The Final Version - Deep Blue

Once there was a sea turtle that slowly waddled from the shore onto a bright sunny beach. She made little holes in the sand and began laying her eggs. One by one, she whispered to each little baby, “When you are ready, come back to me. We will be together again in the Deep Blue Sea.” She then came to her last one.

“There’s no more room for you in the sand, so I’ll put you back here to be safe until you are ready,” she said softly as she laid her final egg into a small nook underneath some grass and roots, nearby some rocks. She sighed , turned around and headed back to the ocean.

Time passed by and all was quiet. Then, one morning, there came a movement from some grains of sand. All of a sudden a baby turtle broke free from its shell and began crawling out onto the sand. Slowly, a second followed, and then a third. Soon, the whole beach was covered with little hatchlings scuttling towards the ocean. All, that is, but one: the one that didn’t hatch, that was still sitting snuggled into the cranny underneath the earth.

One day, this little baby turtle, heard a squawk nearby , “Hey, you! Don’t you think it’s time to come out of your nest? You are like me, you hatch from an egg. Isn’t it time to break free?”

She broke her shell with her small little beak and slowly climbed out to see a white seagull standing on a wooden post.

“What you doing out here on your own, little girl?” he squawked.

She snuck back into her shell and said, “I’m not exactly sure. I just remember something about a Deep Blue. Maybe you could tell me where it is?”

“The Deep Blue?” said the seagull scratching his head. “Never heard of it. The only Deep Blue I know is up there,” he put his feather finger up pointing to the far off sky. “And that goes on and on.” He flapped his wings, and with a final squawk was off, flying high away into the clouds.

Soon, afterwards, she squirmed onto the sand for the first time, not really sure where she was going. She slowly crawled her way in the direction of the seagull until she found herself in front of a small tide pool and there she stopped. She wasn’t able to continue on because of the water and the rocks in her way. She was in the middle of wondering what to do next, when suddenly popped out of the water a red crab. Startled, she quickly put her head back into her shell.

“Oh no! Not another one,” grumbled the crab sitting half in the water and half out. “What are you afraid from? Me? Go figure. You know, you are like me, if you stay in your shell all the time, you’ll have nothing to see. You need to come out
and take a look for yourself. Why don’t you get in the water any way?”

“I’m not exactly sure,” she said slowly stretching her head back out. “I was trying to get to the Deep Blue. But the seagull went up high over there and as I tried to follow him I was stopped by all this water and rocks.”

“Well, if you ask me little girl,” he said all bothered, “you should know where you’re going. The only great Deep Blue I know of is over there around those rocks,” he splashed his claw into the water. “But it goes on and on. So, be sure about what it is you want, or forget about the whole thing!” he snapped and then clattered up and over the rocks.

She went for the first time into the water not really sure what to do. She grabbed onto the rocks, just like the crab did, and held them as she made her way around. It wasn’t too long, when she soon came upon a yellow-orange starfish lying against the rocks.

“Hello there little girl,” the starfish giggled gleefully. “You look a bit silly, don’t you think? Ha-ha! You’re just like me, stuck to your rock. You must let go and breathe,” again she laughed, “It’s nice in the water and the waves are calm. Come in for a swim or will you lie there all day and keep me company?”

“Well, I am looking for the Deep Blue,” she let go of the rock and floated in the water for the first time. “The crab told me it is around these rocks. But as I went around the rocks I came here and found you.”

“Ha-ha silly girl,” the starfish smiled cheerfully, “of course you did. And if you’re trying to find the Deep Blue, I’m sure that it isn’t around the rocks. The only Deep Blue I know of would be beneath the rocks. Into the reef. And they go on and on. You’ll have to hold your breath and dive down to see for yourself.”

Following this advice, she took a deep breath, and went under the water for the first time. Uncertain, she dove between the cracks and holes and made her way down. She wasn’t sure where to go, and didn’t know how to maneuver through this coral maze. She was thinking of going back because she was confused, when all of sudden a head popped out in front of her from a pit. Startled, she jumped back.

“Say,” slithered a grayish blue eel, “what say we here? Someone from the upside? One, who’s like me, slips and slides from one spot to another. Say, you should select a more specific path and stay straight on it,” his tongue stuck out. “Or, if you stray, you might soon be someone’s lunch,” a crooked smile slowly stretched over his face.

“U-umm, d-do you-you know th-the Deep Blue?” she mustered. “The st-starfish told me to go beneath the rocks. But I continued going down and then you sprang up.”

“Say I not, ever do such a thing!” he lurched a bit forward and she shuddered back. “You say a Deep Blue? In such shallow waters too? See, straight a meadow there lays. Says I, it continues, on and on,” he coiled back into his pit. “Stay clear of where you are swimming and see yourself on.”

Still a bit trembling, she wasn’t sure what to do. She wanted to go back and find another way, but she decided to go forward instead and continue on. Soon, she found herself out of the rocks and covered in a bed of sea grass. She swam through this thicket for the first time. Here, she felt safer between the long lanky leaves, until she noticed that one of the leaves suddenly moved. From behind a blade of grass, she took a peak and saw a yellow seahorse floating and swaying along with the grass.

