Beyond the city lights and the honks of rush hour traffic is another world; a world that most humans take for granted. A world ruled by all manner of beast: animals that occupied the earth long before we began building communities. From pollution to over-killing and reckless acts, humans have abused the environment we call home. Now, some of the species that were most prominent a few hundred years ago have fallen to near extinction. If only humans weren't so ignorant of their outdoor neighbors. 

Plenty of organizations have worked hard to change this but, unfortunately, they haven’t come close. It’s not that all hunting was bad; in fact, some helped keep populations from overrunning areas. But what did a teenage girl know about that? What could she do to help an organization dedicated to the protection of wildlife? 

That’s what Alexandra Lunera kept asking herself as she waited on a plush couch in the lobby of the Wildlife Protection Agency. Located in the center of Washington D.C., the outside of the building resembled every other stone office building around it. However, the inside opened up to two large oak trees that reached upward, their branches stretching for the sunlight that streamed down through the glass ceiling.  

Between the trees rushed a waterfall, cascading over rocks and into a small pond. A painted turtle took a nap on a small log while freshwater fish, such as trout and catfish, and musk turtles swam through the pool. 

In a trance, Alec stroked the small owl sitting on her lap. Only six inches long with brownish-grey feathers and white spots on his head, Gnome was a Northern pygmy owl. The two had taken a liking to each other and before she knew it, he wouldn’t leave her side. It wasn’t bad since he was so small, and being nocturnal, he spent most of the day asleep on her shoulder. Now he stirred awake as Alec contemplated why she was there. 

About a week ago, some man by the name of William Makensie called her house. Introducing himself as the Director of Special Operations of WPA, he asked her if she would travel to D.C. so that he could speak to her. Curious, she said yes.  

The next day, a package arrived with two tickets from Boston to Washington. She didn't want her parents to know about the meeting. So she asked her friend, Cory, to join her. 

 Now Cory sat beside her shaking legs. “I bet this has something to do with what happened with those right whales last month,” he said for what felt like the millionth time. 

Alec had to agree with him. Back home, the Gulf of Maine was host in the spring and fall to over four hundred North Atlantic right whales. Through sheer coincidence, or what most people thought was coincidence, Alec had found herself involved in a conflict with a whaling vessel. 

Since the 1980s, it has been illegal to hunt whales in most countries, including America. Before that, the industry caused multiple species of whales, the right whale being one of them, to become nearly extinct. Some countries like Japan and Norway were not a part of the International Whaling Commission and thus did not establish the moratorium. Indigenous tribes in Alaska and the Caribbean were also allowed to hunt a certain amount of whales per year. 

“Mr. Makensie will see you now,” a petite blonde approached them, her heels clicking on the tile floor. Looking at the woman’s clean-cut pencil skirt and blouse, Alec felt very under-dressed in khakis and the one nice shirt she owned. Her five foot ten frame also towered over the older woman and her crazy brown hair would not stay up in a fashionable way. 

Standing up, Cory gave her a weak smile. “You’ll be fine,” he told her. “If you need me, I’ll be right here.” 

Alec rolled her eyes, placed Gnome on her shoulder, and followed the woman to the elevator. Up five floors they went. The hallway seemed to go on forever until they finally reached the last door. Stepping inside, Alec found herself face to face with a stout man in his sixties. Bright blue eyes looked into her olive green ones and a hand shot forward. Alec accepted it, trying not to stare at the wild white hair framing a face that had obviously seen a lot of sun over time. 

“You must be Alexandra.” 

“I go by Alec, Mr. Makensie,” she stuttered. 

“And you may call me Will. Who is this fellow?” He held out a hand to Gnome. “A Glaucidium gnoma,” Will said, using the scientific name of the Northern Pygmy Owl. “They’re native to Western America. Where did you pick him up?” 

“He was a rescue and I helped nurse him back to shape,” she explained. 

“Fascinating,” Will handed her back the owl. “Please sit down,” he motioned to the chair on the opposite side of the desk. 

“Why am I here?” Alec asked bluntly as she took a seat. 

