Underwater Mayhem

• Samantha Draper, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2007

I was cruising underwater in a submarine, I looked out the small, mossy porthole and I saw sea-life. I saw great big fish swimming past quickly, so close to me that I could just reach out and feel a spiked blur of scales. I saw tons of sharks, enough to fill a tank. I saw corals gently resting on the hard, stable rocks. I was in the Great Barrier Reef.
Suddenly the slow, round ship stopped. I saw mean, old fisherman taking away the beauty of the sea. No more great big fish, no more sharks and no more lovely coral. I had to do something about this take-over. I decided to go home to work on my plot.
Out of the blue an idea came to me. I would go down-town for inspiration. There were so many buildings down-town. I didn’t know where to start. There were small buildings. Those were usually workplaces, and tall buildings devouring the blue sky. I saw a building that camouflaged with the sky, the Aquarium. I would go there for help. I came through the shiny, silver lift doors and I was in the Great Barrier Reef again but I kept my mind on track. I was here to speak to the manager, so I went to find his office. When I got there a squeaky-voiced teen in bright clothes was guarding the entrance. I went up to him and shouted, “New burger bar, down the street!” He rushed downstairs so fast that he looked like a flash of light. I went into the office. At the desk was a bulgy, fat figure eating original chips. I asked him, “Do you know why those awful men are stealing the sea-life?” Immediately he shouted, “Preservation! Preservation is why I, I mean we are doing this. We take it from the sea then it goes to this Aquarium. Simple really!”
Once I knew it was for preservation I was completely fine.