Depths of Darkness

I was lifted and carried away, my surroundings a blur of motion and confusion. Suddenly, the world came into focus and I saw bright lights looming above me, casting harsh illumination on everything around me. Fear gripped me tightly as I struggled to understand what was happening. Before I could make sense of it all, I was unceremoniously dumped into a small container, my body jolting with the impact. Panic set in as I tried to make sense of my surroundings, desperate to know where I was and what was happening to me.

As I swam, the water around me grew turbulent, and I found myself being carried along roughly by an unknown force. I caught a glimpse of my captor, a creature with a shock of curly hair that almost obscured its face. It wore a bright red jacket that stood out against the dark water. Suddenly, the movement stopped, and the creature turned to face another one, who was also wearing a red jacket. I watched them warily as I continued to swim. "Hey," one of them said, drawing the other's attention. "Whoa! Look at that ugly fish!" the second creature exclaimed. The curly-haired creature chuckled in agreement. "It probably won't even get sold," it added in a raspy voice.

The journey resumed with a gentle sway, and I tried to take in my surroundings, but the bright lights were too intense for my vision. Suddenly, I found myself resting on a small white shelf, while the one who picked me up scurried away hastily. As I contemplated their words, a wave of sadness engulfed me. I gazed at my scales and fins, and despite what they had said, I thought of them as pretty. My colors were unique and exquisite, but why couldn't they see it that way? Nonetheless, their words rang in my head like a bell, "And I will get sold, whatever that means."

Hours later, the bright lights faded away and the darkness enveloped me. An eerie silence settled in, broken only by the uneasy howling of dogs. I gazed into the pitch-black surroundings, finally allowing myself to think. I couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship with the dogs, who must have been feeling just as afraid and disorientated as I was. Yet, as I gazed into the abyss, I felt a sense of calm wash over me, knowing that I wasn't alone. Gradually, I drifted down to the floor of my container and eventually fell into a restless sleep, filled with anxiety and uncertainty.

The events that occurred on the following day were extremely thrilling. A multitude of creatures had arrived to observe me. To express my excitement, I blew bubbles for them. However, as soon as they caught sight of me, they turned away and began discussing amongst themselves. This left me feeling perplexed and disheartened. After all, they had come here specifically to see me. In an attempt to capture their attention, I swam around in my small confinement, displaying my stunning array of colors, but to no avail. Even though I continued to swim back and forth, those who did glance at me quickly looked away. I observed others being taken away from the area, taken out of the sliding doors, and bouncing around outside, and I knew that my time was coming. And so, day after day, I continued to swim since there was nothing else for me to do.

It's heartbreaking to think about how every night the store went dark and the only sounds were the barks of the dogs. I floated in my container, listening to the howling and feeling a sense of despair wash over me. "Why don't people hear that?" I wondered, "Why don't they save us?" It felt like nobody cared about the lives of the creatures trapped in the store. I couldn't help but feel hopeless as I drifted off to sleep, knowing that this routine would continue day after day.

As the next few days passed, time seemed to fly in a blur. I was just a small fish, living in a pet store, watching as creatures of all shapes and sizes came and went. At first, I was excited and hopeful, thinking that someone would take me home and make me a part of their family. But as the days went on, I gradually got used to being unwanted and rejected. The first thought at the end of each day was “What did I do wrong?”

From time to time, a small creature would come and scoop me up in their tiny hands, their eyes filled with wonder and amazement at my vibrant colors. But their fascination was always short-lived, and they would quickly grow bored and return me to my lonely shelf. I could hear them calling out to their parents, "Mommy! Mommy! Look at this fishy!" in a voice filled with excitement and curiosity. However, the parents always seemed uninterested, dismissing me as just another fish in a sea of many. Despite this, I held onto hope that one day, someone would see me for the unique and beautiful fish that I was. 

Although I encounter numerous challenges and obstacles every day, I refuse to give up. Despite the increasing difficulty of swimming, I remain determined to push on. The beauty of the world around me offers solace, especially as I watch the sun rise and set each day and witness the shadows grow long and stunningly beautiful. These moments remind me that hope can still be found, even when faced with adversity.

I may not consider myself beautiful, but I am a fighter who will persevere until the end, even if it means swimming with a torn tail and breathing with failing lungs. I take a deep breath and reaffirm to myself that I will keep hope alive until my last breath.

While the future is uncertain, I am resolute in facing it head-on, knowing that each day I push forward brings me one step closer to discovering what lies ahead. And so, I continue to swim, to breathe, and to hope, believing that a brighter tomorrow awaits just beyond the horizon.