This story is about a mother with young children who was forced to make an agonizing choice. Here, the word agonizing means causing deep pain. Whether or not she made the right choice, you will have to continue reading to find out.

Ramakrishan, a young man, his brown skin glistening in the mid-morning sunshine was mending his fishing net. He had made a good catch this morning, but his net had been damaged. Now it was stretched between two palm trees, and he was carefully tying up the holes. His wife Sangreta had a washtub and soap and was busy scrubbing her familys brightly colored clothes. After the clothes were washed she would spread them on rocks to dry in the sun. Every once in a while she would disappear into their one room hut and attend to the cooking. Their small village on the Southeast coast of India had many huts most were no bigger than their hut. Ramakrishan and Sangreta had three boys. The oldest was seven and the youngest had barely learned to walk. They were playing outside in the sand as boys like to do all over the world.

Sometimes they would throw a stick for their dog to fetch and have a playful game of tug of war when he returned.

Ramakrishan was watching the tide. The tide had gone out farther than he had ever seen it recede before. It made him uneasy. He heard a noise coming from the far distance over the ocean. The distant rumbling sound bothered him. He decided to climb the steep path to the top of the hill behind their hut and take a look. As he climbed, the strange noise from the sea grew louder. From the top of the hill looking toward the sea, he could hardly believe what he was seeing. A giant wave taller than the highest palm tree was swiftly rolling towards his village. From the top of the hill he called down to his wife, Sangreta, Sangreta, a tidal wave is coming grab the children and run for your lives!

Sangreta dropped what she was doing and ran to the small children. But here she had a agonizing choice to make. She had only two arms, but there were three children. Because of the urgency in her husbands voice, she knew she didnt have a moment to waste. She gathered up the two youngest ones and told the oldest, Dinakren run and follow me up the hill! Dinakren who had just turned seven years old would have to flee for his life on his two own legs. She turned and ran to the path that led up the hillside. Other villagers alerted to the danger were running with them. Up she climbed, panting for breath.

In the press of people she lost sight of Dinakren. Dinakren lost sight of her too. Frightened, he turned and went back to the hut with the dog at his heels. He was scared, and his home had always been a safe place.