Swoosh, rolls a wave over the city. It’s inhabitants duck into their dwellings. The corals toss, then their inhabitants drift back out. The city reaches out as the sun fills the water. Swoosh, another wave rolls over. The atmosphere is shattered by a rattling. A mysterious object casts a shadow. The corals and fish retreat back in the darkness. A net drops in, along with it a slick slime coming off the object. The city out of curiosity inspects this new net. Along with the curiosity, apprehension. Then panic as the net pulls the innocent up. More clattering fills the atmosphere. The object races off. With it, a precious cargo.

The city is empty. The mood is now gloomy as valuable belongings are now stolen. It is empty. No children for the city to watch over. Loss of purpose replaces a lively order. The corals in their sorrow never reach out again; eternally empty with no inhabitants. The slick black ink drifts down blanketing the city. All life is suffocated. A shadow forever covers a previously sunny place. No more work gets done, nothing functions; the city slowly rots away. Skeletons begin to cover and replace the bodies. Nothing is left but the gurgling of water trying to wash away the destruction in vain.

     Swoosh, the reef has died.
     Swoosh, with no response.