“Look out there,” Bast said, pulling his boy close.

Dentin squinted. “All I see is waves.”

“Do you see fish? Pearls? Monsters?”

“No.”

“Men are like the waves. Hide our feelings beneath the surface.”

“Like you?”

“Yes.”

“When I grow—”

“No. Remember the clear shoals? Don’t hide. Talk to me.”

If you like the vibe of these stories, you might like the ongoing short story collection “Tales from Another World.” You can find the Amazon series page here.