Kira's Secret by Orysia Dawydiak Page A

five of them, as if they were chasing one another. She swam closer then slowed and sank to the bottom so she would not disturb their play.
    And it did appear to be play. The seals were performing a version of keep-away, with one grasping a large oblong object between his teeth, zigzagging through rocks, trying to stay in front of the others. At one point he seemed to drop the object, which glittered as it fell through the water. Another seal snatched it up before it landed, and he was off with the others in pursuit.
    Kira was entranced. They reminded her of a litter of pups she had seen that spring. But the puppies’ coveted object had been a yellow tennis ball. Suddenly the seals were directly above her. The leader dove straight down away from the others and within seconds he stopped in front of Kira, still and upright as a marble column. She also froze, not sure what he would do. The seal stared straight into her eyes, then dropped the object and barked, wagging his head. He shot straight back up to join his companions, and together they disappeared before Kira could react.
    â€œI just wanted to say hello,” she said aloud, realizing this was the first time she had ever spoken underwater. Her voice sounded clear to her own ears, and she wondered if any other living creature nearby could hear her also. “So close,” she muttered.
    Resting on the bottom next to her tail fin, the dropped object did not look as large as she thought it was from a distance. She stooped down to observe it more closely. A glass bottle, with a cork at the neck, and dark coloured material inside. Probably sand, she thought. But who would put sand in a glass bottle then cork it? She reached out gingerly and picked it up. There were no markings on the outside of the rectangular bottle, except for a few bumps on one side.
    Kira pushed off from the bottom and swam back to the boat. She doubted she’d see that particular group of seals again, given how quickly they swam off. At least she had found something that was interesting—a seal toy.
    Back in the boat, she handed the bottle to Cody and described what she had seen.
    â€œHmm, do you think they were afraid of you?” he asked.
    â€œI don’t know, but it sure felt like it. His bark was like a warning to the others. Or maybe it was for me. And the look in his eyes was kind of wild. There were more of them than me so they shouldn’t have been scared.”
    â€œWell, maybe they were worried there were more merrows nearby. Maybe seals and merrows aren’t the best of friends.” Cody was tilting the bottle back and forth.
    â€œKira, this isn’t sand. It’s heavy and it’s rattling. Should we try to open it?” Cody’s eyes danced with excitement.
    â€œSure, why not? Unless you think it might be dangerous. Like maybe something rotten or poisonous inside.”
    Cody had already taken out his pocketknife and was cutting through a waxy material covering the cork. “I’ll point it away from us, just in case it’s disgusting.” When the cork was pried out Cody held the bottle at arm’s length for half a minute before peering inside.
    â€œYou know what it looks like?” he asked. “A bottle of mouthwash. Dad has a bunch of old bottles like this in a display case in his waiting room. But I don’t think this is antique.” He tried to reach into the mouth of the bottle, and managed to hook his finger onto the dark brown material. With twisting and tugging and a lot of grunting, he began to pull out a cloth.
    â€œOh look!” Kira said, pointing, “All the stuff falling out. Is that a pen? Two pens. A knife? And paper, it’s paper!”
    â€œYeah, a message in a bottle. Probably some kid up the north shore, I bet. I heard that a bunch of grade fours did that for a project a couple of years ago,” Cody said, shaking out several items from the bottle into the bottom of the boat. “Some of