Continuous Coast

Pol's Tale
a Zayzan bedtime story
by Kit O'Connell

Settle down, little pearl. We have to be up early tomorrow to help sort at the reclamation center.

No, I don't think you're coming down with a fever, pearl. It can be boring but we all have to help out, and that means you too now that you've grown so big. The machines can't do all the sorting or deciding for us, yet.

Why do we have to do it? Get into bed and I'll tell you the story. That's it, hold onto Livliv. Looks like I'll have to do some sewing tomorrow too; I told you he'd tear if you hold onto him only by his horns. That's my pearl; are you ready?

When the Gurge was young there was a sprout named Pol who lived in a beautiful vicinage by the Harbor. She loved to swim and play on the beach; she was even practicing to be a Gurge rider.

One night Pol's mother told her to take out the garbage and sort it into the bins. Pol was a good sprout and she wanted to make her mother happy, but the bins were almost overflowing already from the party they had thrown that week. She began to sort, but grew frustrated. There was so much to do, and surely she'd been sorting for dozens of degrees already! Then she had an idea.

Pol got on her practice board and paddled out into the harbor from the beach, holding the garbage. She knew not to get too close to the Gurge, but Pol was smart and had learned to watch the currents already, almost like a real Gurge rider. Spotting one she knew was headed straight into the Gurge's heart, she hurled the garbage sack into it.

Satisfied, she rode her board until it was time for bed. The next night, she told her friends about it, and they too took up the practice. Soon, many people in their vicinage and from all over the city were tossing their garbage into the Gurge.

A few phases later, Pol was taking her trash out to the Gurge when she saw dark clouds gathering over the swirling waters. Hurriedly, she tossed her trash and paddled back to the shore. She had to dodge a few clumps of lost trash that hadn't quite made it into the Gurge, but she figured they'd get sucked in or sink eventually.

The storm was closing fast and it looked vicious. It was heading right for her! She heard the storm sirens start; their keening sound always made Pol feel afraid. Hurriedly she pulled her clothes on and ran home, thunder breaking at her back. She got into her house just as the first drops fell.

Plink.

Plonk.

Clank.

Crash.

This last sound was the sound of breaking glass. Pol looked cautiously out her front door and gasped at what she saw:

The sky was raining garbage! The front walk -- indeed, her entire vicinage as far as the eye could see was coated in trash. Bottles, jugs, torn clothing, broken utensils and food containers, and dozens of other discarded things were crushing the plants and hanging from the trees. A miniature Gale of paper was spinning in the breeze.

It took her vicinage almost an entire month to clean up, but they collected so much scrap metal that they built a gorgeous sculpture in their park and gave the Teacher House a lovely new window made of bottles. There was not a bit wasted, and in the end their houses were cleaner and lovelier than ever. When the story came out, everyone thanked Pol for the treasures they'd received but agreed it was better to let the reclamation center handle garbage from now on.

I can see you're getting tired, pearl; sleep now. Don't you worry -- tomorrow we'll have fun, and maybe you'll even find something we can turn into the center bead for your necklace...

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