One warm September night, Mira had come down to the beach to enjoy the night air.
One
warm
September
night
,
Mira
had
come
down
to
the
beach
to
enjoy
the
night
air
.
She closed her eyes and listened to the waves.
She
closed
her
eyes
and
listened
to
the
waves
.
Suddenly, she could hear another sound, so she opened her eyes and looked down at the sand.
Suddenly
,
she
could
hear
another
sound
,
so
she
opened
her
eyes
and
looked
down
at
the
sand
.
It was moving!
It
was
moving
!
All of a sudden she could see a tiny head coming out.
All
of
a
sudden
she
could
see
a
tiny
head
coming
out
.
Then a turtle appeared!
Then
a
turtle
appeared
!
One by one they struggled out of their underground nests.
One
by
one
they
struggled
out
of
their
underground
nests
.
Mira looked in surprise at the baby turtles.
Mira
looked
in
surprise
at
the
baby
turtles
.
Mira knew the turtles should head towards the waves and swim away, so she was puzzled when they began to pull themselves towards the dunes.
Mira
knew
the
turtles
should
head
towards
the
waves
and
swim
away
,
so
she
was
puzzled
when
they
began
to
pull
themselves
towards
the
dunes
.
Suddenly, she remembered something her grandmother had told her.
Suddenly
,
she
remembered
something
her
grandmother
had
told
her
.
"Sea turtles bury their eggs on the beach every year in April and in September.
``
Sea
turtles
bury
their
eggs
on
the
beach
every
year
in
April
and
in
September
.
Those baby turtles hatch and head back down to the sea.
Those
baby
turtles
hatch
and
head
back
down
to
the
sea
.
But some of them never make it.
But
some
of
them
never
make
it
.
Sometimes they die going across the dunes, trying to find those bright lights on the houses.
Sometimes
they
die
going
across
the
dunes
,
trying
to
find
those
bright
lights
on
the
houses
.
Every day there are more houses being built on the dunes.
Every
day
there
are
more
houses
being
built
on
the
dunes
.
That means more and more lights to confuse the sea turtles."
That
means
more
and
more
lights
to
confuse
the
sea
turtles
.
''
Mira looked out across the dunes at her house.
Mira
looked
out
across
the
dunes
at
her
house
.
Mira saw her mother and father, sitting on the porch.
Mira
saw
her
mother
and
father
,
sitting
on
the
porch
.
She could see them because her house had two bright lights that lit up the porch.
She
could
see
them
because
her
house
had
two
bright
lights
that
lit
up
the
porch
.
Mira began to run to her house and shouted, "The turtles are hatching!
Mira
began
to
run
to
her
house
and
shouted
,
``
The
turtles
are
hatching
!
We have to help the turtles!"
We
have
to
help
the
turtles
!
''
With these words, Mira ran into the house and turned off the bright porch lights.
With
these
words
,
Mira
ran
into
the
house
and
turned
off
the
bright
porch
lights
.
In a rush she was off running down the dunes with her whole family following her.
In
a
rush
she
was
off
running
down
the
dunes
with
her
whole
family
following
her
.
They reached the beach just in time to see the tiny turtles slipping silently into the waves.
They
reached
the
beach
just
in
time
to
see
the
tiny
turtles
slipping
silently
into
the
waves
.
Mira watched as the last turtle entered the water.
Mira
watched
as
the
last
turtle
entered
the
water
.
As the turtle swam away, it looked back at Mira.
As
the
turtle
swam
away
,
it
looked
back
at
Mira
.
In the moonlight, Mira thought she saw it smile.
In
the
moonlight
,
Mira
thought
she
saw
it
smile
.
One warm September night, Mira had come down to the beach to enjoy the night air. She closed her eyes and listened to the waves. Suddenly, she could hear another sound, so she opened her eyes and looked down at the sand. It was moving! All of a sudden she could see a tiny head coming out. Then a turtle appeared! One by one they struggled out of their underground nests. Mira looked in surprise at the baby turtles.  Mira knew the turtles should head towards the waves and swim away, so she was puzzled when they began to pull themselves towards the dunes. Suddenly, she remembered something her grandmother had told her.  "Sea turtles bury their eggs on the beach every year in April and in September. Those baby turtles hatch and head back down to the sea. But some of them never make it. Sometimes they die going across the dunes, trying to find those bright lights on the houses. Every day there are more houses being built on the dunes. That means more and more lights to confuse the sea turtles."  Mira looked out across the dunes at her house. Mira saw her mother and father, sitting on the porch. She could see them because her house had two bright lights that lit up the porch.  Mira began to run to her house and shouted, "The turtles are hatching! We have to help the turtles!" With these words, Mira ran into the house and turned off the bright porch lights.  In a rush she was off running down the dunes with her whole family following her. They reached the beach just in time to see the tiny turtles slipping silently into the waves. Mira watched as the last turtle entered the water. As the turtle swam away, it looked back at Mira. In the moonlight, Mira thought she saw it smile.