Chapter 1

Today I was informed of some horrible news. Did you know that just yesterday, my parents were ripped away from me, and was sent to 'A better place'? And no, I don't mean 'A better place' as in up there with the big guy. No. I mean as in Sunny Florida, while I was sent to England. I was only twelve at the time. Apparently my parents were told I was dangerous. Too dangerous to be around me. Okay, forget what I told you earlier about them being ripped away from me. That was a lie. They went willingly. They were even rushing about the house, packing like crazy. They were that excited. "Think of it as an adult only vacation. Don't worry, mummy and daddy will come visit you in… ten years. Maybe. If we have the time." That's what my dear mummy said before they finished packing. So with that, they threw me into the backseat of some stranger's car, along with my one bag of belongings, and drove me to a friend's house of theirs. Apparently, their 'friends' were very pleased of the idea of me coming there, since they had been wanting a new maid. A maid! My parents were treating me like I was some pet, like a dog or something.

All love I had felt for them were gone, and the only people I saw in them now were total strangers. I didn't know them anymore. Sure, they didn't show that much affection towards me before, but did I really mean so little? The first chance to get rid of me, and they jumped at it. How I hated my life at twelve years old.

-M-E-L-O-D-Y-

I wouldn't look at him. I refused to. I brought my hair over my face so he wouldn't see the silent tears streaming down my face. It felt like my heart was being smashed to little pieces. We had reached our destination, but I didn't want to move from my seat. The car door opened, and the same strange man who was driving looked down at me, waiting for me to get out. Sighing, I unbuckled, and as I walked behind him, I wiped my tears away and kept silent, not saying a word. Keeping my gaze lowered to the ground, I did as I was told, and went inside. I wasn't really paying attention to things around me, so I was startled when I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Let's have a look at you." A high and slightly annoying voice demanded, and I turned around. "Put your head up girl, and keep your back straight." I did as I was told, and my hair fell away from my face. There I saw an average height woman, with short curly brown hair, and a sour face. She smirked at me, and said "Pretty little thing isn't she?"

The man who drove me here, along with another man, who was large and fat nodded, and I looked down again. "I was informed that she was staying with some friends of yours beforehand. She was found as a baby abandoned apparently." The strange man said. The woman had an eyebrow arched at this, but said "We'll keep her. But she'll have to stay with Harry. We just don't have any room anywhere else. The lad's only nine, so it should be fine." I shut my ears off again as they talked, shocked by this new fact. The people taking care of me weren't really my parents! I only moved from my spot where I was standing when the lady took my arm and led me to another room. Sitting me down, she moved to the kitchen and was bustling around. "Darling!" the woman called, "Where are Dudley and that annoying brat?" there was a moment of silence until a deep voice called "Dudley's in his room, and the other one is in his closet under the stairs." There was a bit of shouting, and two boys entered the room. First was a rather skinny one, who had funny glasses, and the other one was really pudgy, who looked like a spoiled brat. "What mummy?" he whined, not happy at being called from his room. The other one stayed silent. "I have someone to introduce you to. Boys, this is Melody." I could feel the boys stares, and after a moment Dudley complained "all I see is a bunch of long black hair." Sighing, the woman demanded "Melody, keep your head up, and greet Dudley." I did so, and said "Hello Dudley."

The pudgy boy clapped, and said "she talked! She's very pretty Mummy, like a doll! Can we keep her?" the woman smiled at his reaction, and cooed "Of course darling, she's all yours." The boy with funny glasses cringed, and the hands I held in my lap clenched into fists. I was no-one's doll. Turning to glasses boy, the woman said "Harry, Melody will be staying with you. Show her where you stay." And he did. Taking hold of my wrist, he led me to the little closet that I had passed right by before. Opening the door, he spoke for the first time. "Sorry that it's a little cramped, but it can fit two people that are slim like us. It's just the right length even if we grow." And for the first time in two weeks, I smiled. "Thank you Harry." I whispered, before crawling into the little closet. It was quite comfy, and I curled up right away. I was asleep in no time, and when I woke up again, it was dark. I emerged from the closet, and found everyone eating at the dinner table.

Spotting me, the woman hurried me over to the table, and sat me down right beside Dudley. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, but didn't say anything. I just kept my gaze fixed onto the plate in front of me, and slowly started eating. "Dudley has school tomorrow." The fat man said. "And My wife and I are going out. We're leaving you and Harry to clean the house. It better be spotless by the time we get back." I nodded, and kept eating. Soon everyone had finished, and left the table, save for Harry and me, who cleaned up, and after that, we got ready for bed. I was still exhausted, and I flopped onto the small bed in that dark closet. I rolled over to my side of the bed when Harry came in, and I asked him "Harry… is they you're real parents? Because they don't act like it." the boys face turned sad as he responded "No. I've never met my real parents. They're just my extended family. My aunt and uncle. And my cousin." My eyes drooped at this, and I said "you know, I found out that the people I was staying with aren't my real parents either. So we're alike in that way." He smiled at me, and I couldn't help but offer.

