Chapter One- The Sunshine Islands

Chapter One- The Sunshine Islands

I finally got away from that wretched house. And I couldn’t be more glad to be free.

The boat was going to some place called “Sunshine Islands”. I’d never heard of it before, but I didn’t care.

I doubted my stepmother could find me here, even if she wanted to…at least, that’s what I was praying for….

My name is Zelda, and I’ve run away from home…though I shouldn’t call it a home; it was pure torture there.

As the boat drifted in the middle of the ocean, I closed my eyes and let all the memories, good and bad, flood my head.

I see my two older sisters (they are twins), Tabitha and Cassie. Tabitha was the only family member I had that liked me. I could always come to her, no matter what the problem was, and she would be there for me with a smile on her face and a hug. Her wide brown eyes did not judge me, and her long brown hair smelled like oranges when she hugged me. It felt good.

Cassie was the polar opposite.

I could see her icy blue eyes looking scornfully at me, her red lips pressed together in anger. Her lustrous golden hair smelled just as good as my sister’s, but the sent was wrong…it wasn’t homey or welcoming as Tabitha’s hair.

And Cassie blamed me for Momma’s death.

Her anger was somewhat justified, though. Our mother had died giving birth to me; neither her nor our father could stand to be with me after that.

After our mother died, according to Tabitha, this is the conversation that went on:

“Father…?” Tabitha had asked him.

Our father was on the brink of suicide by this point. “…What?”

“What shall we name her? Our new sister?”

“I don’t care. You pick it.” And with that he went to get drunk somewhere.

Tabitha turned to Cassie.

“Cass, what do you think we should call her?”

“How about ‘murderer’ or maybe ‘horrible little monster that kills people’?” Cassie spit.

“Don’t talk about her like that! It wasn’t her fault!” Tabitha shot back, now almost about to cry.

Cassie had left to wallow in the living room.

Tabitha, the lover of all things video game, decided to name me Zelda, after “The Legend of Zelda” series.

I got some of my sister’s traits, which they had got from our parents. I had blue eyes like father and Cassie, but not as icy and cold; mine were more of a sky-blue. I had chestnut color hair like mother and Tabitha, about to my waist.

“Attention, passengers! This is your captain! We will be at the Sunshine Islands in a few minutes, so be sure to be ready when we do!” the intercom said.

I got up from leaning against the wall, threw on my rucksack, and ran to the deck to meet my new life.