Tomlin the Artist

By Ann Kennedy


Illustrated by Neal Stepp

Beneath the sea in Caveland, the sanctuary of enormous white-walled catacombs spread for miles. The mighty ocean roared at the entrances, then lapped at the tunnels and chose not to enter. Warm and dry, lit by bright sun-stones, the inner chambers were safe from danger.

Tomlin the artist painted the white wall with his favorite brush clenched between his teeth. He swirled paint to form ocean waves and breakers at the top of the seascape. Sea horses, fish and dolphins took shape in the center of his latest picture.

In the foreground, Tomlin deftly drew a large squid with many long tentacles. He named this one Strongarms, and painted in detail the suckers in the tentacles at the bottom of the artwork.

Tomlin loved his job. At fourteen, he was a mouthpainter of the finest work in Caveland. His strong legs and feet made it easy to climb the scaffold to work at any height above the rocky floor of the cave. Extraordinary balance came from a good set of fins in place of arms and his acute vision and ability with a brush gave him pleasure.

"Fine work, Tomlin," said Vondell, his mentor. The ancient Cavelander fluttered his fins in approval. "If you live as long as I have, you will be the best and most productive mouthpainter in the ocean." Vondell was almost one hundred years old and still a good artist.

"Thank you, sir. You have taught me well." Tomlin's hazel eyes gleamed with pride. He tossed the dark brown hair from his forehead and again picked up the bone and whisker paintbrush with his teeth. Adjusting it to his lips, he continued his work on Strongarms.

Hours passed as Tomlin's coral colored skin glistened with sweat from the intense work effort. Finally satisfied, he laid down the brush to rest.

"Octo is restless," Vondell announced. "He waits impatiently for you near the grand entrance, my boy. Have a swim with him before he clouds the water with ink from his defense sac."

"To annoy me? He will turn the ocean orange if he feels like it. His master, I'm not," Tomlin said with a chuckle.

Vondell agreed. "No man is. That one is headstrong."

Octo, the squid, was small and gray with black eyes, eight arms, and a high domed head. He loved racing with Tomlin.

All Cavelanders were amphibious. Tomlin and his kind were humans evolved from ocean life. They could breathe air when dry or extract oxygen from water through their gills when submerged. A cavernicolous race, they lived in caves deep in the ocean.

When fully grown, Tomlin would be about five feet tall and weigh near one hundred and twenty pounds, the same as most male Cavelanders. At present, he measured forty five inches in height. The young man's husky voice and contagious laughter filled the tunnel. He ran to the grand entrance and joined his squid buddy in a race to the coral reef nearby.

The afternoon sun brought out the beauty of the reef. The massive formations radiated shades of many colors. Tomlin vowed to paint it. His lively water pet gave him little time to think, demanding race after race until both were tired. They splashed and churned the seawater as the huge orange sun appeared to sink into it. Reluctantly, they swam back to the grand entrance of Caveland.

"My favorite playmate, you make me very happy," the young man said to the squid with a gurgle.

Cocking his domed head at the human, Octo winked a large black eye and slowly moved away from the cave. Tomlin swam, then stood in the tunnel, shaking himself free of saltwater. Suddenly the grand entrance was still, the sound of the ocean blocked by a huge predator.

"No!" Unable to see past the huge gray creature, Tomlin feared for the safety of Octo, the little squid.

"Come away from the tunnel, my boy," Vondell shouted. "Perhaps the predator has long feelers and will snack on you!"

"Shark! Shark! What of Octo, Vondell?"

Crying with frustration, Tomlin fled the cave entrance. "My poor water pet. My fun loving little squid," he grieved.

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