Footprints in the Sand

Viv bounced down the wooden stairs to the Delaware beach. Her pigtails swayed as she ran across the warm sand.

"Look at all these shells!" she said, bending down to pick up a pink one.

Her mom spread out their striped blanket. "Don't go too far, sweetie."

Viv nodded but kept walking. The shells here looked different from yesterday. This one sparkled blue-green in the sunlight. That one had swirls of purple and gold.

She stuffed her pockets full of the prettiest ones. The waves made soft whooshing sounds as they touched her toes.

"These are the most beautiful shells ever," Viv whispered.

The Singing Visitor

A white seagull landed right in front of Viv. Its yellow beak opened wide.

"Those shells belong to us!" the bird squawked. "We need them for our nests!"

Viv stepped backward. Her pockets felt heavy with all the shells.

"But I found them first," she said.

More seagulls flew down from the sky. They hopped around Viv, flapping their gray and white wings.

"Give them back! Give them back!" they cried together.

Viv looked at her mom on the blanket. Mom was reading her phone and couldn't hear the birds talking.

"I don't want to," Viv whispered to the seagulls.

The first seagull tilted its head. "Then we'll tell the sea what you took."