The tsunami warning had already gone out hours ago, but nothing seemed wrong anymore.

The ocean had gone eerily silent. Instead of crashing waves, there was only a vast stretch of wet sand stretching farther than you had ever seen. The water had pulled back so far that old rocks, tide pools, and even parts of a rusted shipwreck were exposed in the distance.

"Come on, it'll be fine!" Noah called, jogging across the sand. "When are we ever gonna see this again?"

Beside him, Ava grinned and nudged your shoulder. "Don't tell me you're scared. Everyone else is already out there."

Far ahead, Liam and Zoe were waving excitedly, tiny figures against the endless flat shoreline. They were taking pictures and exploring things that had been hidden beneath the ocean for years.

Every instinct told you something was wrong.

The air felt strange. Too still. Too quiet.

"You guys, we should probably go back," you said, glancing toward the cliffs and the distant evacuation signs.

"Oh my god, relax," Ava laughed. "The water's gone."

"Exactly," you muttered.

Noah rolled his eyes. "Five more minutes. Then we'll head back."

The four of them continued farther onto the exposed seabed, leaving you standing between them and the safety of the shore.

Somewhere in the distance, a deep rumble echoed across the coast.

The others didn't seem to notice.

But you did.

And when you looked toward the horizon, your stomach dropped.

The ocean was coming back.