The rare breed of turtle was known for its longevity. The shells of the creature were highly prized as charms and in elixirs. The species was hunted to sate the hunger for the market. The turtles disappeared, and were thought to be extinct.
When the turtles returned, people called it a miracle and the species was protected.
Humanity never cracked the secret to the turtles’ longevity. Not merely long-lived, they had power over the flow of time.
They buried themselves in the mud and slowed their lives to a crawl, waiting for the day when the predation would be over.

“Juvenile Green Sea Turtle” by prilfish is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

My very short story collection, The Mountain’s Shadow is available now from Amazon and Smashwords!

Everyday Drabbles © 2025 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0