Flash Fiction for children : A DAY AT THE BEACH

    Our teacher gave us an assignment for a Formal Theme in English. The title of the theme is “My Most Memorable Day”. She told us that we can ask for help from our parents.

   I called my mother who is busy cooking in the kitchen.

  “Mama, what will I write for this theme, My Most Memorable Day?

  Mama smiled and said, “Of course your seventh birthday, Gino.”

   I was not convinced. I looked up to recall that day.

“You had forgotten it already, Gino,” said Mama. “Try to look at those pictures in the album.”

 “I could not understand Mama. I wonder why she said that it was my most memorable day. In one picture of that birthday I am standing in front of the table full of foods. At the center is a big cake. There is a whole lechon, spaghetti, fried chickens and many more. The house was decorated with balloons and colorful ribbons.

  Then in one picture together with my friends, we gathered around the clown. We were all happy but I did not felt it was the most memorable one. Papa was not here on my seventh birthday. He was on a ship in the middle of the sea. If only Papa was here, it would be my happiest birthday.

  Then I came upon a picture of our family in the beach. We were under a big umbrella. Papa was hugging me while Mama carried Tintin. I could still remember that nit was taken by a fisherman.

  So I rushed to Mama with that picture in my hand.

  “Mama, this is my most memorable day!” I exclaimed.

  Mama looked at the picture then she smiled. She held me on my shoulders.

  “Gino, I never think that this one is your most memorable day,” said Mama.

  “Because Papa was here then,” I said. “I’m very happy on that day because we were all together in the family.  And beside, Papa teaches me how to dive.”

  “Papa can’t be with us always, Gino. He is a sailor. He loves us that’s why he works hard to give us a better life,” explained Mama.

  “Yes, Mama I understand,” I said.

  “So even Papa is not around on special occasion, Mama is also here to make you happy,” cheered Mama.

  Mama told me to write about the picture I choose and she will read my work later. So I recalled again what had happened.

  Papa came home from abroad. There was no occasion to celebrate then. It was just an ordinary day. Farmers work on their farm and fishermen went to the sea. On that day Papa gave me a gift.

  “Belated Happy Birthday, my son,” said Papa as he handled to me the big box.

  I thanked Papa and when I opened it I shouted, out of joy. It was a complete kid’s diving set. It has goggles, snorkel and a set of flippers.

  The next day Papa brought us to the beach.

  Papa brought me to the water up to my waist. He helped me to wear the goggles, the snorkel and the flippers. He told me to float while my face looked down at the bottom of the sea.

  So I did it. And for the first time, I saw the beauty of the underwater. It was amazing. The water is full of life. The sea grasses were dancing with the waves, while colorful fishes played with my hands. I could see the glittering shells as well as blue starfish lying on the sand.

  “It’s beautiful, Papa” I said after I removed the snorkel.

  Papa smiled at my delight.

  “Dived a little deeper and look closely at the rock. There are lots of them on it,” said Papa.

  So I dived and look at the clump of rock. There are holes on it. In one hole I saw a small lobster guarding it. In another hole a baby eel was hiding, exposing only its head. These two creatures were all alone in their house and it seemed to me that they were lonely. Maybe there parents left the hole in search of food, I thought.

  After getting some fresh air I dived again.

  Near the hole of the eel, a small red fish playfully swimming around. When the fish swam closer to the hole, the eel snapped the fish and instantly caught it with its mouth. The fish wriggled to get away from it.

  I was surprised. I thought they were playmates.

  You’re a bad eel, I said in my thought. I hurriedly extended my hand to help the fish but the eel went inside the hole with the catch on its mouth.

  The fish is still alive, I thought. I can still save it. So I inserted my hand inside the hole. As I probed the hole, something pricked my finger like a big needle. So I immediately removed my hand.

  I surfaced and stood in the water holding my finger. It was so painful and I cried as I called Papa.

  Papa pressed my finger and blood appeared. He then dipped it in the water and shook it hard. Salty water made the wound painful. Papa said that there is a black sea urchin inside the hole.

  “Be brave, the pain will only last for few minutes,” said Papa as he patted my shoulders.

  Papa was right. Later the pain was gone. I wonder how Papa knew this thing.

  Later Mama called us for lunch. There were foods like hotdogs and fried chicken,  but we feasted on a big grilled fish .

  That was my most memorable day.

  After Mama finished reading what I wrote she looked at me with a sad face.

  “I will call Papa,” she said.

  After talking to Papa on the cell phone, Mama handed it to me. Papa told me on the phone that when he returns home, we will spend more time in the beach.

  How happy I am.

                                                 END