Shadow Eater
I peek around the reef; I feel a disruption in the current. What is it?
The fish swimming around my hair are upset that something is destroying their home. I look up to see a massive shadow floating towards me. It’s screaming at me that I’ve swum too far away from home. I know I need to go back but the mysterious object is messing with my senses. The eerie noise tells me I shouldn’t get closer but…
I let the current and my curiosity take me closer. The sunlight disappears beneath the shadow, leaving most of the area covered in darkness. I notice a large monster biting the shadow and pulling all kinds of things into its mouth. The pit in my stomach tells me to not get any closer.
I turn to leave, but am stopped. I look down to see a thin strand of yellow-looking seaweed curling from the base of my tail to my hips. It doesn’t feel like seaweed but it feels alive. It looks like tiny seaweed is tangled together to make one long strand. The more I try to pull it from me, the closer it pulls me to the massive creature. The closer I get, the harder it is to breathe.
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Little fish swim around me in panic, they know I might not be able to escape. I look at the shadow to see if there is something I can use to break free. A little farther, I see a shiny object floating that makes my hearts skip a beat. I quickly make my way towards the object and grab it. The sharp object fits firmly into my palm. The handle is hard with a sharp shiny object sticking out from the end.
Looking up to observe the monster, it continues to move through the shadow, slowly getting closer to where I’m trapped. I don’t want to get caught.
The shiny handle is just sharp enough to cut the thick seaweed looking rope. I try to keep my wiggling to a minimum so the monster doesn’t attack. The fish that are brave enough to follow me swim around the tangled mess, trying to find a weak point.
After one last cut, I finally free myself. I thank the little fish for trying to help and hurry us away from the giant shadow. I am not sure if I will ever come back. The pale coral under the shadow is dying and only a small number of fish are left trying to protect their homes.
My gills feel thick from breathing whatever was in that water and its shadow. The monster continues to take bites of the shadow. With a flick of my fin, I head home.
Swimming helps clear my gills and I feel something pulling my hair. I pull it out and recall my sister describing what she called “netting.” Was that what attacked me? She always warned me about the shadow, but I never listened. Now I know why.