“My dear girl, I thought that was obvious.” Will leaned back in his large leather chair. “We’ve been keeping a close eye on you since you were on that whaling ship. You seem to have a way with the whales. My agents reported that you have visited the exact same mother and calf over half a dozen times. How do you keep finding the same whales in that span of ocean?” 

“Like you said, I just have a way with animals,” Alec shrugged. 

In truth, it was much more than that. She had a gift with all living creatures. It wasn’t that she could talk to them; far from that. There was just this connection. She couldn’t explain it, but all animals seemed to be drawn to her. It was a gift that each first-born child on her mother’s side of the family was given. So her mother’s older brother and father both had it as well. 

Alec had to admit that out of all the animals she had encountered, there was something different about Misty and her calf, Bailey. It was last fall when she’d first found herself in their presence… 

October had arrived in Massachusetts with the bright colors of changing leaves. Needing to get out of her house, Alec found herself on Boston Harbor. In front of her sat a fleet of whale watching vessels. Ticket in hand, she looked for the boat that had a blue and white striped oval with a white fish in the center; the New England Aquarium symbol. 

Boarding the boat, she found a lone seat by the port side on the upper deck. Although the sun was shining on the city, the wind had begun to pick up even in the harbor and she was glad she had chosen to wear a sweatshirt under her jean jacket. Soon the deck was filled with loud tourists, all with their cameras ready. 

As the boat began to pull out of the harbor, a woman started talking into a microphone. Staring out at the water, Alec listened to her. Everything that she was going over, Alec already knew.  

Just off the Coast of Massachusetts sat Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. It stretched from the tip of Cape Cod up to Cape Ann. Established in 1992, it was one of the world’s Marine Protected Areas. In this eight hundred and forty-two square-mile stretch of Atlantic Ocean, there was heavy regulation of activities. The migration of whales during late spring into fall was one reason for the regulations. The most common cetacean to see there was the humpback whale, but the four hundred North Atlantic right whales left in the world could be found as well. 

Alec had yet to see a whale in the wild. Plenty of pictures had crossed her path, but they did not hold a candle to the live animal. 

It only took about half an hour until someone cried out. A mass of people rushed to the starboard side to catch a glimpse of the humpback whale who’d surfaced. He was about fifty feet away from the boat, expelling air out of his blowhole as he breached the surface, jumping into the air. Spellbound, Alec watched as the giant body moved gracefully through the water. As he disappeared back into the deep fathoms of the ocean, everyone moved back to their seats. 

Pulling her hood up to protect herself from the rush of wind, Alec reluctantly sat back down. After a few more whale sightings, her head was spinning. It just amazed her that there were animals that big living in her own backyard. Not many really realized that they were there. Hidden by the dark ocean, they lived their lives without too much interference from humans. It was the duty of the Marine Protected Area’s employees to make sure shipping lanes did not cross known migration patterns. Of course, some whales did end up striking the ships. 

As the boat began to head back to the docks, someone on the port side cried out. Standing up, Alec caught her breath. Two right whales, a mother and calf, were only a stone’s throw away from them.  

Alec guessed the mother was about fifty feet long which meant she weighed around 140,000 pounds, which was definitely big for a right whale. Females tended to be larger than males. Black in color, they weren’t the prettiest of animals. Both had callosities on their heads -- large rough patches of skin caused by whale lice. Their lower lips were bowed, giving them an everlasting frown. 

When everyone heard, a rush of tourists swarmed over to the port side. Trying to escape getting jostled, Alec stood at the railing, out of the way. 

At that moment, the boat hit a swell, rocking violently because of the uneven distribution of weight. The next thing Alec knew, her stomach dropped as she tumbled headfirst towards the water. Twisting in midair, she tried to get her feet under her. Suddenly a searing pain erupted in her forehead before the world began to turn grey. Icy cold water shocked Alec out of her daze. Clothes weighing her down, she sank quickly. 

Struggling to reach the surface, Alec opened her eyes. If she could have gasped, she would have. A giant eye stared straight at her as the mother right whale examined the intruder. The calf ventured towards Alec, brushing Alec’s back with her sleek body. Alec didn’t jolt at the touch. Instead she hung there, suspended in the water, in awe of the creatures. 

Before she knew it, she heard a long noise in front of her. Understanding, Alec placed her hand on the mother’s head, allowing the whale to push her to the surface. Breaking through the waves, the girl took a deep breath of air, coughing out water. 

