🫧Five🫧
The dancing lights in the night sky fade in and out until they've become the star mobile above my bed. Oh. I reach for one of the little stars, letting the beads seep through my fingers. I don't remember pulling it down. Must have knocked into it last night in my half-asleep state.
"You still have that?"
Terra floats unannounced in my doorway, watching me play with the mobile. I drop my hand to my side.
"Such a guppy," she sighs. "So, you're not riding with us today. We're going to the Reef Cafe for their Valentide's special, ya know, since it's a popular dating spot? It's a big event, so it'll be really crowded and full of potential candidates. See ya, Salmonella."
Why? Why today? Why now? I scrunch up every muscle, trying to squeeze the sounds out of my mind, put a plug in the spiraling thoughts eating me up...
salmonella Salmonella Salmonella SALMONELLA—
𓆟
"Where were you today? We can't guppysit you all the time, especially if you're gonna swim off like that!" scolds Terra.
"Ella's been playing with the salmon again," says Gigi, betraying me. I stare at her wildly, silently begging her to stop, but she just studies her nails, ignoring me.
Terra laughs so hard she clutches her sides. "Haha, the salmon! You never change, Salmon-Ella!"
"Oooooh, we're calling you that from now on. Don't forget, Terra."
"What, Salmonella?" Terra nods in approval. "Ooh, yeah. I like it." She turns to me. "Anyway, hurry and come to dinner before we eat everything."
Their faded figures vanish from the room. Now we're seated at the table. The whole family's here this time. Oh, right. This is when Mom and their dad were still living at home.
It's silent, everyone watching me but no one making the move... until Mom's finally had enough and breaks the iceberg. "Ella. Why won't you eat any of your SALMON
Salmon
Salmon
salmon?"
I stare down at the table, trying to focus on breathing. Trying not to think about the bloody meat on my plate. Trying not to picture their gaping, struggling faces every time I close my eyes. Across from me, the girls, who'd been stifling their laughs, can't contain themselves anymore.
The next thing I see is the comforting darkness of the ramp, my vision blurred by the bubbling in my eyes. I peek around the corner, still able to hear their voices draining out of the dining room.
"Why won't she eat her food?"
"'Cause... 'Cause... SHE LOVES SALMON SOOO MUCH, AHAHAHA!"
"She thinks they're a pet animal, when they're a food animal!"
"Tee hee!"
"Tee hee-hee-hee!"
"TEE HEE!"
"TEE HEE-HEE-HEE!"
YOU ARE READING
Salmonella
FantasyA modern Cinderella story... under the sea. Down in the depths of the Pacific, 19-year-old aspiring artist Ella Bentik could care less about clothes, makeup and parties like her older sisters; all that matters is achieving her dream and getting out...
