"The Sinking of Atlantis.txt" by Allison L. Miller

     The sky was bluer back then, the air fresher. Up above, the gulls cried out to the thrashing waves beating softly on the rocks and shore. The music of the sea.

     Delisus loved days like this. He breathed deeply the salty sea air as he ran down the docks, his sandals thumping with every step he took. Around him, the crowds were bustling with busy men and women going about their daily work, selling fish, buying fish, catching fish. Everything had to do with fish when you lived in Atlantis!

     At the moment, Delisus was late. He had promised Tartan that he would go diving with him at noon, and already it was nearly a quarter past. When he reached the end of the docks, however, there was no one there. I guess Tartan is even more late than I am, thought Delisus as he took a seat on the edge. Slipping off his sandals, he paddled his feet in the cool water and waited, entranced by the deep blue of the ocean, the soft caressing breezes, the warm sun…. SPPPLLUURTTTTT!!!!!

     Delisus coughed and sputtered as he wiped he water from his face. “Tartan!” he yelled. “I’ll get you for that one!”

     “Later, land-walker,” said a laughing Tartan as he smacked his fin on the water, splashing Delisus even more. “For now we must dive! I wasted enough sunlight waiting for you!”

     “Cocky mer-boy,” grumbled Delisus as he untied his rope sash and threw off his toga, revealing dark green swim trunks sewn together from seaweed. Without another word, he jumped in to join Tartan. All day, they dived and swam, exploring deep trenches, colorful reefs, and occasionally disturbing a school of fish for a laugh. When the waters became dark and cold, however, they knew that it was time to resurface. Tartan left Delisus at the docks, and with a final wave of his webbed hand, dived into the now ink black ocean.

     Delisus scooped up his discarded toga and began drying his hair with it as he walked down the now deserted docks. All was silent and still, just the waves against the shore and the creaking of the tied up boats.

     Then, suddenly, the world began to shake uncontrollably! Delisus fought to keep his balance as the dock swayed to and fro. He knew that if this kept up, the dock would surely collapse. So, swaggering and stumbling, he made for the shore. When he got there, the danger was no less. From where he stood, he could see whole buildings of the once great city crumble and fall to the ground with huge clouds of dust. From the sudden chaos, there came screams, and waves of people then flooded past onto the docks, all shouting “Atlantis is sinking! Head for the ships!”

     Delisus’s first thought was his parents. He had to find his parents! But he soon found that he had little choice in the matter. He was swept up in the tide of screaming people, and was soon hurled onto one of the fishing boats. So many people were piling into the boat that it was almost swamped. The boatmen quickly cast off their lines and they set out to sea. At all the other docks, similar boats were doing the same thing, leaving crowds of people on the docks.

     The seas churned and tossed the little boat as it desperately tried for the safety of the Greece mainland. The passengers didn’t know it, but beneath them the earthquake that had plagued their island home had spread to the ocean floor, and in a flash an enormous stalactite stabbed up through the ocean and pierced the little boat, splitting it in two as it was hurled into the air. Delisus was flown from the boat, knowing only a hailstorm of splintered wood and screams as he fell. He hit the water hard, and saw himself sinking lower and lower into the black abyss as he slowly lost consciousness. The last thing he remembered was a familiar webbed hand grabbing his arm.

     The first thing Delisus noticed when he came too was the warmth, warmth that could only come from the sun! He opened his eyes to see that he was lying on a sandy beach in the middle of a clear morning, the shore was littered with smashed wood and debris. From out in the ocean he heard shouts, and not far off in the distance he could see small barges coming his way. They were nothing more than large makeshift rafts, but they were loaded down with Atlantian refugees, and as they came closer, he noticed that they were being pulled to shore by merpeople. Shakily, he got to his feet and ran out into the waves to gesture them over.

     “So, you’re finally awake, land-walker?” came a familiar voice. Delisus turned to see the smiling face of Tartan pop next to him. “Glad to see your ok, Delisus.”

     “It was you, wasn’t it? Who pulled me out from the water?” said Delisus

     “You think I would just let you drown?”

     “No, no you wouldn’t.” Delisus turned back to the coming barge.

     “Your home, Delisus. Its gone. What are you going to do now?”

     “I have a cousin in Athens named Plato. I suppose I could stay with him.”

     “Then, I suppose we won’t see each other again.” said Tartan with a frown.

     “Don’t worry, Tartan, Athens is     n’t far from the sea.” Delisus put a hand on Tartan’s scaly shoulder. “I promise to visit the sea again.” And so, Delisus said goodbye to Taratan, but just as he promised, he always went back to the sea to visit him, and Delisus learned that, even though things get bad, they can always be made better with a friend.