I can make it.. I know I can.. It's not that bad.. at least I got some food this week. The boy is tapping on the cup.. the water swishing in and out of my gills burns. I flare at him trying to get him to stop.. his mom says "we'll come back after I'm done shopping."
He puts me in the back row behind another veiltail. Thank God the water isn't moving anymore.
Uh-oh.. here comes another one. This one looks a bit older. Maybe more mature. He gently picks my cup up. He notices that my tail is bitten. I'm embarassed and flare to show him that I'm not dying. I do a little dance in the 3" diameter cup.
He tells his grandpa I'm the one. I'm very nervous. What if this guy lets me die? What if he treats me
worse than the store workers? I start nipping my tail again. The boy puts some more water in my cup from his bottle of water.
After the long drive home, he shows me my new home. Its huge compared to that cup! After getting used to it, he drops me in. It doesn't burn. None of my own waste at the bottom. Its toasty warm.
He drops in a bloodworm. I've never had one. I was used to goldfish flakes. I start swimming around. "Alright, you can have
one more!" I'm so happy! 2 meals in the same
month let alone day!
That night I blow the boy a bubblenest.. He's so proud of me. He drops in a pellet. I hork it down.
Life is getting good.. I feel better now. It doesn't burn. The water is clear. No one is tapping on my glass.
Now just one problem... the pretty girl I saw is still there.. I miss her dearly.
I wish I could tell the boy how much I want her back.. but I can't.
Maybe I'll find someone else. Oh well, things are still better
tenfold.