Castaway by Kayla Hannaford (best young adult book series .TXT) 📕

Hi, my name is Caroline Mathews. I am a mythical creature called a changewing, a creature thought to be extinct. Unfortunately for our enemies, we still live. But, the humans don't know that. You may be wondering, what do the humans have to do with any of this? Well, you see, they are the ones who supposedly "killed" us. Crazy right? Anyways, now us changewings are in hiding. Most of us are in sanctuary, but some choose to live on Earth, or occasionally visit Earth, but still live in sanctuary, like myself.Others, they don't even know about sanctuary, so they are constantly hiding among the humans. So, what do we do when we are on Earth? Well, we pretend to be a human of course. i pretend to be a 16 year old girl, always going to parties, always wearing expensive clothes and high-heeled boots, going to school, and all that. Did I mention I was a singer as well? Well, I am and I'm quite famous too. Sounds like a perfect life, right? Wrong. Let's restart that intro, shall we?

Hi, my name is Caroline Mathews, and this is my story.

"Again, 'love'"

"Llsafuli"

With a frustrated sigh, Samantha got up and started to cook dinner. "Why can't you just speak one word in English? Not that nonsense language of yours?" Caroline, 8 years old, was frustrated as well. Why can't I speak this language? Amanda can and she is younger than me! I was confused, I could read and understand English, but never could speak it. The only exception is names and even then my tongue wants to roll them into other words, as if to say, Why speak another language when you already have your own?

I got up as well and joined my sister in our room. It was a tiny room, not surprising considering that they lived in a small apartment in New York City. On the left side of the room was Amanda's bed, toys-what little she had that is-and small, wooden dresser. On the left it was nearly identical, the only difference was less toys. In the center was a rug, woven by their mother, they got for Christmas 2 years ago, and on the wall a small window, facing the brick wall of the next door neighbors.

I walked over to Amanda, who was sitting on her bed, and sat down in front of her on the bed. "Llillafuli yuillll, Naillajhama rodlzifuli..." Live well, Fight brave....

"....Oaillai nsarolli" ....Die noble

That was how we often greeted each other. I know what it means, that it is important of some kind, but have no idea how I know it, or why it is important. Our mother hates it when we say our greeting in front of people. She says it makes her look bad because we are 7 and 8 years old and still speak gibberish. For some reason I get a little insulted by that and have an urge to defend the language we speak.

Amanda brought me out of my thoughts "Yuzinma masa ghdlzismaillasi saladl rillanoa-noghizih?" Want to practice our mind-speak?

I smiled and so did she. We recently discovered not only do we speak an entirely different language fluently, we can mind-speak as well. Amanda says it is because we are special, but I have a feeling, I don't know why though, that we are not entirely human. We have been working on this new ability for awhile, but can never perfect it no matter how hard we try. I only manage to give myself a headache after about an hour.

"Noladli, yuhaun nsama?" Sure, why not?

So, still no progress with speaking English? I heard Amanda's voice inside my head.

Nope, I don't get it. I can read English, understand English, mind-speak English, but can't speak English.

Bummer.

Is that all you have to say?

What is there to say?

True point.

Amanda gave a small giggle and I smiled at her, glad that one of us was having a good time.

As if reading my thoughts, Amanda changed the subject.

Imagine what people would think if they knew that we can do this?

Probably that since it is only 1900, we came from the future.

People have the craziest imaginations I tell you.

You sound so grown up, you must be from the future!

We both started laughing. After we calmed down, we started to draw in our makeshift notebooks. Our mother said she can't afford stuff like that, so we found another way to get notebooks. We used cardboard boxes and cut them to the size just slightly bigger than paper. Then, we poked holes into them and the paper so we can put the spiral in. For the spiral, we took thin, metal rods that we found on the street whenever we saw one, and spun it around our fingers until the whole thing was spiral and weaved it through the holes in the paper and cardboard.

As for the pencils and paper, my best friend Lucy gives me some whenever we need a refill. Her father was an artist and her supply of pencils and paper were endless.

I was drawing my family, me, my mom, and Amanda. I never met my father, mom said they were never married, and that he couldn't take care of a child yet, let alone two. I asked her why he couldn't just visit once in a while, but she just says he's a busy man and avoids further conversation.

