Short Story

Sea Shadows

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for The Unicorn Challenge where
we are urged to get creative in 250 words or less.
The photo below is our inspiration; this is my story.

© Ayr/Gray

As the sun began to set, the shoreline transformed into a canvas of shifting shadows. Mia, a curious thirteen year old girl with an adventurous spirit, often wandered to the beach at dusk where she imagined the golden sands and the blue-green waves reaching out to each other in a warm embrace. This evening, however, something was different. The air was thick with the feeling of excitement and energy.

As she approached the water’s edge, the shadows began to dance. They flickered and twisted, weaving together tales of the ocean’s ancient secrets. Intrigued, Mia crouched down, her fingers tracing the patterns in the sand. Each ripple in the water seemed to echo a story, and as the tide surged and receded, the shadows stretched and morphed, revealing silhouettes of magnificent sea creatures – playful dolphins, wise old turtles, galloping seahorses, and elegant rays gliding through the depths.

Mia closed her eyes, allowing the whispers of the shore to wash over her. The sounds of the waves melded with the rustling of seagrass in the nearby dunes, creating a symphony of nature. In that moment, she felt connected to everything – the ocean, the sky, and the breeze that tousled her curly hair.

As darkness enveloped the beach, Mia heard her mother calling her name and she began her trek back home. With a heart full of wonder, she promised the sea shadows she would return, knowing that tomorrow held new mysteries of the tides and the creatures within waiting to be uncovered.

NAR©2025
250 Words

This is “Into The Mystic” by Van Morrison

The Unicorn Challenge-25/04/25

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy’s Notes 🖊️🎶, The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, The Rhythm Section, et al., and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

33 thoughts on “Sea Shadows”

  7. Beautiful write, Nancy. Mystical. The beach and the ocean can put me in a magical mystery tour type place. i used to sit on the beach at night and watch the waves full of phosphorous shrimp light up the waves. The water’s edge is the perfect place to contemplate one’s next move.

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  8. I think this is one of the best pieces you’ve written for the Challenge, Nancy.
    That magical moment of oneness is so beautifully and sensitively laid open before us.
    I feel lighter in spirit already…

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    1. That is incredibly kind of you to say, Jenne ….. especially since I drew a blank when I saw the photo image and almost took a pass.
      The story started out very differently (a dark mystery) and it was weighing me down. At some point I stopped writing a story and started jotting down ideas which morphed into this fantasy adventure of a young girl. It’s a very different style of writing for me but I was pleased with the way it turned out. Thanks very much for your gracious words of ‘validation’.

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