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Austin's ocean adventures

In a far away place, in Australia, along the warm beaches was a boy named Austin. He came down to the shores every year. He collected shells. Shell collection was his hobby. Austin wanted to grow up fast so he could do all the water sports and scuba dive like his parents and see the fishes, touch them and talk to them. But he was still young and his parents tried to keep all his energies at bay. So, instead he collected shells and spoke to the starfish, jellyfish and seagulls and snails. He was always so excited to see them. Running after the birds to catch them. Getting hold of jellyfish and starfish were things he liked. Till one day his mom saw him do that and explained to him how badly it hurts when a jellyfish stings. But being a tough kid and wanting to be able to talk to a jellyfish he would still try to pick one when he found it.

One fine day he managed to get the snail shell, jellyfish, starfish and an unstable bird in conversation. The bird kept flying off and coming back to him. Austin asked him dearly. "Why wont you stay". The bird said "I love to run along the waves when they come towards me, so that as soon as they go I can find food." Austin was quick to ask what the bird's food was. The bird said "I eat tiny fishes, insects, jellyfish and starfish". Austin was surprised to hear this and looked around at his other friends and saw the jellyfish and starfish trembling. The bird laughed and said "I will not eat your friends" . With that it ran off with another wave in sight. While Austin had many more questions to ask, he just had to wait for the bird to come back and join the conversation.

He saw the snail shell in the sun. Beautiful silver golden sand sparkled on its surface.He was surprised to find a small creature inside the shell. It had the most melodious and tiny voice. Austin asked curiously "what are you doing in there" The creature said "well its my home. I live here!" Austin asked him "when do you come out" The creature said "well I carry my home with me everywhere i go". To Austin this concept was funny and surprising. He imagined carrying his home on back and rolled on the beach with laughter. He could carry his toy house, but his big gigantic house. How he wished it did be great if he could bring his house and place it on the beach. He would get to be by the beach everyday, day and night and would not have to go as summer ended. It did be so much fun! He laughed hysterically and the snail could no long contain itself and slowly popped a round head and two antennas out of the shell.

Austin stopped laughing as he had seen shells before but never seen a snail carrying one on its back. The house didn't seem too big for the snail. It fit it perfectly. He was the cutest looking creature Austin thought. The snail greeted the jelly fish and starfish and just then the bird landed again. The bird scared the snail and it quickly returned to its home. The bird said " you are a pretty little creature and Austin's friend" I won't hurt you, come out. With hesitation the snail came out and looked at the gigantic bird. The bird walked around the snail to take a look and ran off with another wave.

Snail, starfish and jellyfish heaved a sigh and started their conversation. Austin asked the jellyfish if he could hold him and if he would sting. "why do you sting?", he asked The jellyfish said, "I am afraid if you hold me too tight you will squeeze me and I am afraid that if you hold me too loose you will drop me so my reaction is to sting. I am sorry if I have hurt you before". Austin picked up the jellyfish and told him not be afraid. He was excited to see how transparent it was. he could look through the fish. He held it in front of his eye and tried to look around. It was smooth and slippery and slimy.
Austin carefully placed it back on sand, happy and triumphant that he did not drop it. He had a lot of questions for the jelly fish, but as kids do he was attracted to the starfish now.

Stars are a child's or adults dream come true. Stars in sky, stars on Christmas trees for decoration. He looked at the red starfish wide eyed. He loved the starfish completely.He touched and felt it and realized it was not as smooth as jellyfish. But it was a beauty in itself. He asked why its shaped as a star. He asked Austin why he looks like that. Austin said "I look like my parents" and the starfish replied back "I look like my parents too" :) He told the starfish how he looks like the star in the sky. The starfish wanted to see the star and Austin set a play-date with starfish and others to watch the stars and meet again that night.

They decided to meet the following evening. Austin's parents asked him not to go to the beach that late and be back before the sun set. They waited at the beach while Austin met his friends. As the sun began to set the starts began to appear. They started twinkling one by one. A million of them at once. The star fish was so sursprised and asked austin if he could fetch him a star to show to his parents. Austin jumped high in air to try to catch a star. But alas they were up too high. The star fish sighed! but Austin had another idea. He asked him "why dont you bring your parents tomorrow and show them the stars too." The starfish agreed.

Starfish and snail and Austin waited some more time for Jellyfish but there was no one in sight. And then from somewhere far Austin saw a light approaching them in the ocean. When it came near them, Austin jumped with joy for it was a glowing jellyfish. He exclaimed "Wow! You glow!!" The jellyfish too happy to see Austin happy exclaimed "Yes i wanted to surprise you." Austin  was so awestruck that he wanted to know all about how the Jellyfish could glow and if he could do something himself to glow so bright at night. The Jellyfish laughed. He said I have seen people glow. When they wear glowsticks in their hands and glowsticks hats and forehead lights looking for shells on beach at night. Austin laughed and said "oh yes! yes! that pretty much how we glow. Maybe we should have a glow party one of the nights!"

The four of them sat their looking at the beautiful orange sunset and wondering how beautful and unique each one them was. They big a goodbye to meet the next morning.

Austin woke up with all the excitement to have a swim in the beach. Play on the waves with his dad and make sand castles with Mom. The jelly fish swam with him on the waves and ducked a few bounching beach balls. Austin laughed with the comic jellyfish as lucid as water so hard to track. Then he fetched a bucket of water and propped the jellyfish and starfish in it and ran to his Mom to make some sand castles for the jellyfish to see. As he built a beautiful castle with buckets and water and sand toys. The snail slowly propped behind him saying "Is that your house like mine? :)" Austin said "I wish but this one is for someone as tiny as you." Snail was very happy to see the castle and Austin propped the snail on top of it. and then the Snail said "Its a lovely house but would you decorate it with seashells and white pebbles for me?"

Just then the bird came running across the waves and stopped short of crashing into the castle. Ahh! said Austin, could you birdie collect me some shells and white pebbles to decorate the castle for Mr. snail. The bird said yes but before they all knew he was off at another wave that had just come in. But the birdie came back with all Austin had asked for and waited for a little chat. Surpirsed Austin said "Wont you run behind another wave?" The bird laughed and said " Well i am pretty full with all the yummy food I had in the morning. I might just go for a little late lunch snack later. I am here now to play. And dont you think I have not heard all the conversation. I have heard all about the Snails home, the starfish shaped like the night star and the jelly fish s glow at night. I may look to busy but I always have time for a friend. " Hearing that everyone shared a big hearty laugh and Austin shared some of the bird food he got for mr. birdie. It was the best adventure of his beach trip. So unforgetfull and so fun. They all basked in the warmth of the morning sun gleaming in the ocean.

- copyright Sayli D(booksnbeans)

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