This book is dedicated to Rose Capron 

"Coral, it's time to go!" shouted Marina. "Just a sec!" I yelled back. I looked at the shimmering blue ocean one last time before heading back to Marina, my older sister. Suddenly, I saw a beautiful pink conch shell lying on the white sand. I caught my breath. It was beautiful. "Hurry up, you slug!" screamed Marina. I ignored her and continued to gaze longingly at the seashell.

I couldn't resist. I knelt down and grabbed it. A bit of sand spilled onto my hand as I studied it intently, but I couldn't have cared less. I shook it for a few seconds as a waterfall of sand tumbled to the ground. Once I was sure that there was nothing left, I pressed the composite mineral to my ear. At first nothing happened, but when I pressed it closer, I heard it; the swishing sound 

of the ocean. I smiled. It just sounded so satisfying! Suddenly, I felt a tugging sensation in my gut. My fingertips were tingling, the world in front of me spinning, and my mind went blank.

"Ugh." My eyes slowly fluttered open as I took in the scene around me. I was underwater, on the sandy floor, breathing

fine. But I was too tired to feel amazed by this realization. All I wanted to do was crash on my bed, but I knew I had to get moving. I staggered to my feet, then immediately lurched back as a school of clown fish shot past me. 

    After what felt like an hour and probably was an hour I found myself a relatively decent place to rest. I 

collapsed and with the water brushing against my face like a gentle caress in a refreshing way, and the soft, bouncy sponge underneath my head that I was using as a pillow, I instantly passed out.

    "Grrrowl!" I was instantly awake. I whipped around to find a seahorse observing me in a curious way. "Growl!" It said again. Confused, I quickly stood and

walked away. As fast as lightning, the seahorse reappeared in front of me. I tried to go around it, but it swam in front of me again. It growled indignantly, as if saying, "I'm not leaving until you take me with you." Then the seahorse made a gurgling sound down in his throat, releasing a plume of bubbles. "Since you're not gonna leave me alone, you're

coming with me. And your name is Bubbles." So Bubbles and I set out together.

I continued walking, deep in thought, with Bubbles at my side, trying to figure out how to get out of this underwater paradise/hell. Suddenly, I had a genius idea. If the conch seashell got me here, surely it can get me out.

So I took the shell out of my pocket and pressed it to my ear. I waited for a couple seconds, but nothing happened. Panic bloomed inside of me, encasing me in a cocoon of cold fear, but I quickly stamped it out. I couldn't quit now. I spent the rest of the day searching for clues, but in the end I came empty-handed. I plopped down on a patch of mossy stone 

and started sobbing. Huge, ugly, wet tears came gushing out as I shook with despair. Then, I stopped. It felt as if I had cried myself out. I felt empty and hollow. Bubbles nuzzled close to me and made a soft, purring sound. Soon, I found myself telling Bubbles everything. My fears, how scared and desperate I was to get out, how much I