Sea of Atlantis: Book One

By Emma Rushing

Coral is just a normal foster child, trying to get through her last year of middle school as painlessly as possible. However, her whole life changes when she bumps into a boy with a strange name who claims to be her brother. This boy reveals an entirely new world to Coral and shows her where she is meant to be: Atlantis, the element city of water and a place of magic. Coral becomes surrounded by dangers that a thirteen-year-old should only read about, and with a newly discovered family that she is determined to protect, she must find a way to save her new home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: May 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9781662434815

Book preview

Chapter 1

My Wonderful Life

I would’ve rather been at the ocean, listening to the waves come in and out, slamming onto the shore, the salty sea air and the breeze flowing through my hair. I loved being near the water. I yearned to hear the sounds of gulls as they flew out past the horizon, but all I heard now was the bell. That stupid bell. It was near the end of my final year of middle school, as I closed my locker and slung my bookbag over my shoulder. Opening the novel I was reading, I began to make my way toward the exit. As I walked, I saw someone staring at me out of the corner of my eye, a girl with long wavy hair. I turned my head to look at her, but she seemed to vanish at the blink of an eye.

Though I was confused, I paid it no mind and returned my attention to the novel in my hands.

Well, look who we have here, taunted a voice from behind me.

Looking up from my book and spinning around, I saw a tall boy with black hair and amber eyes. His name was Jordan Witt, though despite what his last name suggests, he wasn’t the smartest person in the world.

Hello, idiot, I said calmly, not wanting to start anything but my sharp tongue being on automatic.

You’re not one to talk, stupid! Jordan retorted.

My chest tightened. I think you’re a little confused.

No, I’m not, Pinky.

"My name is Coral," I corrected, widening my eyes and saying my name slowly as if instructing what it was to a toddler, which when you thought about it, I really was.

Shut up, he ordered. It was his most common phrase to say whenever he had no come back. That was something I had over him. I was clever, had a quick mind, and a sharp tongue.

I was used to being bullied. Whether it was for being a foster child, a total nerd, or that weird girl that spoke in a way that made her sound like she was from the United Kingdom. No matter the reason, the bullies were all the same—witless jerks who only wanted to belittle others. I tended to lose my temper around them, but never gave them the satisfaction of crying to an adult about the problem.

Whatcha readin’ there, nerd? Jordan’s friend Scott Miss joined in. He was a little shorter than Jordan, with blond hair, and sunglasses shielding his brown eyes.

It’s higher than a third-grade level, Mr. Miss, I said sassily, a smirk curving at my lips, so you wouldn’t be able to read it.

Why, I oughta… Scott didn’t say anything else. His brain must’ve malfunctioned again, because I could see that dumbfounded look return to his eyes even through his glasses.

You oughta what, Scott? Leave me alone and try to actually do something productive with your life? I remarked sarcastically. That’s the first good idea you’ve ever had! I announced, spinning around and continuing to walk away.

Hey! Get back here! Jordan demanded. I felt a tug on my backpack and was jerked backward, falling onto my butt. I heard the people in the hallway begin to laugh at me, and I could feel my mind beginning to act up.

Hello, my name is Coral. No. I don’t have a last name.

Ever since I was a toddler, I had been in foster care. I had been found a little over a decade ago in a box on a couple’s doorstep with a blanket and a note. The blanket was aquamarine and gold with my name, Coral, written in cursive on the corner.

I still had the note that I was found with. It was kinda weird, but what I always noticed was the fact that the handwriting was kind of similar to my own. The note simply stated a request for my protection, had some information about me such as my birthday, and said that my parents loved me.

I found it hard to believe that…

When I was younger, I was constantly moving around. The longest I had stayed somewhere was eighteen months. I was always switching schools, and I never made any friends. Some people tried to get me out of my shell, but whenever I did, I only ended up moving away shortly after.

Loser! someone shouted at me.

I gritted my teeth. My mind began to act up. You see, my mind worked in an odd way. It layered up. I thought multiple things at once, and it was sometimes overwhelming and loud, so loud to the point that what I actually hear around me is background noise.

