Lily kicked her shimmering green tail toward the dark opening above the reef. She swam faster and faster until — pop! — she broke the surface.
Golden light danced on the water and something warm tickled her cheek. She reached up to touch the light — then a shadow slid over her.
A big green turtle bumped gently against Lily's shoulder and rippled its flipper toward the horizon. Lily grabbed his shell and they glided through the sparkling water.
The turtle tapped her tail and pointed both upward at the sun and downward at the blue ocean below. Lily looked, then her green tail flicked with a happy splash.
Lily turned and swam back toward the reef, her tail flashing green through the waves. She glanced up one more time at the sun and kept swimming home.
Her tail flashed green through the waves, and the sun above painted the water in dancing gold.
The reef glowed brighter as she neared, all pink and orange and purple. Lily's tail gave one final kick.
Home.
