Andee the Aquanaut in Guardian of the Great Seas

Chapter Seventeen ANDEE'S SEARCH

That night, Andee lay on his bed of seaweed. A full moon lit the cave, casting a beam of light through the small crevice above him. He carefully studied the necklace, opening the locket. He was just a baby in the photo. His father, Peter, had his arms wrapped warmly around his mother, Pauline. They were all smiling happily back at him. 

He gripped the locket while salty tears rolled down his cheeks until he finally fell asleep. Andee tossed and turned, having a bad dream; hearing the voices of his parents calling his name; remembering the storm that took them away. "Andee ... Andee ..." his mother cried.

"Mom, Dad," Andee moaned in his sleep.

Then he heard the Wise White Dolphin's voice echo inside his mind, "Only you can find the answer, Andee."

As he rolled restlessly back and forth, murmuring in his sleep, something sharp jabbed into his side, instantly waking him. He sat up, wiping beads of sweat from his brow. What was that? he thought. His attention landed on the giant tooth, which he'd left by his side before he fell asleep.

Andee gazed at it reflecting in the moonlight. It seemed to beckon him for adventure. What on earth is this? Could it belong to a real monster?

He couldn't stop thinking about it and what the Wise Dolphin had said. And now he couldn't sleep; he needed to find out more about the locket and the origins of the tooth. He got up quietly, then slipped into the water. As he slowly submerged, his suit gradually grew over his body.

At a safe distance, Andee torpedoed away. "I'm going back to the place where I found the tooth, and I'll explore the surrounding area." Maybe the Wise Dolphin would be there, too. I need more information about my mother's locket. Where had the Wise Dolphin found it? How had he come to have it? And what creature had lost this tooth? Andee wondered.

Onward he swam to the Lost City. When he passed through the narrow tunnels, a small blue jellyfish, about the size of his palm, sucked onto his back. Andee wasn't aware of the jellyfish at all. Instead, he flicked his facemask lights on but didn't want to disturb the marine life at night, so he turned his beam down low—just enough for him to see his way ahead.

The Lost City was eerily quiet at night. Strange fish lurked in the shadows. Andee swam on, using his memory to recognize the place where he'd found the tooth in the daytime. But still, he wasn't sure; he hadn't paid too much attention to the area that day. He'd been busy having fun playing with Tingo and Tango. Andee searched for some time. Then he noticed the water was getting brighter. Another day would be coming soon.

If only the Wise Dolphin were here; perhaps he could tell me more about the locket and the tooth.

While he was thinking this, the Wise Dolphin appeared in front of him.

"Andee, you've come later than I thought you would," said the Wise White Dolphin.

"I've been searching here for a while," said Andee. "Can you please tell me what this is?" He held up the glistening tooth. "And who it belongs to?"

The Wise Dolphin smiled gently and replied, "Andee, that is a key."

"A key?" Andee's eyes were alive with excitement. "A key to what?"

"It is a key to another world, a world that's been hidden from us for thousands of years. Would you like to go there, Andee the Aquanaut?" the Wise Dolphin asked.

Andee stared at the tooth, hypnotized. It shone across his facemask, beckoning him to seek his destiny.

"I'll go!" he replied. "Will you show me the way?"