Save the Humans

Clown fish swam by in all their orange, white and black. The water swirled as the tortoises flitted about in the simulated sea. The children of Winchester Elementary school in Newark, Delaware visited Wilmington to experience the wondrous aquarium.

Then, sirens blared. Lights flashed. An announcer over the PA system spoke in an even tone.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we ask you to please find the nearest exit and get as far away from the building as possible.”

This certainly came as a shock to the students and staff of Winchester Elementary.

“Miss Malloy, what’s happening?” Nadine Redgrove asked.

“There seems to have been a scare against us and this building. You don’t need to worry though. We’ve got the best professionals to handle situations like this, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Nadine walked over to her fellow students and chaperone, Mrs. Hailey Sawman.

“Mrs. Sawman, what’s happening?”

“Whatever Miss Redgrove said, she probably knows more than I,” Hailey said with a faint smile.

“Okay.” Nadine ran to her friends Barish and Hailey’s daughter Alitha.

“What’d they say?”

“They said to stay in a little girl’s place.”

“I think we should go back there and genetically modify the animals. I want to strap a machine gun to a shark that has been genetically changed to withstand bullets fired underwater,” Barish outlined.

“Did you make the call, Barish?” Nadine asked.

He sucked his teeth. “I wouldn’t do that. Whatever it is.”

“I would create an expanded aquarium that would include the habitat of the city. I would make the buildings all watery and accommodate the animals in a giant connected ecosystem,” Alitha said.

They sat on park benches about one hundred feet from the building.

“I don’t know about y’all, but I’ve got to finish this theme on ecosystems,” Barish admitted.

“I do, too,” Nadine agreed.

“Ditto,” Alitha said. The adults walked around with their arms folded and held severe glances until they saw the kids and their faces lit up.

While they were working on their themes, Barish spoke up. “You know what else I’d do? I’d train land animals to swim. Not just the ones that already can but birds like warblers.”

“You dummy, warblers would drown.”

“But you didn’t say anything about my GMO gun-toting sharks!” Barish yelped.

“Well, that’s just ridiculous. Those kinds of birds swimming is just stupid,” Alitha said within earshot of her mom.

“Language….” Mrs. Sawman redressed.

“Sorry, Mom,” Alitha grinned. She shot a cold glance at Barish.

“Alright, let’s keep it going. Hey, Nadine…what would you do with the aquarium?” Barish asked.

“I would definitely tell people not to be afraid of climate change since the globe is really just a gigantic aquarium and zoo. I would say that the climate of Earth has been changing for billions of years now. We’ve only been pumping stuff into the atmosphere for a little over two hundred years. If we have affected the Earth so badly, I’m sure we can find a way to reverse or even improve the conditions. But that’s a big if.”

“I think that we should give all aquatic life rights like humans,” Alitha said. “I mean land animals could have them, but especially animals that live in the water since most of the planet is made up of the stuff. We should work on giving them the right to not be hunted or used for human purposes.”

“Do you like fish sticks?” Barish asked.

“I love them! With tartar sauce and ketchup…you caught me….” Alitha put down her head.

“A-ha!”

Nadine grinned at Alitha. The signal for the all clear sounded and the kids stayed stationary. No one moved at all.

“C’mon guys,” Mrs. Sawman called.

“Mom, we’re having fun out here just doing our work and coming up with stuff.”

“Then I’ll stay out here with you.”

The mom had a seat next to her field trip kids.