Dark Day in the Deep Sea

of Dianthus. The silver spiraled wand gleamed in the dim light of the room.
    “What is that?” asked Henry.
    “We’ll explain later!” said Annie.
    “Come on, let’s go back up!” said Jack.
    “No, we don’t have time!” cried Annie. “Use it now, Jack! Say something now! Before they hurt him!”
    Jack held up the wand.
    “Five words!” said Annie.
    “I know,” said Jack. But what five words? This was their only chance!
    “Hurry!” said Annie.
    “I am!” said Jack. “But we can’t just save him this one time. We have to make sure the ship never, ever tries to hurt him or others like him again.”
    Jack closed his eyes. He pictured the giant octopus … his umbrella-like body and long tentacles, the gaze of his yellow eyes—a gaze that had curiosity and shyness.

    Jack thought of the sheer wonder of the octopus’s existence. The giant sea animal was incredibly amazing. He was like a miracle.
    Jack wished he and Annie could explain the miracle of the octopus to everyone. But no one would listen to them. Unless—
    “Hurry, Jack! Say the words!” said Annie.
    “Make them hear the truth!” The words had burst out of Jack.
    “What?” said Annie.
    “Make—them—hear—the—truth!” said Jack, his eyes still shut tight. “That’s my wish. Make all the guys upstairs hear the truth about the octopus.”
    “What are you talking about?” said Henry. “What is that stick you’re waving?”
    Jack opened his eyes. He shook his head at Annie. But she didn’t see him.
    “It’s a magic wand!” Annie said to Henry.
    “Actually—” said Jack, trying to think of something else to say.
    “Oh, oh, yes, I see,” said Henry. He smiled sadly. “You’re pretending, like children.”
    “We
are
children!” said Annie. “Come on, Jack. Let’s go tell them the truth!”

J ack put the wand back in his pack. Then he and Annie charged out of the lab, with Henry behind them.
    The three of them climbed back up the stairs. When they stepped onto the top deck, they heard the sailors still shouting and yelling. Jack and Annie raced across the deck. They pushed through the crowd until they got to the railing.
    The octopus was still in the net, bright red and hiding his head in fear. The sailors had gathered weapons. Some were aiming harpoons.Others stood by with knives. Some pointed pistols.
    “Stop!” cried Annie.
    “Stand back!” the captain yelled at her.
    “You must bring it up alive!” begged the professor. “I beg you to let me examine it before you slay it, Captain!”
    But before the captain could answer, someone hurled a harpoon at the creature. It missed and landed in the water with a splash.
    “No!” yelled Annie.
    “Listen to us!” Jack yelled in his loudest voice. “You have to hear the truth!” He stood up on the bottom rung of the ship’s railing so everyone could hear him. “Don’t touch him!” he shouted. “He’s not going to hurt you! He deserves to live peacefully in the sea! He’s a miracle of nature!”
    But no one was listening to Jack. No one even turned to look at him.
    “Stop! Hear us!” said Annie. “We speak the truth! Leave him alone!”
    “Remove the children!” the captain roared again. “Now!”
    Tommy and Joe grabbed Jack and Annie.
    “Let us go! We have to talk to them!” yelled Annie, kicking and flailing. She and Jack broke loose from the sailors.
    “She’s right! They have to hear the truth!” yelled Jack, running toward the railing. “He’s okay where he is! He’s different from people, but he’s a miracle!”
    Again, no one seemed to hear him.
    “The magic’s not working!” Annie cried to Jack.
    “I know!” said Jack. He was desperate. No one was hearing the truth!
What was wrong?
He and Annie had followed the rules: They were trying to help others, not themselves. They had tried their hardest first. And Jack had used only five words.
    “Look!” a sailor shrieked. “Look at the monster!”
    Jack and Annie looked back at the water.
    The giant octopus had uncovered his head and raised it out of the water. “LEHHHHHHHH!” The sound was breathy and whispery, as if it came from the wind.
    The members of the crew lowered their weapons and stepped back in awe. “It—it speaks!” shouted a sailor.
    “MEEEEEEEEEEE!” The sound was wild and shrill, as if it came from a deep forest.
    “GOOOOOOOOO!” The sound was hollow and haunted, as if it came from an ancient gong or bell or drum.
    “HOOOOOOOOME!” The sound was