I stood up and started walking. I didn’t look back. Their voices were muffled, and a few people threw things at me, but my head was too loud for me to care. I opened my book to try to read, but the words danced before my eyes. I instantly read them, which only gave me another layer of thought, making it worse. I wasn’t crying, thankfully. I refused to cry in the safety of my own room, let alone in public.

I pulled the black hood of my hoodie over my head and walked out the doors of the school.

Hey, Coral! How was school? Natalie Cross greeted me from her car. I had to focus on her voice in order to register what she was saying. She had bright-red hair and brown eyes that in the sunlight looked like honey. Natalie was my foster mom and had been for around four months now.

I opened the passenger door and entered the car, gently placing my backpack at my feet as I buckled up. It was good, I lied, forcing a believable smile.

That’s good! Natalie said with a grin. It was still difficult to comprehend her, but I made it work.

I kept up the act that I had a good day at school all the way home. In the car we were silent, though Natalie was humming the tune of her favorite song under her breath. From what I had come to understand, most people probably would’ve been bored during a twenty-minute drive doing absolutely nothing.

Not me.

I was never bored, not with my mind.

It was always racing, always thinking, ever constant. From my experiences, I assumed that the way my mind worked was rather odd, and that some people could think of absolutely nothing for hours on end.

I found it absurd that someone would be capable of that, but sometimes I wished that I was. With every thought I had, multiple other thoughts branched off it, making my head crowded and loud.

My foster dad, Clint Cross, was in the driveway taking groceries inside when we arrived at the Crosses’ House. He had sandy-brown hair, gray eyes, and extremely small ears. He was always dressed in a flannel shirt and jeans, much unlike his wife, who always wore professional-looking office attire.

Hey, Natalie, Coral, Clint said with a nod as we exited the car.

Hello, Clint, Natalie replied.

Hey, I remarked.

Clint forced a smile when he looked at me. I never really knew why, but he never really seemed to like me. Perhaps he thought I was weird? Or maybe he wanted his foster child to be a kid who loved sports? Well, all I knew was that he, unlike Natalie, really did not enjoy me being a part of their little family.

Natalie and I helped put away groceries, but then I went straight to my room and closed the door, having lied about having a lot of homework. I lay out on my bed, staring intently at the ceiling, examining every small lump on it. My mind was extremely loud at this time, and I closed my eyes tight. Turning onto my side, I buried my head in my hands.

It felt like my brain was surrounded by walls that were slowly closing in. The tightness in my chest refused to leave as I dealt with this; nevertheless, I continued to try to calm myself.

I stayed like that for a while. The pulsing in my head was yet to yield, but eventually it got to the point where I could read. I read for an hour or so, but then Clint called me down for dinner.

I picked at my food, hardly eating anything, but making it look like I had. Natalie tried to make conversation, but I only answered her questions vaguely, not daring to mention what had happened at the end of the day, not because it was a big deal, but because I knew that Natalie would make it one.

So what did you rank in that race? Clint asked me. He was talking about the race that he had signed me up for in gym class.

Oh, uh… I stuttered. I glanced at Natalie.

She nodded understandingly. She had to miss it, she informed Clint. It was either do the race or help with the charity work that she volunteered for.

Clint glared at Natalie. "What? She didn’t run the race? We paid for her to compete!"

I wouldn’t have qualified even if I did attend, I uttered. I’m not athletic.

Clint raised an eyebrow. "What did you say, young lady?"

I said I wouldn’t have qualified, I’m not athletic, I repeated. Clint becoming cross at me for no good reason had become a tradition in the household. With any word that I said opposing what he wanted me to be like, he would respond with hostility. He hated me. Just about everything about me. He only tolerated my existence because of Natalie. "I apologize for not saying it loud enough for your tiny ears to hear," I sassily added.

I’d watch what you say, Coral, he warned.

"I’ve done nothing wrong," I remarked.

