Marina's marine mates

SEA ADVENTURE

Marina, a pretty little mermaid with a shimmering silver tail, long black tresses and emerald green eyes, lived in the depths of the ocean. Friendly and helpful by nature, she was quite a favourite with all the marine creatures.  Marina longed to swim to the surface and glimpse the world beyond the ocean. Her family and friends warned her that it was foolish and dangerous to do so as the people there were only interested in trapping and killing creatures of the sea.

“Hi, how are you doing?” she called as she swum by Squeegee the squid. “Not too well, I’m afraid,” replied a pale looking Squeegee, “My ink has turned grey instead of black.”  Marina was back in no time with some dark seaweed. “Here, try eating this and I’m sure your colour will return to normal,” she said cheerfully. “Thanks,” said Squeegee as she went on her way.

Spindly the sword fish swished by, chasing a tiny little fish. The clever little fish squeezed into a gap under a large rock on the ocean floor. Poking his long nose there, Spindly cried, “Ouch, that hurts!”  His sword-shaped nose had got pinned under the rock and try as he might he couldn’t wrench it free. Marina came to his aid saying, “Leave the tiny fish alone,” and with considerable effort she managed to heave the large rock a wee bit, so that Spindly could pry himself free.

“Where are you going?” asked Spindly. “I’m off to see the world,” replied Marina as she swam towards the surface. “Be careful,” warned Spindly.

Marina sat on a rock and looked up at the bright blue sky taking in a world that was so different from the dark one she lived in. She failed to notice a ship approaching and was startled when she heard someone yell “Ahoy there!”  A strange creature that looked like her, but without a tail, stood waving. That must be a human she thought and waved back before diving into the sea.

She heard a loud splash and found the man in a black suit, diving after her. He had a net and a spear in his hand.  Before she knew it, he flung the net over her. Oh, no! She was trapped. “Help,” she screamed, thrashing about in the net.

Suddenly she saw Spindly coming up from the depths. He sliced the net with his sharp sword, freeing Marina.

He had stayed close by in case there was trouble. Together they swam deeper into the ocean with the diver in hot pursuit.

All at once, it became pitch black and they couldn’t see where they were going.

Squeegee had sensed danger and sprayed ink to throw the diver off their scent. The diver raised his arm to hurl his harpoon at them, but found he couldn’t move. Oscar the Octopus had grabbed him and wound his eight tentacles tightly around him, squeezing him for dear life.

 There was a faint glow in the dark as a gulper eel with light cells all over its body emerged and led Marina and Spindly through the blackness. The electric ray observed the diver trying to poke Oscar with his spear. Circling them, he gave the diver a couple of shocks till he was begging for mercy and swore he would never hurt any sea creature again if only they’d let him go.

 Kind-hearted Marina told her friends to let him go as she was pretty sure he had learnt his lesson after the ‘shock treatment’ and wouldn’t dare return to the deep. “Next time my friends won’t leave you alive,” she said. “Learn to live and let live.”

Marina apologised to her friends for not listening to their advice and endangering all of them.  She was thankful she had them to look out for her and they were only too happy to be of help.