Both whales continued to circle around Alec, keeping her afloat by bumping her occasionally. Their rough heads knocked her out of any trance she had fallen into. To her right, a life ring splashed into the water and she heard someone yell for her to take it. Normally she prided herself on being a strong swimmer, but a jean jacket and sweater made lifting her arm near impossible. Grabbing hold of the ring, Alec watched the whales begin to take off. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, as she began to be towed back towards the boat. 

Strong arms lifted her out of the water and ushered her into the captain’s office. Her jacket and sweatshirt were stripped off and a blanket was thrown over her shoulders. Her mind still with the whales, Alec didn’t pay attention to the woman who knelt in front of her, dabbing blood away from the gash at her temple. 

“Dear, are you alright?” she heard the woman say. 

“What?” Alec snapped back to the present. “I’m fine,” she said, shivering. 

“I’m afraid she could have a concussion,” the woman told the man sitting on the other side of the desk. 

“What’s your name?” the man asked her. 

“Alec,” she replied, drawing the blanket closer. “And I don’t have a concussion,” she told the woman. 

“Well, let’s just make sure. Can you hold this?” She moved Alec’s hand to the cloth pressed against her forehead. “Good. Now I want you to follow my finger with your eyes.” She moved her finger left and right, up and down until she was sure Alec could follow it with no problem. “I’m going to need you to answer a few questions. What’s your full name?” 

“Alexandra Lunera,” Alec replied. 

“How old are you, Alexandra?” 

“Sixteen.” 

“Who are you here with?” 

“No one. I came by myself." 

At this point the man behind the desk interrupted. “We’re going to need the phone number of a parent or guardian.”  

Grimacing, Alec recited her home phone. Standing up, the man excused himself to make the call. Before leaving, he put a hand on her shoulder. “You gave us quite a scare, youngster. Be more careful next time.” 

“That was the captain,” the woman explained after the man had left. “My name is Ruby. I’m the EMT on board.” 

“Oh.” Alec really did not know what to say. 

“Do you know today’s date?” Ruby continued her questions. 

“No clue. I know it’s a Saturday in October,” Alec shrugged. 

“Alright, when’s your birthday?” 

“July fourth,” she rattled off. 

“An Independence Day baby,” Ruby smiled. “Where are you from?” 

“Concord, Massachusetts.” 

“Alright.” Ruby stood up and slipped off her gloves. “It doesn’t look like you have a concussion, but that cut might need stitches.” 

“Where did the whales go?” Alec asked as Ruby taped gauze over the gash, placing clean bandages on it. 

“They swam off when we pulled you aboard.” She smiled. “Not many people can say they’ve been swimming with right whales.” 

Curling her legs up underneath her, Alec’s mind drifted back to the whales. Seeing them off the side of a boat was nothing compared to being next to them. The songs they’d sung as they circled around her were still echoing in her head. It had been as though they were asking her if she was alright. Never before had she felt as safe as she had when they were circling her. The cold and fatigue had vanished in that second as she studied the magnificent creatures. 

If only she could swim off with them. Say goodbye to drama and worries. Just forget about the word for awhile. Unfortunately, that was not possible. 

When the boat docked, Alec was the last passenger off. She was then led to an ambulance parked in front of the aquarium. 

“I’m fine,” she argued as the EMTs made her sit at the back of the ambulance. “I just want to go home.” As she spoke, her teeth began to chatter. 

“If you stop talking we can quickly check your cut and get you into some dry clothes,” the EMT told her. 

Sneering, Alec allowed him to peel the bandage off her head. He dabbed away the blood before placing clean linen back on her head. 

“You are going to need a few stitches,” he told her. “Not many, but since it is on your head, a plastic surgeon should be the one to do the job.” 

Grimacing at the thought, she curled up in a ball and dreamed of a hot shower. 

Every day after that, Alec continuously thought of the whales. The problem was, she couldn’t go see them.  

Right whales were a migratory species. In the winter they traveled to the warmer waters off of Florida to give birth. But those waters lacked massive amounts of plankton and krill. Right whales were baleen whales. Instead of large teeth they had twelve-foot long overlapping plates called baleen. These plates were made out of keratin, the same material hair and fingernails are made of. 

