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"What are you thinking about?" Matt asked as he nudged me in the side with an elbow

I looked up froed off having to answer his question I felt too raw inside to talk about what I was going through

The Whale People had thrown quite a feast in our honor, but myaboutall by herself out on a worn pile of boards and threadbare netting

I got up leaving my food behind and looked around for the head lady I found her standing off to the side of where un to dance in an upbeat spirit I wasn't sure what they were upbeat about, but they were

I caside of the woman whose name was Elizabeth She turned to me and stepped away from the merriment of those behind her and asked, "How can I be of help to you Eli?" She inquired softly

I looked around to see if anybody was listening, but they weren't as they were too focused on having a good time "What can you tell ly and I felt htly

"What would you like to know Eli?"

"Everything", I responded and it was the truth

"Well I'll tell you what I know and it's not much Hers is a sad story She was born on the mainland to the tribal clan that now has the Orlanis Star The ones you say have now becoiants"

She paused and I said, "Go on"

"Well she saw a lot of terrible things and when she was four she was offered up as a sacrifice to the water spirits that the tribe worshiped"

"How did she escape?" I asked breaking in

"She didn't They tied her to little more than a wooden board and sent her out to sea on the evening tide Two years later she came to us"

"What?" I exclaimed

Elizabeth nodded and held up a hand, "I don't kno she ed to survive for two years out on the open water and she's never told anyone"

"How did she find you?"

Elizabeth shook her head in duery from the past as she said, "The whales have always been friends to us and we to theoon and its islands that supply our needs No whale has so befriended one of us though as that big oaf of a one that she naht down the channel with his snout tipped back and her sitting on the base of this tusk The two of theuardian and her outlet for communication"