
In a shimmering reef where coral stalks stand like ancient pillars, a tight‑knit community of sea‑polyp families goes about its quiet, tide‑driven life. Pater and Mater, a seasoned pair of rooted creatures, are suddenly thrown into panic when their youngest, Junior, disappears into the dimming water, only to resurface clutching a smooth stone that none of the colony recognizes. Their frantic calls echo through the kelp‑filled dusk, and the whole settlement watches the drama unfold with a mix of curiosity and dread.
Junior’s carefree attitude—playing “hide‑and‑go‑sink” with squids and flaunting the mysterious rock—sparks a clash of generations. While his parents cling to old‑world discipline and the belief that obedience is the only path to survival, the youngster’s stubbornness hints at a yearning for something beyond the coral walls. As the tide rolls in, listeners are invited to explore a world where even the simplest act of rebellion can ripple through an entire underwater society.
Language
en
Duration
~15 minutes (14K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Adam Buchbinder, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2015-08-28
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1924–1990
A sharp, imaginative voice from the Golden Age of science fiction, he built his reputation on short stories that appeared in the great pulp magazines of the 1940s and 1950s. His fiction often pairs big speculative ideas with clean, fast-moving storytelling.
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