The Bluestone Review Spring 2022

Sea Turtle Save By Ivy Shelton

I was at the beach with my friends Mallory and Brooklyn. The three of us traveled here for a last adventure together before we split up for college. We had less than a month. I was the first one awake. I got out of bed, got dressed, and pulled my hair back. I decided to go down stairs and to get a strawberry Poptart and apple juice from the vending machines. I brought my breakfast back to the hotel room balcony. We lucked up and found a nice hotel right on the beach. I thought surely this was Heaven on earth. The sky was the bluest I’ve ever seen, the sun was shining down on the sand perfectly, and the ocean waves were doing their rhythmic dance. I felt the fresh breeze on my face. It ran down my neck and untangled hair. I couldn’t tell if it felt as though I had forgotten I was alive or if I felt the most alive that I’ve ever been. After I finished eating, I went back inside. Only 8am. The others would likely not be awake for another hour or so at least. There’s no way I was going to waste away such an impossibly perfect morning. I tiptoed through the room and rummaged for my book and blanket. I scribbled a note on a napkin from last night’s takeout, “I’ll be on the beach when you bums wake up.” The beach was practically empty. It was just me and a teenage couple sitting together, but divided by their phone screens. I found a perfect spot near the water and with just the right amount of shade from the unmanned lifeguard tower above. I laid down and opened my book. I managed to make it through a couple chapters before a splash of cool breeze broke the trance. Suddenly, I remembered my grandpa’s stories of his great seashell finds on this very beach. So, I stood up and walked down to the shore in search of my own. I walked along the shore for a few minutes and found a couple. None too impressive. Then, I caught a glimpse of bright color shining under the thin water a few steps away. I stepped into the water and I bent over to grab the shell. I lost my balance and fell into the water! I tried to stand up, but there was salt water in my eyes and everything was slippery. I felt a great wave pushing me further out into the water. I fought by digging my feet into the sand, but it was hard. The waves were stronger than I thought and I’ve never been the world’s best swimmer. The waves kept tugging and pulling at me. Eventually, my feet wouldn’t touch the bottom and I started to panic. I kept kicking, but it wasn’t doing anything. I was struggling just to keep my head above the water. My body felt tired and weak. I heard my preacher’s voice. It was his sermon from the Sunday before we left. He said, “Why do we always try so hard to take care of ourselves? God created every part of us. Yet, we always worry about caring for ourselves instead of letting our Creator take care of us.”

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