Melody Llwellyn's Arc

Chapter 1 of 14

Melody Llwellyn planned to win the talent contest at Crabby Cay with a song no one expected from a shy turtle. But she could only sing when she was sure no one listened. So she waited until the beach hut sat empty, then curled into the squishy couch and let the song out. Her voice started small. It grew. She sang about the tide and the moon, and she forgot to be scared. Her turquoise markings caught the firelight. Her golden shell rocked with the beat. For one minute, she was not a shy turtle at all. She was a singer. Then a wing clapped. Melody froze. On the perch by the door hung a bright parrot, feathers flashing blue and green and gold. His eyes sparkled with mischief. Beside him, an orange starfish clung to the driftwood wall, arms wiggling with excitement. "You've been holding out on us," the parrot said. Melody pulled her head halfway into her shell. "You heard that?" "We heard all of it," the starfish said. "Every note. I got chills, and I don't even have skin." Melody's face went hot. "I didn't know anyone could hear me. I can't sing in front of people. My voice shakes. My hands shake. Once I tried at school and I just... stopped." The parrot hopped down and landed on the couch arm. "But you didn't shake just now." "That's because I thought I was alone." "You weren't," said the starfish. "You were amazing, and you didn't know we were watching. So really, you already did the scary part." Melody blinked. She hadn't thought of it that way. The parrot tilted his head. "The contest is a whole crowd. You can't beat that by hiding on a couch. You need to test the song on someone. Start with us." "You already heard it," Melody said. "Now sing it knowing we're here," the parrot said. "That's different. That's the real practice." Melody looked at the two faces waiting for her. Her heart pounded. Her fingers curled against the cushion. She almost pulled back into her shell for good. Then she remembered how the song had felt one minute ago. Big. Warm. Hers. She sat up. She looked right at the parrot and the starfish. Her voice trembled on the first word, and the second, and then it steadied. She sang the tide and the moon again, out loud, on purpose, for an audience. When she finished, the starfish cheered. The parrot flapped both wings. "That's the one," the parrot said. "That wins." Melody laughed, shaky and proud. "I did it. I actually sang in front of someone." "Two someones," the starfish said. "And here's the thing, sweetie. Two isn't a crowd. If you want the trophy, you need way more ears than ours." Melody's smile slipped. He was right. She had beaten the couch. Now she had to face a whole cay full of strangers.