Shark Weak

That pretty fish in the picture is me. Ain’t I a sight to see? And the shark…well I’ll tell you about that. I’m a Betta fish. Betta fish are among the most popular and beautiful pet fish in the world, but that wasn’t always so. The genus Betta contains more than 73 recognized species, but the fish most people are familiar with is Betta splendens or Siamese Fighting Fish. Now go to the beach and look at my home. It’s even more astonishing. When a human stand by the seashore, a person will no doubt marvel at the ocean’s power, its restlessness, its vastness and depth. The ocean is my altruistic brother. It’s really all I have. You may have wondered how the sea creatures feel, surrounded as they are by water. Thousands of feet down you can find crabs and other sea animals walking on the ocean floor. The tremendous pressure down there would crush a man, but the bodies of these animals are built to tolerate it.

I would describe my home with some simple yet desirable words, rejuvenated yet beautiful, optimum yet has some simplicity that will bond our souls to the connection that we have with the ocean-yes fish have souls. The colors of the sea, just by looking at the waves crashing the shore with such turbulence and the people doing all sorts of activities : surfing, building sand castles, having fun in the deep iced blue water, splashing each other with water. It just seems it’s never going to end.

The ocean is what makes our Earth so majestic and beautiful, even from outer space we could see the Earth’s splendid greenery because of the trees that grows in the jungles and rainforest but the Earth wouldn’t be the Earth without its oceans. Unfortunately, the ocean is also our worst fear and enemy too. Because of its rough, violent waves and fetch; it creates a monstrous world where no humans want to be in when it’s angry. Then there is the fear of sharks or galeophobia. But I’ve learned, sharks aren't the mindless killers that we've made them out to be……

“It’s shark week guys!” Cecil said swimming to a group of teenage shark boys. On his face was a huge grin. “Who’s down?”

Today happens to be the hottest day of the year. It's the Summer vacation before my last year in high school. The sun is beeming so hard you could boil fish on the surface of the water. You know the beaches are packed. All the sharks wave their tails except Stew. Stew is the youngest shark and also the “nerd” of the crew.

“Are you coming with us or not Stew?” Asked another shark.

“Nope.” Said Stew. “I can’t I have to go home. Finish writing my essay.”

“William Sharkspeare,” said another shark.

“What a lone shark,” said another shark. All the other sharks laughed.

“Get off his fins! Come on, let’s go,” said Cecil.

The group of sharks head towards the beach led by Cecil. As anticipated, the beach is packed with people. A vast majority of people are in the water swimming and surfing. Cecil stops at about four feet, and turns around.

“Y’all ready?” Asked Cecil.

The sharks swim more closer towards the shore; stealth-like.

“Now!”

The sharks race swim towards the shore. All the people grasps, then terrified, they exit the water quickly.

All the sharks crack up laughing.

Cecil was swimming about; admiring other fish as he usually does. While swimming around, he saw a small fish wearing a blue-green pinkish shirt. She was very pretentious and always swam with a strut. Me. The moment he saw me he was really impressed by me. I must’ve been the most beautiful fish that he’s seen. Cecil couldn’t help but stare. He was mesmerized. Instantly, I am stricken by the image from my worst nightmares. He wants to eat me…..of course. My eyes go wide as I realize this is a friggin shark! I lose all semblance of courage and some of my sanity. In slowed-down dream-time, I swim away fast, like a torpedo.

“No! Wait!” Shouted Cecil.

I’m not listening to him. Cecil took off swimming after me. No time, I have seen all my life poor defenseless fishes like me took apart and devoured by sharks just like this. Sharks with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. I’m still swimming when suddenly..before I know it, BAM! I’m ensnared in a fisherman’s net. My heart is pounding out of my chest. I knew I was going to die one way or another and most likely be eaten. I closed my eyes and said a quick prayer. When I opened them, I was staring in the wide-open mouth of a great white shark who looked like he had a zillion sharp teeth! Again, I close my eyes…and suddenly, I am free. Wait, what?

