AdventuresofCrustyBookFive
‘BYE ‘BYE
Crusty, the lovable green-brown crab, found the weeks of inactivity, while he waited for his shell to heal, were difficult. He became impatient with everyone, even himself. He often found himself shouting and snapping, only to ask forgiveness in the next breath. Those Sea Horses were right, he thought as he put his few belongings into his battered, old seashell. It has been a good place to rest. But it’s time I was on my way again.
He looked round the cave one last time. “Must be going,” he said to the many friends he had made. “Thank you all for your company and your help. I will not forget you. But the time has come for me to go.” He threw his old seashell onto his back and walked towards the open sea.
Several fishes waved their fins, their eyes wide and unblinking. “Take care,” said one.
“Yes. I hope you find what you are looking for,” bubbled another.
“You can always come back here,” warbled a rather ugly lobster that Crusty had found very helpful and friendly.
Crusty waved to them all as he left the cave to carry on his journey. For the first time in weeks he felt alive. Not because he had been unhappy in the cave. No. No. Far from it. He had made many new friends there. He was happy in a different way. Happy to be on his travels again. He was so happy he began singing and hop, his muscular legs sending him great distances. “Ha. Ha. Ha. He. He. He,” he shouted to no one in particular. Not wanting to miss a thing his eyes darted everywhere. He often stopped to look at something that caught his eye or spend a few moments talking to a passer-by. When the wreck of an old cargo ship came into view he could not pass it by. He had to take a look.
SUNKEN TREASURE
“Must have been sunk during a storm,” Crusty muttered as he saw the huge cracks in the cargo ship’s side. Before he even entered he could see it was full of life. All kinds of sea creatures had made their homes within its broken shell. It reminded him of Coral Marine. Memories of his time there drew tears from his eyes. He swept them away and walked towards one of the jagged, gaping holes. “Do you mind if I have a look round?” he asked a large group of Herrings.
“Help yourself,” replied one. “Can’t show you round though. Too much to do,” and with a flash of silvery light it darted after the others.
“Th… Thank,” stammered Crusty. I’ll just have a quick look round and then I’ll be on my way, he thought. Walking slowly through the passageways and rooms he soon forgot he was only going to stay for a short time. He had to see everything. “Walloping Whale Bones. I have never been on anything like this before,” he said to a passing eel. “What is this place?”
“This is the engine room,” the eel replied doing a loop the loop. “This ship would not have been able to move without these machines.”
“Everything is so large. Much larger then Coral Marine… my last home,” said Crusty, who was feeling really small in this huge chamber.
“You should see the boiler room,” said the eel with a swagger. “Hey. Tell you what. Why don’t I show you round? If you have the time that is,” he added quickly.
“Would you,” exclaimed Crusty, a smile spreading over his face. “That would be great, really great.”
“Oh. By the way. My name is Sleek,” said the eel.
“Hi. Mine is Crusty.”
The tour was a great experience. Crusty had never seen anything so large. The size of everything; the anchors, propeller shaft, chains, amazed him. When he was shown the holds, where the cargo had been stored, he just stared wide-eyed. He was unable to believe what he was seeing. “Jumping Moonbeams. It… It is fantastic Sleek,” he cried. “Thank you very much for showing me around. It is truly a wonderful place.”
“It was my pleasure. But I must be going. Things to do,” he said with a wink. “Now you take care and have a good day.”
“I will… And thanks again,” said Crusty with a wave of his claw. “I’ll just have another look round before I leave,” he shouted. But he found everything so different from Coral Marine he lost track of time.
SLIDING INTO THE DEEP
The steel plates under Crusty’s feet were covered in coral. Suddenly they shuddered and he thought he felt them tilt slightly. He shrugged away any thought of danger even though many of the other creatures were rushing around in panic.
Another, stronger shudder spread through the ship.
This time Crusty knew he had felt the steel plates under his feet move. “What is happening?” he asked. But there was no answer. Either they don’t know or they are too scared, he thought as he watched many of them flee in all directions. As the tilting of the steel plates on which he was standing became greater he heard a scraping sound. It was nothing at first but that too quickly became louder.
Puzzled, he looked around for someone to ask what was happening. But they had all disappeared… Just like on Coral Marine. Crusty should have spent a little time looking around the outside. If he had he would have found the ship was lying on the sea floor with a large part of its hull sticking out over a cliff. The violent shaking of the seabed was causing the edge of the cliff to break away. The weight of the ship was causing the edge to break up even more quickly. Shaken free of the mud the ship gave a sudden lurch and started to slide.
The steel plates beneath Crusty’s feet rose even more and he found himself sliding towards the far wall. “Slippery Seaweed,” he yelled.
Rasping, scraping and creaking the old cargo ship slipped over the edge of the cliff. At first it sank slowly. But it gathered speed as it headed for the darkness of the deep. Its journey halted for so long had begun again.
As the old cargo ship sank deeper into the depths Crusty struggled to move up the steep floor. Drifting slowly towards him was a Porcupine fish. He noticed it had blown itself up to the size of a football. As it swam past Crusty shot out a claw. It clamped down on the fish’s tail and he sighed with relief. Totally unconcerned the fish swam slowly upwards and out of the doomed vessel, carrying its burden with him.
Breathing a sigh of relief Crusty dropped to the seabed as soon as he could. “Thanks… anyway,” he shouted after the fish as it gently swam on its way. “Things certainly seem to happen when I’m around,” he muttered to himself.
More of Crusty’s adventures can be found in Book Six.
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