The waves caressed the sands and broke upon the rocks. A little red crab scuttled happily close to the frothy waters as the sun beat upon its back. A family of gulls flew by, gliding upon the calm sea breeze.

​

This was not to last - a time came when there was a terrible pause. The gulls made themselves scarce, as a gathering cloud of doom approached. The little red crab waited, its pincers poised, staring at the endless horizon of water. The waves grew and swelled and turned violent. The little red crab ran for cover into a hole in a rock, just as the sky split open and poured all of its contents out with a crack and a roar.

​

Water gushed into and out of every orifice available. The little red crab buried itself far into the rock, turning this way and that way until it could go no further. Then it clung on for dear life, even as the water came in whirlpools and threatened to take him away. The little red crab knew it did not want to be washed into the open sea - it did not really have fond memories of the time spent back there. Also, the din would be unbearable.

​

Eventually, the storm had passed. The sun came out once again and so did the gulls with glee. The little red crab saw the waters recede, and cautiously edged out into the sunshine.

Far beyond the blue horizon, far below in the depths of the sea, a million eggs hatched one by one. Tiny larvae burst out into a world of water. They had never seen a storm at sea. But they were bound by an inherent knowledge of what it was.

​