Breathe // #PlanetOrPlastic

Breathe

Food is scarce...too scarce. New floating predators are taking all my food. They don't do much, but when plankton eat it they die and then there's nothing left for me. I'm travelling further and further from home to find food, but it's harder every day. 

I have no energy left. I'm drifting so far away from the safety of the reef, clinging to the only stick for miles so I don't sink. I haven't encountered a stick like this before, but it's the best I can do. But...I'm still slowly sinking lower and lower to the darkness below me. My vision blurs as the water becomes thick with the strange things, all different shapes and sizes. The long pointy one scares me, with spikes on the outside of their body and no eyes. The stains on it's teeth look like blood. It doesn't seem to be swimming anywhere particular, but it's getting closer. "Please don't hurt me" I whimper, but it doesn't say anything back. Then suddenly, it gets knocked out of the way by a bigger round one, one with squiggly lines and I can see through it.

I'm scared. So scared. I can't see the light anymore. I'm surrounded by the strange predators and my stick is getting weirdly fluffy. I don't know what to do. I close my eyes and think of the stories the others told me. I don't know anyone else like me but one turtle I know told me about years ago when the waters had none of these new creatures, and you could see for miles around. It sounds like a fairy tale, but I know he wouldn't lie to me. He barely speaks anymore, he has something wrapped around his neck and it makes him gasp. He tells me not to worry but I've seen him try to take it off and it just hasn't worked. I hope he's okay, I hope they're all okay. They're so far away from me now, safe at home. 

I don't think I'll see them again, even though I tried so hard to get back. Looking around, I know I'm not going to be okay.  The sand seems closer now and I just hope that it's a soft landing. My body is tired and there just isn't any fight in me left. As my body hits the floor all I think about is breathing. 

"In...and out" I tell myself, though my voice even sounds ragged in my head.

The light is dimming even more, but before my eyes close completely I see a large wispy new predator coming to rest on top of me...and I know my world will go away soon. I say a silent goodbye to the ocean that took such good care of me, and close my eyes, still clinging to my stick. The last thing running through my head is a wish; that wherever I end up will be clean and safe, how turtle told me here used to be.