Minu and the Mermaids

Everyone else just tried to fight the urge to collapse and waited. Saoirse didn't know how long she waited out there, but she could see the blood she had stained the wood with was now frozen solid. She hugged herself as an old man rushed to greet his son, covered in dust and broken bits of light blue crystals. Another boy, about eleven, gasped at the sight of his older sibling, stumbling through the door. So many others, waiting. Saoirse put her forehead on the frozen fence. She almost wanted to leave and go home. She knew how bad accidents in winter were. There was no point in waiting here . . . She stepped away from the fence, and saw them. That white hair that seemed to glow, a feature Saoirse had inherited from her mother. They were barely standing, her father carrying most of the weight of her mother, who didn't seem to be able to use her left legs, and was struggling to stay conscious. Saoirse didn't know when she started crying, but she soon noticed the drops of ice on her cheeks. They trudged through the snow, nearly falling as they made their way toward the gate. Finally, they made it past, and Saoirse took her mother's other arm, trying to help them. She looked up at her father, still crying and trying to just keep breathing. He looked at her, with those caramel colored eyes of his, a heavy sadness filling them. "We made it."

Hanako McDonald, Age 11

Hanako, age 11, lives in Ann Arbor. She likes to write because It makes her imagination full of happiness. In addition to writing, she enjoys making people laugh and smile with her writing. Japan inspired Hanako’s writing. She likes writing because she likes to make people laugh and smile with her writing. She would like to live in a world where she could use magic.

Minu and the Mermaids

Minu wants to follow the scroll that leads her into the ocean. She found it in her old abandoned house with her best friend Glaze. Glaze prepares a ship for her. Her dog Wave and Glaze say farewell to Minu’s Aunt and Glaze's father. Weeks passed. One day, one of the ship's men said, ”Land ho!” Everyone cheered and sure enough, you could see a tiny dot that was covered in gray . . . Suddenly a huge shadow came underneath the ship and, boom! A huge whale hit the ship. Again and again it hit the ship until the ship broke and split in two. Everyone fell off, including Minu and Wave and Glaze. Minu thought that she was going to die here. "Help help help!" she thought in her mind. Just then her right eye gleamed in the ocean light. Her blond hair turned into a shiny blue and her legs became shiny blue scales. “I . . . I can breathe!” Minu looked at her body. “I . . . I’m a mermaid!” she gasped. She swam in circles leaping with joy. “Oh no! No time to play. Gotta save everyone!” She swam up to the shore and saw the broken ship. There, she saw Wave on a piece of wood. Minu swam up to Wave. “Are you OK, Wave?!” “Woof!” said Wave. “Oh goody. Wait . . . where’s Glaze?!” Minu swam and swam until she found Glaze sinking in the water. “Oh no!” She swam as fast as she could and grabbed Glaze, then she swam to the broken ship. “Glaze wake up!” Minu started crying. Her shiny tears fell into the ocean. Just then, the ocean gleamed with light. Almost so bright that Minu couldn't see. Then, she saw something swimming. Actually, a bunch. Minu squinched her eyes. It looked like hundreds of blue scales swimming with the waves. “They’re . . . M . . . Mermaids?!” Minu gasped. There were hundreds of beautiful mermaids swimming over to Minu. They all circled Minu. “Hurray for Minu!” they cheered. Minu looked at the crowd., “I . . . can't believe it!” Some Mermaids were healing Glaze and Wave. The mermaides put their hands on Wave and Glaze. The mermaids’ hands glowed blue. Glaze

and Wave woke up. “Ugg . . . what happened?” Glaze moaned. “Glaze . . . y . . . you're alive!!!” Minu hugged Glaze. “Woah you're a mermaid.” Glaze gasped. “Hehe. I know.” Wave licked Minu on the chin. “Woof!” “Wave!” Minu’s eyes filled up with tears. A mermaid came up to Minu and every Mermaid bowed to her. “I’m so glad you're OK, Minu.” Minu glanced at her. Just then her memory flashed. Minu felt like she was in her memories. She saw herself when she was a baby. She saw someone holding her. She had blonde hair, that's all she could see. Minu saw something else. It was her holding someone's hand and laughing. Minu looked very young. The person she was holding had blonde hair and her left eye was blue just like Minu’s gleaming in the light. Then, Minu saw herself crying. Someone kissed her forehead and hugged her. “We will meet again Minu I promise.” Said a woman with tears in her eyes. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. Her right eye was covered with her blond hair. “Just like me . . .” said Minu with tears in her eyes. Her memory flashed again. She was back with all the mermaids. “M . . . Mom . . . ” Minu cried and jumped on the mermaid. “My precious Minu . . . ” Minu’s mom cried and her right eye gleamed. Everyone cheered, and Wave wagged his tail and barked. Some days passed. “I wonder if Minu’s OK . . . ” sighed Aunt Lory. Just then she heard someone calling her name , “Aunt Lory!” Aunt Lory gasped and ran out the door onto the sea shore. “My! Isn't that Minu . . . with . . . MERMAIDS?!” Aunt Lory halfway fainted. Some minutes later, Aunt Lory heard Minu, “Aunt Lory, Aunt Lory! Are you OK?” Aunt Lory got up. There were mermaids circling all over her. One mermaid came up to her. “Sister Lory! Thank you so much for taking care of Minu.” Aunt Lory gasped. “My goodness isn't that my dear sister!” Aunt Lory jumped into the water and hugged Minu’s mom. Everyone cheered. Some years have passed and the city where Minu now lives is called Mermaid Island. There are mermaids all in the water. Minu, Glaze, Wave, Aunt Lory, and Minu’s mom now all live together by the shore. “Haha! Stop splashing water at me, mom!” Minu and Minu’s mom are playing in the water. “Minu! It's lunch time,” Aunt Lory said. Minu got out of the water. She turned into a human. “OK, Aunt Lory. Bye mom!” Minu ran with bare feet, digging her feet in the smooth sand running to Aunt Lory’s house.

The End