The seawater stung Cody's eyes. Through the mist of tears, he saw that their two sand castles were gone. And the shells, too, were reclaimed by the sea. His sister also saw what happened, and they were beginning to cry. But Cody stood up and held their hands. His two sisters also stood up, and he said, "They're lost now, but there are other shells. We have time to pick them before Dad calls for us."

Tunacao, J. (2017, June 8). The sea, a short story. Manila Times, p. D3.