By Laura Salas
As she made her on top of the float, one of its lines got caught on the drowning Bluebelle. For a horrifying moment, Terry Jo and the float were underwater.
Quickly, the line earned its freedom. The float and terry Jo rose to the surface. She tried to stay as invisible as possible. She didn’t know what or who was out there on the open sea.
Terry Jo now found herself in the most scary of situations. She was out on the open sea with no water or food or proper clothing. All she had to defend herself against the climate of the ocean was her pink bottoms and her thin white blouse.
Saltwater made her eyes and lips sting. A shower came out of nowhere, soaking her and bringing on the shivers. The next morning, Monday, the sun went from her friend to her enemy. The sun burned her. The float was falling apart. Sharp-toothed parrot fish were nibbling at her feet and legs.
On Tuesday, Terry Jo noticed a small red plane above her. Terry Jo waved frantically the plane with her blouse.
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The plane stayed in her area for a long time. But the pilots didn’t notice the girl. Soon, the plane left. The chances that a person in a passing ship or another plane would be able to pick Terry Jo out from her surroundings were not promising.
That Tuesday afternoon, Terry Jo spotted ghostly shapes approximately 30 yards away from her float. As the shapes came closer, Terry Jo realized they were porpoises.
Buzz Tube
The porpoises examined Terry Jo with their big, bold eyes. The whooshing noises they made brought Terry Jo tremendous comfort. She said a prayer, thanking God for sending them her way.
As Tuesday afternoon turned into Tuesday night, Terry Jo splashed water over her burned flesh. The night brought back the deadly darkness, but it also brought back the cool air that would bring much needed relief to the little girl’s body.
Whaleoil
Wednesday lead to more burned skin. Now, her lips were swollen. They were rough, like sandpaper or beaten leather. Becoming more and more dehydrated, Terry Jo began hallucinating. She saw a tiny desert island and tried to paddle to the nonexistent safehaven.