While I was in the middle of the drawing Amanda I heard a noise. I looked up and saw nothing. But just as I was going to look back down and continue drawing an acorn hit my window. I looked at Amanda, silently asking her if she will be okay without me.

"Go ahead, I'll tell mom that you went out to see Lucy." She said. Her voice was strained, as if it didn't like the foreign words it was forming, and a hint of an accent as well. One that only her and I have.

"Mahazinhso" Thanks

I stood up and walked over to the window, opened it, and climbed out onto the fire escape. I saw Amanda get up as well and close the window behind me before I climbed down the stairs and met with Lucy.
__________________________________

"OK, so I know about this little hot dog stand that we can go to but I'm not entirely hungry so I was thinking we could..." I wasn't paying attention, I was thinking about my father instead. Drawing my family had brought up yet again, more questions about who he was, what he was like, and more importantly, why he left.

"Helllloooooo? Earth or whatever-planet-you're-from to Caroline! You in there?"

I jumped at the sound of Lucy's voice and saw that she was standing in front of me, waving her hand back and forth in my face. After a few seconds I realized that she had asked me a question. I nodded to acknowledge that I heard her.

"What's up? You have that look on your face. You're thinking about something and that something isn't good."

I'm fine, really. Lucy knew about my mind-speaking and didn't mind it. When I asked her why me and Amanda can do that and she said it was because we were aliens, but I doubt that.

She raised her eyebrows. "Then why do you have that look on your face?"

I don't have a look!

"Yes you do. Now spill"

I looked at her then finally gave in. Lucy wasn't one who backed down when she made up her mind.

Do you ever wonder why my father never wanted to see me? Or Amanda? Why he left? What he was like? Who he was?

"Probably because he thinks you would be better off without him. Same reason. Probably because he wasn't ready for a child. Probably just like you, smart, kind, helpful, etc. Most likely an alien too."

I laughed at the last one. She was serious and rational until she got to my last question. Then all reality was blown away and in came the crazy idea of aliens.

OK, so what were you saying before?

She looked puzzled for a second beforeshe suddenly perked up.

"I was thinking about going to the market to do a little shopping,my father game me some money to spend. But seeing that you're most likely not in the mood we could just go to the new hot dog stand a few blocks from here."

I looked at Lucy and smiled. She was the best friend I could ever ask for. She always knew how I was feeling and how to properly react to my mood. Like right now, she would cancel all her plans in order to make sure I was feeling better, even if it meant skipping shopping. (She loved her clothes)

Sure, but I can't eat too much or stay out too long. My mom would kill me if i missed dinner or spoiled my appetite.

She giggled. "Well, let's make sure you stay alive then. C'mon, I'll show you the way to the stand."
__________________________________

As we were sitting on the sidewalk curb, eating our hot dogs, a beautiful, palomino horse pulling a black carriage trotted right up to us and stopped. A man stepped out of the carriage and smiled in our direction. He was in his late twenties, with light, dirty blonde hair and green eyes. Although he was looking formal in his suit, I could see spots of paint on his hands and face.

"Hello girls"

"Hi dad"

He nodded towards me and smiled again. "Good evening miss Mathews."

I smiled back, knowing I couldn't return the greeting verbally. He turned back to his daughter and started speaking.

"So, Lucy. What are you up to this time?"

"Dad! I'm not up to anything, just having hot dogs with Caroline and making sure I get her back in time before her mother kills her for being late."

You act as if I'm unable to do anything on my own. I said to her. She didn't turn towards me but I could see from the twinkle in her eyes and her pressed lips she was trying not to laugh.

"Well then, we wouldn't want that now will we? C'mon, hop on in. I'll give you a ride and you can finish those in the carriage." Her father opened the door for us as we jumped into the carriage and sat in a seat, then got in and sat in the remaining seat. We were facing the front of the carriage while he was facing the back, talking to Lucy. So I just looked out the window as I watched the cars go by and the people walking on the sidewalks.

When I got home, I expected questions. But what I got was much different.

When I landed in my room after climbing the fire escape to the second floor and went through the window, I quickly went into the bathroom to wash my face. I looked into the mirror to see if I had any dirt or anything that I needed to clean. When I found nothing, I started to study myself in the mirror. While Lucy had emerald eyes, short, straight dirty blonde hair, small build, even for an eight year