Chapter One: Prologue

My name is Destiny. I'm twelve, and almost thirteen. My mom and I are going to the pet shop to get a turtle for my birthday. They are just so cute! Except Map Turtles; their noses are creepy! I'm hoping there's a Red-eared Slider. I want one so bad! Anyway, we just walked through the door.

I heard a tinkle of a bell as the door opened. Inside, there was a wide array of tanks and cages. Some sat on a table, and some sat on the floor. Behind the counter sat a bored looking teen. His face was dotted with red bumps and his voice cracked as he greeted us. "Welcome to Norman's Pet-atorium. Can I help you two with anything?" Mom nodded and said, "Yes, actually. My daughter wants a turtle for her birthday." The clerk sighed and motioned us to follow him to the reptile section.

"Here they are. This here is a Red-eared Slider-", he began but I interrupted him and said, "I want that one! Its plastron is curved, so it's a female, right? Can I hold her?" The clerk shrugged. "I guess

As I cuddled the turtle, my mom glanced at the price sticker, and then did a double-take. "THIS PRICE IS RIDICULOUS! Do expect us to pay this much for one little turtle?!" I looked at the sticker, and she was right. I was planning on buying it all on my own as a birthday present to myself, but I couldn't afford that! I sighed and turned to Mom. "Let's go home."

As we walked down the street, I felt something on my foot. There was a green puddle of ooze, some of which touched my foot (I was wearing flip flops.) I tried to shake some of it off, and continued walking. Suddenly, a searing pain shot up from my foot and spread to the rest of my body. My mom gasped and tried to drag me home as everything went black.