“Neigh!” jumped the seahorse. “You startled me. What were you doing back there? Are you like me?” he floated closer. “Do you too hide away from the sea? Then don’t go too far away from this meadow or you’ll be seen.”

“Seen? Seen from what?” she asked as she went to the edge in order to sneak another peak outside the glade.

“Neigh!” the seahorse jumped again and stopped in front of her. He looked her over with a leery eye. “Why did you come here if not to hide?”

“I am looking for the Deep Blue. The eel from the reef said to go straight to the meadows and so I did. But then I stumbled into you.”

“Neigh! Stumbled you did not,” said the seahorse shaking his head agitatedly. “More like startling me. Are these tricks you wish to play on me? You should be more straight and honest,” he pulled back his head. “Be true to yourself and show who you really are. Otherwise, if you keep on like that, you’ll never find the Deep Blue.”

Suddenly, she became really excited, “You know of the Deep Blue? Have you seen it too?”

“Neigh!” the seahorse pulled his head back once again. “Outside this grassland the ocean becomes vast and wide. In fact, the open water goes on and on. I never lurk out there because you never know what lurks out there. I’d be careful if I was you.”

“Well thanks for everything,” she said shyly and pushed herself along.

“For what?” cried the sea horse as she was leaving the grassy meadow. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

She pulled back the last leaves of grass and looked out into the open waters for the first time. And just as she was about to swim into the open waters suddenly something tried to grab at her. Instead, it grabbed a blade of the grass and as she looked at it more closely she could see that it was a tentacle. She followed the long limb and saw a purple octopus halfway into the sand. But before she realized it, a second tentacle was wrapped around her back flipper and she quickly reached out and grabbed at what she could.

“Help!” she cried out holding steadfast onto the grass as she was pulled closer to the octopus.

“Help from what, little thing?” the octopus stared intently. “You know, you are just like me. You reach out and grab whatever you can. Come on! You must let go.
Trust yourself. Don’t hold yourself back.”

“And then you’ll eat me!” She tried squirming but his grip was too tight.
The octopus grabbed another flipper and pulled her tighter. She realized that she couldn’t hold on much longer and so she let go. She was flung into the direction of the octopus and saw him open his mouth. She opened her own mouth and took a big bite of one of his tentacles.

“Oooouch!” the octopus let go surprised and shocked. She swiftly swam away and heard him ask, “Why did you do that?”

She turned around, keeping her distance, and replied, “Well, you were about to eat me?”

“Eat you?” he said, with one tentacle rubbing the other tentacle that she had just bitten. “How preposterous?! I just wanted to get a better look at you. You know, my eyes aren’t what they used to be.”

“Then why did you open your mouth so wide?” she asked.

“I must have yawned,” he gave out another yawn and she could see that he used his tentacles to feel his way around. “You know, at such an old age, I’m always tired. Besides, what’s a little one like you doing out here on their own anyways?”

“I’m looking for the Deep Blue and I was told by the seahorse in the grassy meadow that the ocean opens up here.” she paused, “I came to look for myself when I happened to meet you,” she said approaching him. “You don’t by chance know where the Deep Blue is?”

He blinked a few times and then continued, “You know, I’ve heard many things in my life, but I’m not sure of that one.” He thought for a moment. “Actually, you know, I do know of some Deep Blue that is out beyond the kelp forest. However, take into mind that it will go on and on. So, if you do decide on continuing forth, believe in yourself and you’ll find your way.”

And for the first time, she felt that she knew what to do. She decided with certainty that she would get to the Deep Blue. She swam on further until she came upon the kelp forest that the octopus spoke of. She slowly made her way in and passed through the long stemmed plants. The further she entered, the more she knew that she was getting closer. But it was quiet and she wasn’t sure how much further it was before it would end and she would be in the Deep Blue. Then, she saw an orange and white-striped coral fish coming towards her and stopped. The coral fish didn’t seem to notice her and he continued on.

“Excuse me,” she said chasing after him, “do you know the way out of this forest?”

The coral fish said matter-of-factly, “Like, I would presume it must be the same way getting in?” He moved on forward, but she cut him off.

“What I meant to say was that I need to find the Deep Blue and I was told it was beyond this forest. But I’ve been swimming through and well…”

“Yeah, I know. It goes on and on. You know little girl, you remind me of me. Like, you are just passing by going about your way. No cares in the world. But, unlike me, you need to be more aware and appreciate all that’s around you. Don’t get stuck in the reeds man. So life’s a journey. But enjoy it. It’s yours. So like, have you ever seen this Deep Blue before?”

“No,” she said, “actually, I haven’t.”

“So then, like, how do you know what you’re looking for if you haven’t seen it before?” he looked around.

“Well, umm, I just know,” she insisted. “From the first time I can remember, I’ve always heard ‘Come back to the Deep Blue’.”

“Well, like, I’ve too been to a Deep Blue,” he was still looking around. “In fact, many, many times. But they are all the same, you know? One’s here and one’s there. And each one just goes on and on. Like, I guess it doesn’t really matter which one you got. So, go out and get one,” as he said this he moved on, “I’ve got to, like, go out and get mine. So, see you later,” and with that, the coral fish disappeared into the green forest.

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Moishe Pipik © 2011