The Tale of Carrot

Chapter 11

Carrot emerged from his fish tank, gasping for water.

Cold winds blew through the holes of the small net Carrot was flopping in. Shivers crept up his small spine.

He wheezed uncomfortably as the giant Taker walked over to the other bowl.

Carrot's vision blurred as his lack of water seeped through him. He could feel himself travelling through the air.

The Taker looked down at him with a smirk.

"You're almost there. Don't die yet."

Carrot didn't understand what the thing was saying, but he assumed it was evil chanting of some sort.

The Taker arrived at the destination; the dirty tank full of dying fish. 

Green, murky water flowed tightly in the small tank. Dozens of fish were slowly swimming around weakly. On the surface was a floating goldfish, reeking of a rotten scent.

Carrot's net tilted 180 degrees, a few centimetres above the rim of the tank.

A yelp escaped Carrot's mouth as he slipped out of the net and fell into the dirty tank.

There was a small splash as Carrot made contact with the water.

After the lack of water Carrot endured, he let his gills engulf the newly encountered water.

Carrot looked at his surroundings. On his left were a few fish swarmed together. They paid him no attention as Carrot stared at them in disbelief.

The fish looked dead. Not particularly on the outside, but Carrot could see the lack of life in their eyes.

He turned and glanced at the right side of the tank. Rocks were piled up on top of each other with a sunken ship boasting its good looks beside the rock pile. Carrot started swimming towards the ship in curiosity.

It worked. My plan is actually working, Carrot thought.

The water was so unclean that Carrot couldn't look outside the tank. He wondered what Sashimi was doing. Probably eating, he decided. The thought of the female fish put a smile on his face.

The ship was approaching slowly but surely. Some fish resting at the sides were eyeing him weirdly.

Carrot waved his right fin at them with a smile.

They looked away immediately and chattered amongst themselves in a hushed whisper.

How friendly. Carrot was glad he was leaving as soon as he finds Finn.

In front of the decorative ship was a burly fish looking at Carrot.

"Who are you and why is your skin so orange?" He asked in a deep voice. He watched Carrot in an intimidating manner.

"Uh, Carrot," Carrot looked at him, slightly startled. He ignored the other question. Carrot was used to that question popping up.

"So, 'uh Carrot'," the huge fish mocked, "you new?"

"I just arrived a few minutes ago. I came here looking for someone." Carrot stated.

"Why would you look for somebody here, at the S.S. Anne?"

"I can't find them anywhere else in this place." Carrot said, exasperated. "Do you know a fish named Finn?"

The fish laughed a hearty chuckle. "Kid, we all know Finn."

"Really?" Carrot excitedly asked.

"You'd have to live under a rock to not know him." The fish gestured towards the pile of rocks near the ship. "Unfortunately, some fish are still under there."