Atabey's Grief

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Atabey could feel the warm sun hitting her face as she sat on her throne that was placed on top of the tallest volcano on the island. Mortals would visit her and offer her prayers along with other offers of plants, fruits, vegetables and fresh water. Today a young man came to her with a large beautifully designed gourd adorned with Taino tribal designs full of fresh water. The man knelt to Atabey and offered the fresh water and said to her "Goddess Atabey could you please make your waters still for me as my pregnant wife and I travel to the next island to make a home for ourselves ." Atabey then looked at the water in the beautiful gourd and she saw that the water was clean and clear. 

Atabey took the gourd and raised it to her mouth taking sip of the clean water. A bright glow then illuminated from inside the gourd as Atabey held it to her mouth. As she removed her lips from the gourd the glow remained and Atabey looked into it and saw that the water was from her beach. Atabey was pleased with the mans water offering and as the glow diminished she said "Leave from the beach in which you have collected this water and you will have safe travel." "Thank you my goddess." The man said as he bowed his head one final time. Atabey nodded back to him to acknowledge his leave but as the man began to stand he fell to the ground face first holding his neck gasping for air. 

Alarmed Atabey jumped from her throne toward the man to see what was wrong with him. She then grabbed the man and turned him on his back and saw that he had something wrapped around his neck. Atabey was shocked to see that a ring from a six pack yoke was choking the man. A six pack yoke was indented to hold beverage cans but now it littered her waters along with other miscellaneous items. Atabey then felt immense sadness as she realized she was dreaming. She then looked at the gasping man as he was choking and Atabey ripped the plastic from the mans neck and she woke up.

 As Atabey woke up she continued to hear the gasping. Atabey jumped up and looked around and saw a turtle with a yoke ring wrapped around its neck. She quickly went over and ripped the ring from the turtle's neck and returned the turtle to the water. While in the water Atabey saw plastic bottles, bags, diapers and food wrappings. Even a small sea horse had went past her face holding a q-tip. Atabey then hesitated on letting the turtle go knowing that the water environment wasn't in good conditions for it to live in. Atabey then returned to shore holding the turtle and looked at the mortals and cried yelling "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" 

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