Crab’s Way Home

The young crab was looking at his dad digging a hole for him to sleep in. The youngling patiently waited for his dad to teach him. The sun was beginning to descend and the yellow rays hit the sand and glowed like a golden bedspread.

The people walked by and the dad jumped into his home. Youngling not knowing what to do, began to dance and run sideways.

And when people walked away, the dad came out and yelled at the youngling.

Dad — “Don’t you know, you go into your home when there’s a gyp on the sand. They stomp on us like a guitar amplifier. Look at me and learn.”

And the youngling looked at his dad digging a new hole and he dropped in. With small claws, he tried, and somehow, like muscle memory, he dug a small one enough to fit in and dropped inside.

A small pup walked by looking at all the crab cousins dancing like no one’s watching and go into a hole when the pup crossed.

The black and white puppy tried to dig a hole near the youngling’s burrow. The youngling rushed to save his dad but his dad came rushing and pulled him away from the puppy.

Youngling — “Dad! I was going to save you. Why are you stopping me from doing anything?”

Dad — “This is a network of burrows. I know what to do in terms of danger. You should learn it too. Admiring the sunsets and dancing with the waves does not help you survive.”

Youngling was sad and he walked toward his favorite friend. The waves!

Youngling — “Hey buddy! How do you give joy to some and sorrow to some?”

Wave — “Hey Youngling! You’re my dear friend. But your species lives only near me but not much inside. I know a lot of your cousins and I have devoured some. It wasn’t my choice to take. But for you Youngling, I would never hurt you. But you sound like you have a question in your mind.”

Youngling — “Yes, wave! My dad asked me to build a burrow for me to live in. I never had a permanent home. You are so enthusiastic at times, that you fill our burrows with water. I don’t blame you for what do, but I know you're much wiser to give me a suggestion.”

Wave — “Do you want to become the Merman of the Underwater kingdom?”

Youngling waved his claws in the air saying no.

Wave danced a bit and asked the youngling what he wants to be. Youngling was very confused and wiped his microscopic eyes with his tiny claws. He was not ready to go back to his home because he is not going to survive in that network. The crab, unfortunately, grew wings of dreams and he wants to fly.

Wave — “Well, youngling! There’s only one thing to do. If you come with me, I can show you wonders under the bed. The plants that grow only underwater. Do you want to join me in the quest of the unstoppable?”

Youngling thought for a while and replied to the Wave with a smile, “You taught me to dance. And I hope you can also teach me to swim,” and he raised both his claws to hug the wave.

The wave took him to go on an adventure into the vastness.