Something was in his gills.

That was the first thing Kevin was aware of when he came to after the accident. Something slick was in his gills and he couldn't breathe right. A black tar coated the sand and hundreds of fish lay dead. He wanted to scream at the sight of creatures he loved and spoke to laying dead in the hot sand.

But he couldn't breathe enough to scream.

Oil. The pipe. Oil spill.

It came rushing back in bits and pieces. All Kevin knew was the sun was too bright and his gills felt like they were on fire. Paramedics were gathered around him trying to clean off his torso so he could take a deep breath. Kevin squeezed his eyes shut and tried blocking out the weak voices of dying sea life in his mind.

"Kevin!"

Your voice cut through the roar of activity surrounding him. You were near the sidewalk where emergency personnel had gathered to start fixing the damage. And of course you were ignoring every caution sign and strip of police tape to run for him.

"Let her.." he coughed harshly, oil still clogging his gills. Kevin didn't care that the medics were trying to sop you and haul you back off the beach. You were the only person who cared enough to show up for him, and he wanted you now. "Let her through."