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The Underwater Kingdom

By Mittra, Grade 6, Perth (Australia)

“Noooo! Not a boring old assignment!” Lyla fussed. On the way back to school, she decided to go on a super, spectacular snorkeling trip, which was her favourite hobby. She could also collect some photos for her assignment. Lyla was a curious girl who loved snorkeling at the tranquil beach. She couldn’t wait to go and explore this amazing adventure.

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As Lyla arrived at the beach for the first time in seven years, she quickly put on her snorkeling goggles and dived into the sea while the waves raged rapidly in the breeze. Sooner than ever, Lyla’s adventure began. She spotted lots of fascinating sea creatures for her photos, such as jellyfish, dolphins, a humongous whale, and a turtle that was swimming as slow as a sloth. Suddenly, at the bottom of the deep sea, something shiny caught her eye, so she swam toward it. Then, it was as if she entered a world that had never existed.

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As she entered, she could see talking and walking fish, like people underwater. While she swam curiously, she spotted a huge sunken pirate wreck, guarded by solid salmon soldiers. Lyla quietly approached them to ask a question but was suddenly caught by another guard who took her inside harshly. “Help! Let go of me, you slimy monster!” she yelled at the top of her lungs as she vanished slowly through the pitch-dark alleyway.

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“Ugh! Where am I?” Lyla questioned herself. In her blurry vision, she could see that she was trapped behind iron bars with a humongous metal lock. Lyla could feel her heart pounding loudly, and her palms were sweaty. She tried to calm herself down, but the painful scar on her leg hurt badly. Then, out of nowhere, a furious fish guard appeared, walking with shiny keys in his pocket. Lyla could sense that freedom was near.

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Finally, after a long wait, a young woman crossed over the shipwreck and noticed Lyla in trouble. The woman took an unusual fish costume out of her bag as a disguise and entered the shipwreck casually. As she strolled along the alleyway, the quick-thinking woman purposely slipped and bumped into the fish with the huge keys. “Yes!” I screamed in my head. While the fish were squabbling in the commotion, she took the key that had fallen and unlocked Lyla’s cage, setting her free.

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“Your smart idea worked! Thank you so much!” Lyla exclaimed excitedly to the kind woman. “You’re welcome!” the lady replied. The woman explained that her name was Raya and that she was a scientist. As they both swam to shore, Lyla realized that being smart and creative could save the day.

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