Go to your room! Clint snapped, standing up as he slapped one hand on the table, while pointing up the stairs with the other.

Natalie looked at the both of us, clearly confused on why Clint did that. Cli__ she tried to protest.

"Not now, Natalie! Coral, to your room, now!" he ordered.

I stared for a moment, but then stood up and walked up the stairs to my room. I stayed there for the rest of the night, just wondering how much longer I had with Natalie and Clint before Clint convinced Natalie that it would be best for me to go to another foster family.

🌊

Have a good day at school! Natalie cheerfully told me as she got into her car. I could tell that her joy was forced, but said nothing. I admired Natalie for her ability to smile for the sake of others. I often tried to mimic her in that sense.

I smiled and waved at her, beginning to walk to the bus stop. I watched Natalie pull out of the driveway and head off to work. I sighed as soon as I knew she couldn’t see me. The night before, Clint had come into my room and scolded me for what happened at dinner, and I fell asleep with a loud head, something that for me often ended in bad dreams. I had woken up that morning an hour early, shaking and on the brink of tears.

When I reached school, I quickly got inside and went to my locker. Pulling out my books, I prayed that I would have a quiet day of just learning.

I got my wish. Well, for half of the day.

After lunch, as I was heading to my next class, Jordan and Scott grabbed my arms. Hey, klutz! Jordan mocked. How are you feeling? Got a big bruise now, after that fall yesterday?

You’d like to think so, I snapped back, jerking my biceps free.

Hoo, hoo, hoo, Scott breathed. Feisty one, aren’t you?

She’s like an angry cat. Small, pathetic, and incapable of any damage! Jordan laughed.

I gritted my teeth. I hated being underestimated. Sure I was little. I might not have had the greatest build, but I was average, just not with height. I could throw a pretty hard punch, and that was what I had going for me. A lot of my foster parents even underestimated that fact, and it only made me feel worse about myself.

The weak little shrimp is incapable of anything, Jordan continued. No wonder her parents didn’t want her—

I punched him. Hard.

I rammed my fist straight into Jordan’s nose and saw him stumble a bit from the contact. He looked about ready to cry.

Oh, I said with sarcastic sympathy, did I hurt you? Sorry, I thought I was a…what did you call me? A ‘weak little shrimp’?

Mr. Flare! Scott shouted.

One of the teachers started to walk over toward us as kids began to crowd. Some started to chant, egging us on to fight, but I knew that Jordan was stronger than me. I wanted to say he wasn’t, but that would be a lie.

Mr. Flare looked at Jordan, who was acting as though I had hit him with a battering ram rather than my small fist.

Coral hit Jordan! a girl from the crowd shouted.

I could feel our teacher’s cold stare from those bright amber eyes of his as he glared at me. If Clint ever needed a valid reason to get rid of me, this was it.

Chapter 2

I Bump into a Bloody Giant!

I sat at the top of the steps. Natalie and Clint were arguing intently, and I wanted to listen in. It was just as I had predicted. Clint was trying to convince Natalie to send me to another family, while Natalie was trying to convince him otherwise.

After I had punched Jordan, I had been sent to the principal’s office. Jordan’s parents were initially outraged by him getting punched, but when I explained my side of the story, and even allowed myself to cry, they sided with me. Jordan got suspended for a week for bullying. Me? I just wasn’t allowed to go back to school that day. I was taken home by Clint, who yelled at me and sent me to my room until Natalie came home.

And so there I was. At the top of the stairs listening to my foster parents debate whether or not I was a horrible child unworthy of their love and home.

She’s a good kid! Natalie insisted. Those kids were bullies! You would’ve punched them had you been in her position!

This is not just about that! Clint fought back. I refuse to even consider adopting a child who would rather have their nose in a book than actually play sports and do something with their life! This fight is just proof that Coral is a bad seed. She wants us to see her as an angel, but I see her as a demon!

Clint! Natalie shot back. I could practically see her expression of surprise and anger. Why does he hate me so much?

