Creatures of Joy 

The sun rose bright and clear, arriving on the eastern horizon, turning the ocean yellow, and streaks of light danced across the sky. The few clouds that lingered from a past storm were dyed pink. A few early rising seagulls squawked as they dipped and dived over the waves. A salty breeze rustles the palm trees and bushes on the island. A trickling sound is the crystal clear fresh water spring bubbling into a pool nearby. The sand is white, and cool, for the sun hadn’t warmed the grains yet. A few other strange calls from the trees say that parrots, monkeys, and other critters and birds of paradise are waking as the sun rises higher, the sky now blue, the clouds now white, and the ocean sparkling and turquoise. Waves lap softly on the shore, and at the feet of a boy. 

The boy was called Kai, and he had dark tan skin, with darker brown hair. His eyes were hazel, and full of excitement. He had on only shorts, which, like the sky, were blue. He had watched the sunrise every day that he could, and today’s waking up of the world had been wonderful. The summer morning was growing warm, and Kai stretched, ready for the next part of the day. He began wading into the water, and when it was deep enough, he sucked in a breath and dove beneath the warm waves. 

Underwater, Kai opened his eyes. He had been doing this most of his life, and it was almost natural to be beneath the waves. Though the water blurred his vision, the water was clear. As he swam forward, he disturbed little, only a bit of sand and a small school of fish. A whole minute and a half later, the water had gotten only a little deeper, and Kai went up for air. Again he dived down, and after a moment the water got a whole lot deeper. 

He stopped swimming, but moved his arms to keep him under the surface. Then, he opened his mouth and made a chattering sound, much like a dolphin. It was broken, of course, but it was still quite authentic underwater. Bubbles rose to the surface, as did Kai. He stood, shaking water from his hair as the small waves lapped at his shoulders. He waited in silence for his friend whom he’d just called, gazing at the clear, beautiful water, waiting for the familiar flash of gray/blue beneath the surface. There she was. 

A dolphin leaped gracefully out of the water, scattering crystal drops of water, and chattering a joyful hello. With a laugh, Kai jumps into the air and belly flops on the water, not so nearly as perfect as his friend. Under the water, the dolphin nuzzles him, squeaking something. Kai laughs again, and bubbles rise to the sun. He rubs the dolphin’s slick, smooth skin, and then grabs her dorsal fin. She bucks around playfully, and then with a powerful whoosh of her tail, and a kick of Kai’s feet, they dash through the water, leaping into the air, chasing fish, and laughing and chittering happily. The water grows warm as the sun rises higher, and the two friends have lots of fun in the clear, turquoise waters of the ocean.

~The End