What if everyone you loved disappeared?
Chey has lost everyone she cares about. Her mother. Her father. Her best friend. Her ancestors moved into their ocean refuge to protect themselves; instead, the waters have slowly taken her people, one-by-one.
When Chey feels the blues encroaching, she will do anything to save herself. Her attempts to survive lead to a forbidden encounter with a kind outsider, Jesse. The only problem? His existence shouldn’t be possible.
Genre: JUVENILE FICTION / GeneralJesse leads the way to the water. He pauses at the sand to remove his shoes, and I copy his movements. The sand sinks beneath my footsteps. The sun has warmed it, and as we walk toward the water, the grains crunch under my toes.
Gentle, rolling waves lap along the length of the beach. While the giant buildings form a row behind the beach, all I have eyes for is the water. I pull off my sundress, still wearing my two-piece, and run into the ocean. Warm water covers my feet, my legs, my waist, until I am far enough out to dive into the water.
“Wait for me.” Jesse grabs for me before I disappear. “Eager? I can barely keep up with you.”
His hands still wrap around my waist, and I am more aware than ever of the absence of my Skin. He lifts one hand to tuck my wet braids behind my ear, but keeps the other at my side. Jesse wears only his shorts, and tiny droplets of water run down his chest.
For a moment, I forget about Haku. I forget about our separation. I think only of Jesse and his closeness.
He rests his forehead against mine, his brown eyes boring into me. “I like you, Chey. Please don’t swim away from me.”
He fears I will return to the seas.
His lips brush mine, and I am not sure if I ever want the moment to stop.
| Language | Status |
|---|---|
|
Dutch
|
Unavailable for translation.
|
|
Italian
|
Already translated.
Translated by Mauro Saracino
|
|
|
Author review: Mauro was professional, timely, and completed an excellent quality translation. As a bonus, I have seen my translation appear on multiple Italian blogs, which I suspect he is responsible for. I would definitely work with him again and would highly recommend him to other authors. |
|
Spanish
|
Already translated.
Translated by Olalla Martínez Rodríguez and Isaac Álvarez Veiga
|
|
|
Author review: Extremely professional and thorough translation team. The translation was completed in a timely manner and there was excellent communication throughout the translation process. I would definitely work with them again! |
