Land of the Rainbow Lights Book 2016 | Page 6

Being a particularly adventurous girl, Merriebella wanted to know everything about the world beyond her underwater village. “What does it look like up there from the sky?” she asked a salty old pelican. “Have you been to the deep waters beyond the kelp forest?” she posed to a pair of bat rays. “Where are you headed?” she exclaimed to a passing gray whale. “Up north,” answered a smaller voice, belonging to a young whale who swam over to greet her. “What’s it like up there? Is it different from here? Is it beautiful?” The young whale laughed. “Boy, you sure have a lot of questions.” “Please tell me everything,” she pleaded, swimming in figure eights before him. “Where I come from there are mountains of ice under the water and creatures unlike any you have ever seen. And magical colors fill the sky.” “Magical colors?” 3 Ra w o l e l d a e c t h l h s ’ e t l t L f a o i n d e , s y e d Y n “ n i P k . a s s t a s h n n d e gre ig L w o b n i “Wow, I would like to see that,” said Merriebella, with faraway eyes. “You should come with us—we’re leaving tomorrow.” “I don’t think my mother will let me. We’re not supposed to go beyond the kelp forest.” “Come now,” called the mother whale in a gentle sing-songy voice, “time to feed.” “Gotta go—I hope I see you again.” He swam off as his mother’s hauntingly beautiful song filled the sea. Merriebella swam home to her sea cave where she found her beautiful mother, Serafina, vacuuming with a trumpet fish and a pet octopus wrapped around her neck like a scarf. “Mother,” asked Merriebella in a curious voice, “Have you ever heard of the Land of the Rainbow Lights?” “Oh Merriebella, why must you always dream of far-flung places. The Land of the Rainbow Lights is far far away, and the frigid water is much too cold for any mermaid girl. You must learn to be happy where you are, my child.” “But I want to see the colorful lights and mountains of ice,” she exclaimed. “It’s much too dangerous and we are finished with this conversation. Now go polish your mirror and clean out the seahorse pen.” ” . y r o c s a s k e t c s h t n e h n g i a d s 4