They continued to argue for what felt like hours, and I eventually decided that I needed some air. I put on my black sneakers and pulled my favorite dark-gray hoodie over my white T-shirt and jeans. I slowly walked down the steps and out the front door undetected. They wouldn’t miss me. In fact, maybe Clint would be happy that I left the house.

I walked down the street. At the time I lived in Jupiter, Florida, in a small neighborhood close to the beach. I never quite knew why, but I’d always felt drawn to the water. It almost seemed to embrace me and welcome me as if a family welcoming their daughter home from a long journey. Despite the fact that I never knew my family, a part of me always knew—or perhaps just hoped—that they loved the water just as much as me.

I started toward the beach, the road I was walking alongside being a straight line for at least ten blocks. I was looking down at the sidewalk as I thought, planning in my head that as soon as I got home, I would start packing my things. There was no way Clint would let me stay, no matter how much Natalie pleaded. Clint and Natalie loved each other. They were a nice couple despite Clint’s anger issues and unexplained animosity toward me. I didn’t want to be the person who ruined it for them.

I bumped into something—oops. Nope. That was a someone.

Woah there, pipsqueak! a male voice said calmly. Hey, are you all right?

I nodded and looked up at the person I had bumped into. He was a tan boy, around sixteen, and he was a giant. My head didn’t even reach his shoulder! He had dark-blue eyes that were the color of the ocean in the moonlight, and his chocolate-brown hair was wavy with little curls in the front, with a pale scar down the side of his right cheek. He seemed familiar in a way, even though I had never seen him before.

I’m fine, I told him. I’m really sorry.

Not a problem, he replied with a gentle smile.

I smiled politely at the boy and started walking away, this boy watching me as I walked, as if to make sure I didn’t trip and fall, but then I heard him gasp. He grabbed me by the arm and dragged me into a narrow alleyway between the houses, pinning me gently against a wall.

What are you— I tried to protest, but the boy then placed his hand over my mouth.

Shhh! he told me. His eyes were wide, scanning me over as if I was a precious treasure that he had been waiting to find.

I stuck my tongue out of my mouth and licked his hand. He instinctively pulled his hand away. Not very sanitary, but it let me speak.

Let me go! I yelled, struggling to get out of his grip.

Listen, Coral, you need to stop struggling and listen to me! the boy insisted.

"How do you know my name?"

Shhh! was the only answer I got for a few seconds.

Listen, the boy began, I know this is hard to believe, but I know your family. I was sent by them to find you!

"What? I squeaked. You’re CRAZY!"

"Coral, please! Calm down! I’m trying to explain your real family to you!" he said.

"Stranger danger! I cried. Stranger danger!"

Please… the boy pleaded, his voice sounding emotional.

After struggling a bit more, I met his eyes. They were dead serious, but glazed over with sincere gentleness. Either he was really good at acting, or he was telling the truth. I stopped struggling. The boy slowly let me go, and though it seemed stupid, I didn’t run.

He sighed. You want an explanation, right?

I gave him a look of sarcasm and sass as if to say, "Really? Figure that out on your own, genius?"

Listen, this is hard to believe, but you have to listen! the boy said. Okay, so…I’m your brother—

"You’re my what now?" I exclaimed.

I know this sounds weird, but please! Trust me! he begged.

I looked at him skeptically. Studying his face, I started to realize why he seemed familiar. Because I saw some of him in the mirror each day. The boy and I had the exact same nose, which was small and almost stubby. A few of our other features shared the same largeness, such as our eyes and lips, and we both had ears that were shaped strangely the exact same way. We both had relatively narrow faces, and I remembered back to when he had smiled earlier, realizing that we both had two little dimples to the right of our mouths.

I studied the rest of his body. The major differences between us aside from our height was the fact that my hair was not chocolate brown and curly. Instead it was pale blond and straight. My eyes were a vibrant shade of green (unlike the boy’s blue ones) but their shape was extremely similar, and I felt myself beginning to believe him. Maybe he was my brother.