Cecil bit the net, releasing me. Without saying a word, I start off again swimming away as fast as I possibly could. I did not look back.I slowed down, wondering what the heck just happened? He saved me? When I return to where he was, he is no longer there. I turned back around and go home.

Night after night after night I dreamed of that shark, wondering if I’d ever see him again. As weeks passed by all hope of finding him left me. Then, mom told me to go to the store to pick up some BettaMin because we were out. On the way to the store, I passed the Shark Tunnel Lounge; the hottest shark spot in the ocean. Sporting 400 disco balls over a large dance tunnel and a VIP private area called The Bloodbath section. The lounge is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday only. Lines form early and remain most of the night, as the capacity of the room is only 255 sharks. Specialty cocktails abound here and table bottle service is on (if you can snag a table, that is), but don't expect to get fed here. Shark Tunnel Lounge is strictly a dancin' and drinkin' kind of place! Outside, street sharks feast their eyes upon young fresh tuna, bonitos, ladyfish, mackerel and of course female sharks swimming by. Every vendor in front of the club is well stocked on pheromones-selling cases and by the bottle in sprays, creams, even edibles and pills.

That’s when I saw him. Cecil was outside, swimming alone when two other sharks approached him. After talking outside, the three of them left the club. Immediately, I followed them. Before I could even consider if it was a good idea, or not I looking at Cecil’s residence. Yes, I followed him home. Like Nietzsche said, no journey is too great when one finds what he seeks. His house had a back porch built like a deck and was nearly buried under coral reefs. He often left the door open with just a screen door closed and one can look right in and talk to him. I started watching him without letting him know about it.

Cecil is alone watching the news on television. On television: “Worldwide, commercial fishermen are scouring the oceans for sharks, stripping them of their fins, and throwing the carcasses overboard. This type of gruesome amputation is fueled by demand for nothing more than a pricey [shark fin] soup,” reports Science News. “In August 2002, the U.S. Coast Guard seized a Hawaiian vessel off the coast of Mexico after discovering it was stuffed with 32 tons of shark fins. No other shark parts were on board. The grotesque load represents the slaughter of at least 30,000 sharks and the discard of some 1.28 million pounds [580,000 kg] of fish,” says the magazine. “Around the globe, fishing fleets now take an estimated 100 million sharks annually. With shark fins fetching upwards of $200 per pound [450 grams] on the open market, there is an unsustainable growing demand.”

Finally, I spoke through the screen door. “So you’re the fighting fish?” I said, stealing his attention. He looked surprised; pleasantly.

“Hello,” I said.

“Hi,”he replied.

“So you are that shark….the biting shark,” I said.

Cecil laughs, “Why? Are you still scared to death of me?”

“Um…YEAH,” I replied.

Cecil laughs. Then opens the door and swims to me.

“What’s so funny?” I ask.

“Listen, Miss Siamese fighting fish..People are more likely to be killed by lightning or faulty wiring on a Christmas tree than by a shark. Death by bee sting occurs far more often than death by shark,” said Cecil.

“Not for me. Sharks eat fish like me.” I said.

Cecil comes closer to me. Staring directly into my eyes, he says “I could never kill something so beautiful.”

I can’t help but blush.

“And something about you intrigues the hell outta me,” he said. A pause. “Why’d you come back?”

“To thank you..for saving my life,” I said. “I needed to thank you…..And it was really strange that you didn’t eat me.”

Cecil just looked at me.

“And…well… something about you intrigues me,” I said. Cecil smiled.

“I’m Cecil.”

“I’m Verina.” We both smile.

“Can you spend the day with me? Hang out for little bit?” He asked.

For the next few days, Cecil and I spent every waking hour together. He was amazing; funny, gentle, considerate. Nothing like any

shark I'd ever seen before. He knew a lot about the human race and told me some of the most dangerous places to avoid other sharks.

