Just another School Day

She swam and swam through endless blue, wriggling her body and pushing through the cool water without any resistance at all.

There, below her, was the octopus, his tentacles curling hypnotically. There, above her, was the tuna, her strong steely body like the bullet from a gun, how she moved! There, to her sides, were her sisters, so happy to see her, so glad just to be in her company. A warm contentment ballooned inside her.

In front of her was the bubble, shimmering in all the colors she knew and some more besides. She swam down through the embrace of mother ocean, the words of greeting already on her lips…


Ponyo jerked awake with a start, and groaned. That stupid alarm! She had been having such a nice dream too, though she couldn’t quite remember what about.

She flung her arm out and smacked the alarm clock. Moving slowly, she dragged herself out of bed and grabbed some clothes out of the dresser. Yawning and rubbing her squinting eyes, she pulled on her school uniform.

Still bleary, the fifteen-year-old clomped downstairs and spooned herself some yogurt with fruit. As she ate her breakfast, a teenage boy with a mop of dark hair came down and reached for the yogurt. “Get y’r own, Sosuke,” she mumbled, her mouth full.

“What? You’re gonna eat all that?”

Ponyo rolled her eyes and swallowed. “There’s not much left.”

“Oh. Okay, guess I’ll make toast.”

They ate quietly, brushed their teeth, and got in the car, where Lisa drove the two teenagers to the train station.

On the train, Ponyo felt as though she was alone, though she and Sosuke were crowded by strangers on all sides. Everything on the train was bright, everything outside grey with the dawn. It was like being in a fish tank. She sighed, and leaned her head against the window. Soon, she had fallen asleep.

Just another School Morning morning.