Let's Go Fly A Kite (standard:other, 564 words)
Author: kobe xienth	Added: Jul 24 2002	Views/Reads: 3411/1	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A Starfish goes for a ride as a little girl flys a kite with her father. Watch for indepth symbolism.

The man set the excited little girl on the sand.  She childishly
sprinted down to the vast ocean.  Seagulls called above her.  Waves 
teased her toes.  She giggled wildly and turned to smile happily at her 
father.  She took her cheerful orange pumpkin bucket and began filling 
it with various rocks and shells.  As she skipped along the shoreline, 
she came across a starfish.  She gingerly picked it up to examine it.  
It wiggled in her hands.  Her light blue eyes filled with laughter.  It 
tickled her and she was going to keep it.  She set the starfish on the 
edge of the water.  “Stay right there,” she commanded.  She went into 
the water a little ways and filled her bucket carefully, making sure 
that her precious jewels wouldn't spill.  She returned to her newfound 
friend and placed the starfish into her treasure box.   She continued 
on her way, stopping frequently to stoop over to touch another glorious 
adventure. 

Her father called her over, a large, bright colored kite in his hands. 
She dropped the bucket, forgetting it's valuable contents, and ran to 
the arms of her hero. 

They flew the box kite all over, higher, and higher, as the little girl
requested.  Sunbeams bounced off the bright material and cast shadows 
across the bucket.  Suddenly, the wind began to toss the kite further 
and further over the ocean.   The tension in its string grew.  Finally, 
the little girl's grip on the kite slipped and the string went racing 
alongside the ocean.  It hit the bucket with a great deal of force, 
which sent it flying across the shore. 

~*~ The starfish was thrown over itself and landed roughly in the damp
sand.  It sat for a moment, motionless.   Then it began to move each of 
its five legs, as if checking to feel them all there.  Of course it was 
a relief to be out of captivity, but it had to be sure.  The starfish 
silently began the long journey to its home.  It moved quickly and 
accurately, avoiding the gull's shadows as they soared on the sparkling 
dust.  The sun beat down on the starfish, making the trek harder as it 
went along.  Suddenly the starfish felt damp sand beneath its body.  It 
congratulated itself, but not for long.  The ground vibrated with the 
little girl's frustrated stomps.  She approached the starfish, and 
almost stepped on it, but her father whistled to her.  She stepped back 
and turned to her father.  She protested and whined as the starfish 
quickly scurried to the water.  The relief of the salt overcame the 
starfish.  It sighed internally and spun itself deeper into 
nothingness. 

Her father promised the little girl another kite and she reluctantly
accepted.  As her mood grew lighter, she began to pick up where she had 
left off.  She picked up her bucket and searched for the starfish.  She 
looked to the water and caught the last traces of her friend, speeding 
off.  She shrugged her shoulders.  It was only a toy.  She could always 
get another one.  The rocks, on the other hand, were more important.  
She grabbed them in handfuls now, and shoved them into her bucket.  Her 
hair blew lightly with the calming wind.  Her father came down in the 
sand and scooped his little girl into his arms.  They walked back to 
their car.  And then they were gone. 


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