He loved watching the news and comedy shows. With Cecil I felt safe, secure. I trusted him. He and Stew would go down to the Shark Tunnel Lounge and sometimes I would go with them. Cecil warned me not to go without him.

“2 Lime Shark-a-Ritas please. And for her…What you want, V?” Cecil asked me.

“Um, I’ll have a Blue Lagoon Cocktail,” I said, handing the waiter 5 sea coins.

“Put that away,” Cecil said to me. “I pay when we go out.”

The waitress handed us our drinks. After Cecil started drinking, he turned to me.

“Verina, I need you to understand, when we go out, I pay,” Cecil said.

“I have money, it’s okay,” I said.

“I know you have money and your money is going to stay in your pocket. If you with me, we gonna spend what my money can buy. So if I don’t have nothing, you don’t have nothing….,”he said with all seriousness.

“Okay,” I said with a smile.

“It must be nice having a girlfriend that doesn’t care about money. Rare fish,” said Stew.

“Thank you,” I said. I started to get up. “Excuse me.”

They looked at me.

“I’ll be back. I’m going to the female fish room,” I said.

When I arrived back at our table, I saw Cecil had another drink. He and Stew were talking.

“He makes killer whales go finless, and makes fools of manta rays. With him there are strength and praticle wisdom. To him belong the one going astray and the one leading astray. In other ways he pours out contempt upon nobles, and makes powerful ones weak,” said Stew.

“What are you guys talking about?” I asked.

“The Legend of Anthony Attuma, Taino Indian shark,” said Cecil.

Cecil usually answers for his friends whenever they speak to me. I don’t mind; his jealousy is a turn-on. He does not come across as the “jealous type” though. It’s more like he is very protective and afraid of losing me to another.

“He is protector of the rain forest,” said Stew. “He’s also guardian of the sharks. He hangs out in Puerto Rico. He is supposedly 2x the size of a killer whale. That’s bigger than a blue whale!” Stew continued.

I looked at Stew, not at all believing.

“It’s true,” said Cecil.

“It’s a myth,” I said.

“It’s a legend,” said Stew.

“Exactly,” I said.

“A legend can’t be true?” Stew asked me.

I chuckled.

“He is supposedly as big as the original Megalodon,” said Stew.

After we got back to Cecil’s place, Cecil ordered sushi. I ordered the pellet soup. After eating, Cecil was staring at me strangely.

"What?" I asked.

He didn't answer.

Cecil’s eyes began to burn through me with curiosity. He then leaned over and kissed me. It was like he had a need to touch and feel me with his mouth or something. Maybe because of the electro-receptors that are in small wells around shark’s mouths. I calmly closed my eyes as I felt a tender combination of his soft, natural lips with a little tongue.

After, I was speechless. I turned to swim away.

"You’re coming back right?" He asked, almost desperate.

"Tomorrow," I assured him then continued swimming.

"Verina," Cecil said.

Turning around, “Yes?"

"I love you," Cecil said.

*******

I was swimming home when I saw what appeared to be an enormous shadow trailing behind me. I turn around. Nothing; just a few fishes swimming by. I see it again. A big, rather humongous dark shape, now rocketing in the waters above me. This doesn’t look like a shadow at all... Anthony Attuma is real? Is this an apparition? Are my eyes are playing tricks on me? No it can’t be. I squeeze my eyes shut and re-open them. Vamoose, it’s gone. Maybe it’s time to consider getting better rest. I’m seeing things.

When I got home, my mother was already asleep. My mother is really stunning; a spectacularly royal blue colored, long-finned beauty. My dad the same; bubble gum pink scales, and his fins also have a pinkish tinge under certain lighting. I’m a blend of both in color. My parents separated when I was 5. My dad lives with his new wife in The Philippines. They have 3 kids together. We do not keep in touch. I guess my dad decided to divorce me too when he and mom divorced.