Plankton and krill are some of the smallest living creatures in the ocean but they travel in groups that reach the thousands. Right whales travel up the Eastern coast of America, through the Gulf of Maine and into the Bay of Fundy to find these large groups. Since they need a few tons of krill to stay full, they skim the surface with their large mouths open. Taking in gallons of water, they then shut their mouths and expel the water through the baleen while the krill get stuck inside. 

Since Boston is located in the Gulf of Maine, right whales were only spotted around spring and fall while heading to their final destinations. It was killing Alec to wait around, but short of buying a plane ticket and heading down south, there was nothing she could do. 

As the leaves continued to fall, so did Alec’s spirits. Listening to her geometry teacher ramble on about how to find the missing angle of a triangle made her want to bang her head against the table. How was this supposed to help her study right whales? She knew that in order to work with the gentle giants she would need to study many species that inhabited the ocean. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t have a focus.  

The bell broke through her concentration, bringing a smile to her face. Maybe she wasn’t able to spend a day on the ocean but that didn’t mean she couldn’t work with animals. The halls bustled with kids trying to escape the the prison that was school. 

A handsome boy was leaning against her locker by the time Alec managed to squeeze through. “Hey gorgeous, need a ride?” He winked.    

Alec blushed and pushed him aside to reach her locker. Although the senior greeted her like that every day, she wasn‘t used to it yet, probably because she didn’t think she was that pretty. The blonde cheerleader who’d attached herself to Cory was a girl that every guy wanted. Alec, in comparison, was practically invisible. 

“Well considering I won’t have my license until February, that would be great,” Alec said.     

“Well then, let’s get moving. I was going to ask Cory, but my brother seems to have found a new niche.”    

As the oldest Dempsey, Riley Dempsey tended to look after his sibling and Alec as well. 

“Are you talking about Cory’s new girlfriend?” A girl joined their conversation. “I really don’t like her.” 

Petite with light blond hair, Cory’s twin sister Katrina looked nothing like her brothers. Riley had the same dark brown hair as Cory but he only stood at about five foot eleven, with wide shoulders and muscular arms. Their younger brother Zach had a lanky build like Cory and would probably reach about six foot two as well, but he had the same blond hair as Kat. The one similarity all four Dempsey’s had was their hazel eyes. 

“I thought all you cheerleaders got along,” Riley stated.  

“You don’t know girls at all.” Kat patted his cheek. “So are you going to give us a lift or not?” 

“Don’t I always?” Riley rolled his eyes. 

The truck turned off the main road and wove its way down a driveway flanked by woods. When the trees finally stopped, they could see a large sloping yard headed down to a pond. Not only did an old farm house sit at the end of the driveway but a large barn resided there as well. 

While both Riley and Kat headed towards the house, Alec did not join them. She was not at the Dempsey’s to hang out with friends. She actually had work. Unlike most high school students, Alec enjoyed her work. She didn’t make her money by spending countless hours at a Starbucks or some department store; instead, she got to work with animals. 

The Dempsey’s barn was not what you would call normal. There were no horses or cows to greet her. In their place was a cranky llama along with a giant camel. Avoiding the llama because she knew he would spit, Alec patted the camel hello. 

“Oh good, you’re here,” Mrs. Dempsey entered from the back room, a thick glove on her left hand. “We’ve got a new guest that I would like you to meet.” 

A small blonde woman, Mrs. Dempsey was a veterinarian, although she no longer worked in a clinic. Instead, she had started an animal sanctuary for exotic creatures that were confiscated from their owners for various reasons. 

“A new bird?” Alec asked excitedly, following her boss into the next room. 

“A new owl actually.”  

They walked through the first room, which contained tanks of reptiles and into the second room where the birds resided. Hiding in the corner of a new hut was a very small owl. 

“This is Gnome, he is a Northern Pygmy Owl who was shipped here from California as a chick. Luckily he was found, confiscated, and brought here. But I can’t get him out of his hut,” Mrs. Dempsey explained. “Maybe you and your magic ways with animals can get him out.” 

