We were playing on the broken pans of ice. My sister and I. We were in the Arctic because our father was a biologist and was doing research on seals. We were staying in a squat home with a flat roof. It was very warm inside. It was very cold outside. Our mother lets us play near the ice as she photographed everything.
One morning we were playing near the broken ice. Our mother was in the distance. Camera to her eye. My sister went very close to the water and then a tall scaly creature emerged from the water. I held my nose. There was a reek of sulfur. The gruesome creature grabbed my sister, stuffed her into a basket on its back and then submerged in the water. I saw wavy waves and a tall puff of steam. It was then I began screaming.
There was a long search for my sister. I told the police what I saw. The officer was white. He thought I was telling lies. Another officer came to speak with me. He was Inuit. He knew of the creature I had seen.
“It won’t harm your sister. It’s lonely. It wants company and young children are splendid company,” he said. The officer explained to my parents.
My parents were miserable and we stayed for weeks and weeks. They blamed me. I know they did. They barely spoke to me.
One morning I went to the broken ice. I saw wavy waves and the creature arose. I was too big to go into the basket. The creature grabbed me around the waist and we went into the water. I would be with my sister. Maybe one day we could both escape and then when I offered my sister, my parents would love me again.