My mom works at the church sponsored orphanage as the cook. In the kitchen mom left me a plate of cooked sea weed pellets. I didn't plan on telling her about Cecil anytime soon because I knew she would be upset and worried crazy. She already warned me about sharks and how dangerous they are. I knew there was no need to tell her anything right away. Cecil is different and besides with the kiss and Cecil telling me he loved me, I had enough going on in my head that I needed to deal with. I kissed a shark...and I liked it. I liked it alot. Holy fisheggs!

The next day, I couldn't wait to see Cecil. I was wondering what it would be like to dance with him. I imagined the sea angels singing as we dance the night away. I looked for him but I didn’t find him anywhere. I then started to feel upset. For a while, thinking worse he was with a female shark or fish in his case. Then I began to worry that he might be on the other end of a fisherman's hook. Something wasn't right.

I knew it wasn't safe but I wanted to go down to the Shark Tunnel Lounge and see if he was there. On the way, an octopus swam by me. I hid from it. As I swam closer to the outside of The Shark Tunnel Lounge, I could hear loud screaming. As I expected, I found Cecil outside with friends.

"Bastards. I hate them!" Cecil screamed. I could see from a distance that he was visibly upset.

"Cecil. Whats wrong?" I asked.

"Stew is dead," he said.

"How?" I asked.

"They stripped him of his fin and threw him back in the water. He bled to death," Cecil said.

"Who did?" I asked.

"Humans! Who else?" He snapped.

"Oh my God. I'm sorry," I said.

"Anyway, what are you doing here? I told you not to come here!" Cecil said.

"I was looking for you," I said.

"That was stupid," Cecil said.

"I was careful and I can take care of myself," I said.

"Thats not the point. You could've been killed," Cecil said.

There was a moment of silence. The other sharks looked on with curiosity as to wondering why Cecil is even talking to me. Others looked on with envy. Some of their eyes invited me as they all began to swarm around me as if I was blood incarnate. Maya Angelou would probably agree, I am a fish phenomenally. That’s me. As all the other sharks sweep in, Cecil moves into the background, but he never took his eyes off me. I turned all my attention on Cecil; needing to show him that I am committed to him and him only. Making it clear as freshwater that I have no interest in his friends.

With that assurance, Cecil swam back closer to me. “I’m sorry. Bad day," he said. He turned to address the other sharks. "Hey guys this is Verina...my girlfriend."

All the other sharks nodded and said "hello."

“This is Jawshua, and Smokey, Big Blue,” said Cecil. They all waved at me. “Over here is Sharky, Jabberjaw because he always talking; always running his mouth,” said Cecil.

“Yeah, okay Cecil. You’re one to talk…,” joked Jabberjaw.

Pointing to the last two, “Bulette and Finley,” said Cecil.

“The whole clan, huh?” I asked in a joking manner. “Which one of you plans to eat me first?”

They all laughed. I could tell, they liked me immediately. Cecil smiled at me.

"As you can see, she is a fighting fish. I told her she don’t stand a chance against the predators in this ocean," Cecil said. All the sharks laughed again.

"No worries, Cecil. We have her back," said another shark.

Turning to me, Cecil said, ”Come on, let's go.”

"Well, instead of going to your house. I was hoping I could take you home to meet my mom," I said.

Cecil smiled, "I'm with it."

When we were far away from the area, we kissed again. Then just stared in each other's eyes.

We hear a loud noise, Cecil immediately gets into fighting mode, being the predator that a shark is known to be. This is the first time I seen him look and act like a shark. And this was the shark in full-effect.

"Get behind me," Cecil said.

"It’s just probably that octopus I saw earlier on my way to the Shark Tunnel Lounge,” I said.

"An octopus! You passed an octopus?" Cecil said. "You can't be serious."

"I made it, didn't I," I said, jokingly.

"Doesn't matter. You are not a shark...you are just a fragile fish. No offense," said Cecil.

“Well an octopus will kill you too,” I said. He just looked at me.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I have the heart of a shark when it comes to YOU!" I said.

THE END