Read One is Come (Five in Circle) for Free Online Page B

even thought it out loud before. She just sat there and sobbed, the tears pouring down her face.
    Her sobs slowed, then stopped. She looked up, and was somehow not surprised to see the fish was still there, antennae waving calmly. She wiped the tears from her face, shaking them off her hands with a flick. She saw the tears hit the fish right between the eyes, heard the soft splat.
    The fish blinked in surprise.
    “Oh, sorry, Mr. Fish,” she said. “But it's water, right?”
    The fish seemed to smile. I am crazy , Haylwen thought. Fish don’t smile. They can’t. They can’t blink, either, she thought. Well, I don’t think they can blink. I saw it blink, didn't I?
    The fish turned and swam underwater, disappearing. Haylwen looked for it for a moment, and was rewarded with a rapidly growing spot coming toward her in the water. The catfish poked its head up, then spun around. With a quick flip of its big tail, so quickly Haylwen could do nothing other than gasp, the fish splashed water directly on her face. A lot of cold water.
    Stunned, she felt it slide down over her chin and seem to settle at the hollow of her neck. She sat up, and tried to wipe her face off somewhat, and looked at the fish in shock. She may be crazy, but that was not her imagination.
    The fish smiled, or whatever it was, again. It tucked its antennae back against its head, giving it a pleased expression.
    Haylwen sat there for another moment, then laughed. “It’s only water, right?” She couldn’t help herself. She laughed again, laughed some more, laughed until she was crying again. She purposely flicked those laugh-tears at the fish, but missed every time. The whole situation was so ridiculous, her emotions were so out of control that she could do nothing but laugh.
    When she finally stopped laughing, the fish started swimming in circles, slowly heading back to the center of the pond. At the point nearest Haylwen, it poked its head up.
    She got up and brushed herself off. “Yeah, I guess I should get home too.”
    The fish winked and slipped away under the water.
    Haylwen shook her head. Even if she had friends, they would think she was crazy if she told them. She touched that spot on her neck that was still cool and promised herself she would get her mother to go bra shopping when she got home. Whenever that was. And look up if fish can wink. She got up and started walking back, not even feeling a gentle touch on her mind.
    By the time she got home, she was exhausted and starving. She went to the bathroom, then into the kitchen to get a snack. Her father was there, making a cup of tea.
    “Hey, Hayl.”
    Haylwen attempted to ignore her father. She didn't expect him to let her get away with it, and he didn't.
    As she stood there with the door to the fridge open, he stepped in front of her. “I said, Hey, Hayl. And you say...” He had a small smile on his face, but his eyes were searching hers.
    Haylwen closed the door, trying to squish her father into the fridge. “Excuse me,” she said.
    Abrennin stepped out of the fridge and looked at her again. “Where did you get that necklace?” he asked quietly.
    “Necklace?” Haylwen said, touching her neck. The spot that had stayed cool, the spot where the water had collected now held something there. Had it always been there? She could feel a cool metal necklace around her neck, with a small round ball dangling in the hollow of her throat. Part of her would have sworn it had not been there two seconds ago. But somehow it felt like it had been there since she could remember…
    Her father raised an eyebrow. “Yes, necklace.”
    “Oh, this one. Um-mm...” Haylwen had the urge to say she had no idea, but that made no sense. “I've had this for a while. I found it. Outside. Away from everything. Um, in the gutter. I found it a while ago.” She was not a good liar, but didn't have any other choice if she wanted to keep it.
    “May I see it?” her father asked. Haylwen scowled, and tried to