I felt stupid for considering it, but a part of me really wanted to believe that my family was looking for me…maybe they even wanted me.

Do you believe me? the boy asked me after a few seconds.

I looked at him, eyes narrowed with suspicion. I’m not sure…

What’s something about you—other than your name—I would not know unless I truly was your brother? he questioned. If I answer it correctly, then I’m your brother, and if I don’t, then…well, I guess you can kick me.

I held back a giggle as I thought of a question. My mind then came up with a clever trick question. What color were the fish on the blanket I was left with? I asked.

The boy thought for a moment. He furrowed his eyebrows. "Your blanket didn’t have fish on it! It was an aquamarine blanket with yellowish gold fluffy fabric on the underside and around the edges, with your name written in cursive on the corner in the same color!" he answered.

I stared at him in awe. He was right. Not one thing about his description of my blanket was incorrect.

H-how did you know that? I asked, dumbfounded as my eyes watered.

He smiled weakly at me, teary eyed. Believe me, Coral, he told me with a small nod. I really am your brother.

The boy spread out his arms as if to hug me, but I simply stared at him, too shocked to react. I had a brother. My throat ran dry as I thought about this. All logic in my mind told me to run off and say that he had to be mistaken, or that it was a lucky guess, but I just couldn’t. I found myself standing stock still for a good ten seconds before darting into his arms, hugging the boy tightly as tears streamed down my cheeks. I was stiff and felt as though I was a statue, but I couldn’t pull away. He hugged me back, and we stayed like that for a while. I tried to let the fact that I had a brother sink in. I have a real family.

We pulled apart, and the boy looked at me. My name’s Vapor, he told me.

I raised an eyebrow. What?

He laughed. "Funny name, I know, but where we’re from, it’s normal. Ethan is a strange name to us. Trust me."

"Okay then," I uttered.

Yeah, Vapor mumbled. He looked toward the ocean. Okay, listen. I have to go, but is there a way that I could know where to find you tomorrow? And possibly the next day?

Where are you going? I asked without a second thought. He just got here. Why was he leaving?

Vapor looked at me, biting his lip as if debating whether or not to tell me. It’s kinda hard to explain. You’ve already learned a lot, and I don’t want to overload you.

Lame, I mumbled, crossing my arms. First you tell me you’re my brother and then you have to leave right away?

I’m going home to tell everyone that I found you, he finally said.

I pursed my lips. Can’t I go with you?

He shook his head and placed his hands on my shoulders, looking at me as if he wished more than anything to bring me with him. No, you can’t, he sighed. You’ll understand someday soon, but now I don’t have time to explain.

I swallowed hard, feeling tears sting the corners of my eyes as my fists clenched. Okay, I lied. I really didn’t want him to go, but I didn’t feel like adding another argument to my day.

I turned around to return to the sidewalk and head back home, when Vapor grabbed me by the arm. This form of contact made me instinctively tug my arm free, but I made sure to keep my cool as I looked back at the boy who was supposedly my older brother.

How will I find you again? he asked. I found you today, but how will I find you tomorrow?

I bit down on my lower lip for a second, gathering my thoughts. I’m at school from seven thirty to three, and after that I’ll be at my house, I told him, giving him the addresses of Clint and Natalie’s house and my school.

Thank you, Vapor said earnestly.

Giving me one last rib-cracking hug, he left, walking in the opposite direction as he had come, looking back at me every few seconds until we were out of each other’s view.

🌊

I stared at my textbook with a small smile plastered over my face. Ten more minutes of school left, and then I would be heading back to Clint and Natalie’s house.

Hey, a girl whispered from behind me as she tapped my shoulder.

I turned to face her. She had never spoken to me before aside from projects and stuff like that. Yes? I replied.

I heard you were in a fight yesterday! she said. What’s your problem?

I pursed my lips. They started it! They were being jerks!

Rumor has it you started it. Why are you so weird? Can’t you just talk to people without punching them?

My anger started to flare, but I attempted to maintain my cool. "I can. I just prefer