Seawater muted the bright sunlight, making the surface appear a dark turquoise from below. It was a perfectly uneventful day for the dolphins swimming in the Pacific Ocean. The water felt perfect; a dolphin felt full from her last meal, and there was not a care in her beautiful, aquatic world. She would occasionally swim to the surface and feel the warmth of the sun on her fins. Then she would dive back in, continuing to swim with her family. Until the sun faded away, the day would have passed uneventfully—with the dolphin swimming, eating, and lazing around—if not for the ship that came ripping open the saltwater in its path.
It was still afternoon when the vessel approached the waters where the dolphin and her companions were swimming. It was huge and seemed menacing enough for the finned creatures to start swimming to the ocean depths in fear. At a safe distance, the dolphin watched as the ship changed the turquoise color of the sea. It was corrupted by what seemed like clouds, darker than the deepest recesses of the sea. The aquatic clouds tempted the dolphins to explore further.
A few of the dolphin’s friends swam with her to the surface once again. The clouds were emerging ominously from where the ship had stopped. The dark clouds took away her vision, and she felt trapped. The murk in the sea suffocated her, and it was hot—too hot; nothing like the comforting warm rays of the sun that she so enjoyed and adored. She felt like the dimness was going to devour her and her friends. Frantically swimming in every direction, the Dolphin found herself looking at a light swallowing the ship whole. That was from where the heat was coming. She swam and swam, managing to help a few of her friends escape the horrific clouds and get back to safety. She heard a pleading call from afar. She followed the sound, completely blinded by the darkness, but determined to reach her friend.
Just a few more moments and they would be safe and free.
But it was getting more and more difficult for the Dolphin to make her way to her companion. Everything was slowing down, even the beats of her heart. It was still too hot and too dark, but her senses were starting to numb.
The Dolphin saw nothing, heard nothing, and felt nothing. Not the water that had always felt so cool and calming. Not the scorching heat that had previously devoured her. Not the determination of saving her friend. She lost her every sense as she started sinking, the sea flooding her body.
When the sea caught fire, the Dolphin lost her life.