“I can try.” Alec slipped on a glove and gently inched her hand into the hut. “It’s ok, boy, I’m here,” she cooed, stopping about halfway in. 

The small owl tilted his head sideways, inspecting the gloved hand. Curious, he nipped her finger with his small beak. Once satisfied, he hopped on her hand. With a smile on her face, Alec drew him out of the hut. 

“I should be surprised, but I’m not,” Mrs. Dempsey told her. “Let’s see if you can get him to eat.” 

“You hungry?” Alec asked Gnome. “I bet you are.” 

Over in the corner a dozen frozen mice were defrosting in a sink. Picking up a mouse by its back foot with a pair of tongs, she dangled the dead creature in front of the owl. After studying the animal with his large eyes, the small owl turned his head in refusal. Pursing her lips, Alec tried again. And once again, Gnome did not want the mouse. 

“Come on, eat,” she begged him. 

“He’s been through a traumatic experience,” Mrs. Dempsey reminded her. “Maybe he’s just not ready to eat." 

“I’ve just never had an animal refuse to eat from me before,” Alec grumbled. 

“You managed to gain a bit of his trust already. But feeding might not come that easily. Even your magic touch wouldn’t be enough.” 

Standing up, Alec carefully lifted her arm in the air, not wanting to ruffle Gnome’s feathers. 

“Well I think I’m going to take him away from all of this insanity.” She motioned to the birds who were all clicking their beaks and ruffling their feathers. Talking to the owl softly as she left the barn, Alec made her way towards the house. 

Inside, Riley was making a large sandwich piled high with ham and cheese. In the next room Cory was watching a movie with his arm around a girl who had platinum blond hair. The two of them didn’t faze Alec and she walked straight past them to the chair in the corner. 

“What is that?” she heard a harsh voice ask. 

“It’s called an owl,” Alec snapped at the girl. “You know; a nocturnal bird.” 

“I meant the dead animal in your hand.” Ashley sneered. 

Alec rolled her eyes at Cory and held Gnome up to her face. Setting the mouse down she began to pet the owl. Soon he was burying his head in her chest. Touched by the action, Alec continued to stroke the soft feathers. The repetition made her eyes grow heavy and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep. 

“Alec, Alec,” a hand gently shook her into the realm of consciousness. Blinking the sleep from her eyes she looked into Cory’s face. “Your friend keeps hooting and it’s a pain.” She glanced down at Gnome who’d made his way over to the arm of the couch. 

“Maybe he’s hungry now.” 

“Are you seriously going to feed him here?” Ashley wrinkled her nose. 

“If he takes it,” Alec turned away from the girl and focused her attention on the owl. This time she was rewarded as he took the mouse away from her. 

“Gross!” Ashley squealed and buried her head into Cory’s shoulder. “I think I’m going to throw up.”  

Alec raised her eyebrow at Cory. “Really, you’re with her?” she asked him. 

“Not every girl is a nature nut,” he pointed out. 

“Being a nature nut is much better than being a princess. At least I don’t freak out at the mere sight of blood or guts.” 

“And yet you don’t have a boyfriend.” Ashley popped her head out of Cory’s shoulder. “You barely have any friends as a matter of fact. Why do you hang out with that loser?” She turned to Cory as she asked him the question. 

Cory’s eyes opened wide as he looked from his girlfriend to his best friend. “I don’t have to explain my choice in friends or girlfriends,” he told both of them. “If you two can’t get along then we’re going to have some problems.” 

“Well I think we should get out of here, baby.” Ashley batted her eyelashes at Cory. Standing up, she grabbed his hand and pulled him off the couch. 

As they left, Alec blinked back tears. Ashley was right. She was a lonely loser. Cory was only friends with her because she worked for his mother. Curling her legs up underneath her, Alec closed her eyes and let the tears flow. Darkness fled away as her body was shaken awake once more. 

Blinking sleep from her eyes, she looked into the smiling face of Riley. “Dude, you were passed out,” he told her. 

“I was tired,” she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. A hoot came from her lap. Looking down at Gnome, she smiled. “Hey, buddy.” 

“Looks like you’ve got a new friend,” Riley said. 

“Yeah, I guess I do,” Alec smiled. Suddenly the day didn’t seem to be as bad.