Coral+Reef+Fiction

By Jessica V. and Maddy W.

Camille, the Friendliest and Kindest Clownfish

One day down in the Great Barrier Reef, Camille the Clownfish was swimming along and was thanking the coral for protecting her from all of the waves.

“Thank you Bob, Cherie, Pearl, and everyone else for protecting me and my sea anemone from the waves! I’ll be glad that once I die, I will be able to help you build and create a bigger community!”

Camille was one of the friendliest clownfish in the reef. All the animals greatly enjoyed her company. Camille was swimming back to her sea anemone when she accidentally and unknowingly ran into Fred. Fred was the Flavbacterium columnare, someone who was greatly dreaded and despised.

“Good afternoon Stephanie! How was your day?” Camille said joyfully.

“Oh it was a great day sweetie! Marty, the big colorful sea anemone over there was looking at me earlier! It made my heart beat so fast!” Stephanie said excitedly.

“Well I hope that one day you decide to talk to him,” Camille told Stephanie.

“Come on in Camille.”

“I’m really tired Stephanie.”

“Well good night sweetie.”

“Good night to you Camille,” said Fred in a voice to soft to be heard. That night he spread all over her.

Just outside the reef Samuel the Shark was swimming. Waiting. Waiting until Camille got up and drifter out close enough for him to grab her.

The next morning Camille greeted Stephanie.

“Good morning Stephanie!”

“Good morning Camille! What are you going to do today? I heard the ray fish were having a carnival!”

“I’m not sure yet. What about you?” Camille replied in turn.

“Just sit. There’s not much else I can do! Maybe I will talk to Marty!” Stephanie sounded excited.

“Oh you should! He’s liked you for forever you know!”

“Oh really? I will for sure than,” now she sounded nervous too!

As Camille swam away, she felt a rippling pain in her fins and scales. Like someone was pulling her in a million different directions. Ow!

Just outside the reef, Samuel was watching. He watched Camille greet Stephanie, say hello to Marty, and swim to the carnival. There she said hello to everyone she passed. Luckily for Samuel, as her day progressed she swam closer and closer to the edge of the reef. Closer and closer to him.

Camille wandered through the community that day, unknowingly giving Fred a tour of the area. But she found that as she swam around, she grew sore and weary.

“Oh, I’m so sore. I should swim back to Stephanie and rest,” Camille said soft and tiredly. As Camille was swimming back, Samuel was watching. Camille looked like a filling meal to Samuel. As she swam, she slowed down. In a matter of seconds, Camille was swallowed whole, before she could even tell what was happening.

The next day Stephanie knew something was wrong when she realized that Camille hadn’t come back.

“Marty! Marty!” Stephanie shouted.

“Huh, what, oh hi Stephanie,” Marty said with a voice crack.

“Camille’s gone! I think something bad happened to her!”

“Oh, Stephanie, about that. I heard that Samuel the Shark had eaten her. I’m sorry. If you want I will help plan herfuneral,” Marty said kindly.

“You will?! Thank you so much!” Stephanie exclaimed.

The next day, the whole Great Barrier Reef attended Camille’s funeral. Everyone had a nice thing to say about her, the loving fish she was. Oh, and as for Samuel, Fred eventually infected him too, and he did. Everyone rejoiced as they no longer had to fear Samuel. The Great Barrier Reef will always remember Camille, the friendliest and kindest clownfish.

//This is a fictional story representing the four types of symbiotic relationships in nature, predator/prey, parasitism, commensalism, and mutualism.//

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