Rise of the Blackfish

The water was brown with the movement of killer whales struggling to flee. Screams of men echoed the harbor with a ghostly feel to it. I was four years
old. My mother shoved me beside her left flank. She screamed through the turmoil. "GO
TILIKUM! FLEE! GET OUT OF HERE GO! I'LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU IN A MOMENT! GET OUT OF THE HARBOR!" I didn't look back. I couldn't. My instincts told me to flee just as mother had told. I glanced briefly behind me. They were after me. The sound of the metal clashing the reef was agonizing. I kept moving toward the entrance, where the mud water met blue. I screamed for the mother to follow. I only heard her scream at me to run again.

I had no choice but to obey and I hid just outside the harbor. I peered out of the water, my tiny heart pounding, to see an image I would never be able to erase from my mind. A man aimed a metal rod at my mother. she growled fiercely yet he did not heed her warning . His hand neared the button to launch it. I wanted to scream out at the mother but I needed to resist. his hand drew nearer. No! Must resist! My mother opened her mouth to reveal a row of sharp teeth. He pointed and shot. NO! "MOTHER RUN!" I screamed. I charged toward her and slammed into her flank.

But it was too late. The harpoon entered about one inch deep into her thick skin. It was bleeding out brutally and painfully. I had never undergone so much fear in one hour. It was horrific to see my mother in so much pain, and worse that she had to move and protect me.

The pod charged out of the harbor at full speed, their eyes were glazed with fear as they narrowly escaped the men, except for me and my mother. She sped ahead and into the small crevasse between the metal fish and called me to her side. I heard something drop into the the murky tide. I was unsure of it, and I didn't want to know. I sped over the crevasse to find that something blocked it. It felt rough and plant-like. Yet it was not alive or I would have been able to sense it. I knawed it in attempt to break through, nevertheless it didn't budge.

After another hour of knawing I still hadn't made much progress. Suddenly the men were clanging the planks together again to drive me into the center of the baracade. I moaned to my mother to let her know I loved her. She sent me a reply of the same. I bobbed my head up and down in the center of the men and cried to all the orcas nearby. I wasn't going to be back anytime soon if I survived.

A white cradle was lowered into the water. I had no clue what they wanted me to do with it. they clashed the planks loudly and drove me into it. the next moment I was being lifted out of the water. I shook and thrashed as I was lifted out.

The plane ride was agonizing. I felt so heavy, like a towel dipped in molasses. I snapped at a few of my "handlers" along the ride.. they deserved it.
By the time we arrived I was sick with fever. My tounge lolled out of the side of my mouth, panting like a cetean never should.

For many months I was raked and bullied by the two older females he lived with. they had very short temper, especially Haidi. Nookta was more of a mother to me.

I had finally started to merge into captivity, but I would never be used to the metal cages.. never...

I had finally snapped in 1991. I had formed a plan to merely warn them that we mean business. I didn't mean to kill her. I didn't know what happened. she slipped into the water and I charged her. I merely held her down for a half a minute and brought her back up. then the bloodlust became too strong. I held her under to minutes with the help of Haidi and Nookta. I had not a clue what I was thinking. In a week or two after that I was shipped to a new prison and Sealand shut down. it was a new prison called Seaworld.

PART TWO
Blackfish or no Blackfish?

The days seemed much longer here than my old home. I preformed every other hour. It was exhausting, and the worst part is that it wasn't part of any harbor. It was filtered seawater. The other killers were afraid. I could sense it.

Seven years later there was more blood in the water. Except I hadn't committed the crime. I was merely acused. the man had died from hypothermia. I had him laid on my back. I didn't know what to do with his body. The man was known as Daniel P. Dukes and had streaked at night only to slip into our pool. The others killed him and I sort of joined in. I was playing with his body. there was nothing to do except chew the walls. my life seems like there is no end to the badness.

For the next couple of years I was used as a breeding machine, having 21 calves, only 11 remain alive today. I was depressed, and trained only with the "greatest" of trainers. Yet i killed another trainer in 2010.

I was becoming disappointed. She had no fish for me when I had done what she asked. I was very confused and frustrated. Where was my reward?

She come over to me and began to stroke me. Her arm was laid in my mouth, like she actually trusted me with that. But it happened again. Of course it had to happen again!

Bloodlust took over my very soul and I thrashed her through the tank. Many people had washed the event and even gotten it on video record. And to make it worse I had done it in front of a show.

No. That had a good side too. They now know I am unhappy. They will surely let me go! I was wrong.

Instead of releasing me i was semiretired. I bred more calves until there were the 21 in all I had talked about.

Some of the females had died during birth. So many calves had died. Seven of them came from Corky.

There was a big commotion in 2013. Much talk about a new film called "Blackfish". it was about me and the way they treat the others!! This was my new chance! I could be wild and free again! if only I had a voice...

Then I heard them. They were rioting! They hated the prison that I lived in! They were my voice! I might be free!

And now we are caught up to the present time, where arguments are being thrown across states. I may never be free, but there's always a chance I may be. you can help. please don't buy a ticket and boycott Seaworld! Do it for me. Do it for Hugo, Lotita , Morgan, and Orchid. Do it for them all. And one more thing...

FREE TILIKUM!

@be_a_voice_for_the_voiceless on instagram!