Seraphina's Spark

Seraphina was sad.

Today at school she learned about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, one of the swirling masses of plastic bags, bottles and other debris floating in the ocean. As soon as she got home Seraphina ran to see her goldfish Spark. She loved to watch him swirl and dart around his fishbowl like a dancing flame.

“Spark,” she said “ I’m so glad that you are safe here with me.” As she told him about the poor fish in the oceans and rivers who were not so lucky as him she sighed. A big tear rolled down her face. Spark stared back and blew a few bubbles.

That night after being tucked in by her Mom Seraphina lay in bed thinking. Through the water bottle on her dresser she could see Spark in his fishbowl. She watched Spark’s tail swish back and forth, back and forth as she thought about what unrecycled plastic was doing to fish and many other sea creatures who were being hurt by eating the plastic bits and getting caught in its netting.

Finally after a very long time she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Suddenly there was a loud POP from a huge pile of plastic bottles in the Atlantic Ocean. With a splash Spark burst from the mass to find himself flying. He could still dart and swirl like he was swimming, but now he was in the air AND HE WAS MADE OF PLASTIC!