Each Royal had the power to control one element. The Princess of Water could control water, the Princess of Air could control air, and so on, each having a special key to their powers. They had been rumours, maybe more like a legend, of a sixth Royal. The Princess of Light. She was said to have all the powers of the other Royal's, plus her own special ones. But no one knew where she was. She was also said to be the only one who could successfully take down the Princess of Lightning, if she ever was to try taking over. I liked to believe in the Princess of Light. Someone made purely of good, wanting nothing but the best for the world. But I always knew there was no proof of her existence, so I wasn't really sure. Everyone said she would show herself one day. They said the ways he would come about was when she was old enough to rule, mature enough and responsible enough. They said her powers to spontaneously come about. Flames would grow in her presence, any sort of light would grow brighter. She would be able to bring happiness to anyone with the simple act of her smile. I hoped I could meet her if she ever came about. She seemed like a wonderful person. I bet her parents were amazing.

Author's Note

All feedback is appreciated

Reviews

[Hester Vane]

A great start, good concept. You have created an engaing narrative voice. My main gripe is that I think you need to indent or start new paragraphs throughout the piece whenever your speaker changes subject. Its just easier to read that way! But apart from that a great start.

[Elizabeth Reed]

Thank you very much! I know I need to need to do paragraphs, I'm so bad with it... I'll work on it. =)