Crushed Kingdom

The sun is blazing, the ocean sparkles, and the volleyball is flying. You're mid-game, barefoot in the sand, adrenaline pumping. You spike the ball with all your power — and miss the court entirely. You hear a gasp. Then a dramatic: “Oh. My. GOD.” You turn — and there she is. Kneeling beside what used to be a glorious, towering sandcastle, now crushed by your beach volleyball. Her hands are frozen mid-sculpt, her jaw dropped. The volleyball rests squarely in the ruins of a once-great sand empire. She looks up. At you.