"You want to know a way that helps me get through the sad times?" he tilted his head slightly, and asked "What?" I gave him a smile, and said "I sing. I've heard a lot of people tell me that I can sing very pretty. Want me to sing you a lullaby?" Harry grinned at this, and said "Sure." Before lying down.

NO-ONE'S P.O.V

And so she began. The words that flowed from her mouth were soft, but beautiful. It was a calming melody, and Harry began to feel drowsy. Slowly slipping from the real world, he was soon sleeping peacefully, and Melody finished her song. She smiled down at the boy, and she lay down beside him. He was just like her little brother, if she had one, and she felt that she would become very close to him. Silent tears dripped from her face onto the pillow, as she cried out the last bits of sadness from her system. She had a different life now, and she would survive through it, whether she liked it, or not. The next morning, the door of the closet under the stairs was being banged loudly on, and both children jumped awake. Harry and Melody made breakfast for everyone, and they ate and left, leaving the two who lived under the stairs to clean the house. Thankfully, this time Harry had some help, and it didn't take long. And for some reason it made Melody happy to clean. She sang along as she did so, and got the house cleaned in no time. When the three came back, the house was spotless, and ship-shape.

There would be many more times that she and Harry were left behind to clean the house. Melody eventually got accepted into the household, and got very close to Harry. She disliked Dudley greatly, and tried to stay away from him as much as possible. But the fat little boy was enthralled by this beautiful little girl, and wanted her to be around him just to look at. But she was against the idea completely. After getting to know the family a little better, she gained a bit of confidence, and stood up for herself every once and a while. The adults didn't like this. After a while they starting bringing her places, and made sure she was stuck to Dudley's side at all times. He would proudly show her off to all his friends, saying she was his human bird, because she could sing beautifully. He had heard her when she sang lullabies to Harry. All his friends were jealous that Dudley had a human bird while they didn't. Selfish little brats. But she just kept her gaze lowered to the ground. She didn't have the energy. She was tired from all the cleaning from the previous day. You see, she had made a bargain with the adults.

If she worked extra hard, and did a lot of extra chores, they would give her a bit of money. They only agreed to that, because 1, she did her best pouty face, which she hardly ever did, and 2, she got Dudley to agree with her. The adults always listened to Dudley. So after four days of back breaking work around the house, she was given a whole dollar! She hadn't seen that much money ever! Keeping it safely hidden, she kept it until Harry's birthday. Buying a small toy of a horse for twenty-five cents, she had a whole seventy five cents left over. On the day that he turned ten, she gave it to him when they were in their closet already in bed. He gave her a big hug for it, and she sung another lullaby to help him go to sleep. She stayed awake even after he dozed off, and sat there, thinking. She still didn't know why her care-takers had just abandoned her.

She didn't get why she was so dangerous. She didn't even do anything that dangerous. Once she cut herself on a kitchen knife, because she dropped it, but that was an accident. So that doesn't count. Sighing, she flopped over, and closed her eyes. Tomorrow she would ask to go to the public library, to pick up some books. She couldn't wait to go over the myths section, since that was her favourite topic. And she fell asleep thinking about it. When she woke up, she asked, and they agreed after a moment of thought. Dropping her off at the library, they went to do their other things, while she browsed. Finding an interesting book, with a beautiful cover, ASIRENS SERENADE she opened the book, gasping at the beautiful illustrations. A Siren was a mystical creature that was mentioned in many sailors' tales. It was a beautiful being that sung their victims to their deaths. Their sweet melodies could make whoever they want do whatever they wanted. They were extremely dangerous, and can tend to be very devious. But every once and a while, you will find a friendly one, and if you get on its good side, can make you extremely lucky. Luck will follow you everywhere you go, and your lifespan will be lengthened. The average lifetime of a siren is unknown, but there are stories saying that Sirens are immortal. Once they reach the height of their beauty, they will stay that way for the rest of their lives.

MELODY'S P.O.V

I closed the book. Wow. The Sirens are extremely powerful. But I had never heard of them before, save a myth here and there. Stroking the cover, and traced the face of one of the sirens with my finger. For some reason, she looked really familiar. But I pushed the thoughts away, and returned the book to its spot. Standing up, and made my way to the front entrance of the library, and sat down on the stone steps. The woman and her husband, along with Dudley picked me up, and brought me home. I was still thinking about what I read, and loved the idea of Sirens. I wonder what It would be like if maybe… I… was one.