Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, the standard, and the prompt photo.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on the picture below, which this week is supplied by Anne Higa.
Click here to hear the author read his words:
Aquarium
Pah!
It’s just an underwater zoo.
Beautiful creatures who should be free, swimming in the great oceans, are trapped behind glass.
For your entertainment.
Some are made to perform tricks just to eat.
They are confined, farmed and displayed, all for money.
So I’ve decided to change things.
Just a little.
I have locked the aquarium doors.
And I’m flooding it.
You, the paying public, are below sea level, of course.
Very soon you will realise the biggest difference between yourselves and your erstwhile prisoners.
You’ll really appreciate what they have that you don’t.
The ability to breathe under water.
Hello there, looks like you’ve disallowed comments on your latest FF post? 😢 If that was a true farewell to the FF family, that’s very sad. Thankfully, we can still follow your other writings, I hope. Take care friend. I’ve enjoyed your FF flash points.
Your story has the mood of a Grimms fairy tale, the unexpurgated edition, with dark forests and no fairy tale endings. I went to a Sea World aquarium once and felt very uncomfortable about the tiny space the creatures have.
We only paid to see the fishes, not sleep with them.
Macabre as usual.
Ronda
Scary. I agree that the animals shouldn’t be locked up in aquariums, but the narrator went to the extreme.
As Shakespeare didn’t say, ‘He who lives by the swordfish dies by the swordfish’
Sounds pretty righteous until that dark side comes out. Yikes!
Yeah well, righteous but dark, nobody’s perfect!
Wicked! Great story, but wicked!
Laughing.
I love ‘wicked’!
LOL. For a second there I thought, oh CE did a sweet piece on an aquarium this week. Maybe it won’t be violent, just a reminder that animals shouldn’t be caged. Silly me! Sinister and well done as ever.
‘CE did a sweet piece’?
C’mon, Anne…
I’ve been told that sometimes people change. Never seen it personally, but…
A pleasure to hear the words read by you.
It seems fitting to give it back to those who’ve confined nature from it’s freedom.
I’d better start taking swimming lessons or bring a life vest. ~~~ : – )
Be Safe … 😷 Isadora 😎
Thank you, Isadora, your visits always brighten my day
Feeding the fishy, how nice. 🙂
Change from ants eggs, hmm?
Exactly!
Next time I go to an aquarium I’d better take my Speedos and water wings.
Oh holy Neptune, I wish I hadn’t seen that image!
Taking activism to its ultimate conclusion. Nice one!
He who lives by the fish-knife…
You’ve taken this photo and run with it. Bravo. I wouldn’t wish any better ending for exploiters of the innocent.
I didn’t understand the photo, so I just wrote something!
I’ll have to remember that for next time.
Truly chilling, as always.
Not in the Tropical Section, Linda!
Aquariums make me sad. I loved your solution though. My husband laughed out loud when he listened to the story. That was a fun one, C.E.!
Kinda worried that your hubby finds mass murder amusing, Brenda!
But glad you enjoyed.
Not mass murder…just you! (haha)
Some lessons have to be taught (and learned) the hard way. They’ll be hoping there’s someone around to pull the plug on this one.
T-tish boom!
And serves them right too!
Excellent story.
Makes me think of other situations where I’d like to see the tables turned.
Why am I thinking about scones in tea-rooms?
Now that made me laugh!
Oh to turn the tide and make the people feel like the animals trapped in the zoo. Nice one!
Thanks, Mason
Knowing my luck there would be sharks behind the glass… I always wonder about the glass breaking. Great take, C.
You sound like a worrier, Tannille, speak to your Muse about that!
Oh you know I will. 😀
Revenge for the fish, plus they will have a good food supply of fresh meat for the next few weeks… Put me in the mood for fish ‘n’ chips tonight.
There is a type of bream found here which eats only algae and is hallucinogenic!
Sounds like fun 🙂
Found myself gasping for breath at the last line. This certainly makes a point!
Laughing at ‘gasping for breath’!
Thanks, Lindsey
Slaughter on an industrial scale now? Are you remembering to take your meds?
Nicely paced with a killer last line, CE!
Decided it was time to up the OOF factor.
Oodles of Fatalities.
Dear CE,
I’ve often wished I could have gills surgically implanted. Swimming take on the prompt.
Shalom,
Rochelle
I guess that in situations like this, m’lady, they could be a useful feature
Bravo, bravo, thus shout the creatures of the aquarium
Laughing. Thanks, Michael!
Sinister and amusing by turn. Well done!
Thanks, Neil, I think that was pretty much my aim here!