Aquarius [COMPLETED]

The Aquarium

Todd takes a deep breath, and walks through the red tent flaps. Inside the tent, a path travels in a circular fashion, passing by cages that line the walls. Some people are browsing by the cages, gasping and laughing at the hideousness at each of the people inside. Todd sees the little boy from the show earlier sitting in a cage of his own. He nurses his mutated arm, and doesn't look up as Todd walks by.

In the center of the tent is a large, clear glass tank filled with water. A ladder runs up the side of it, and a chair is fashioned on a corner for someone to sit. Inside the tank is Claudia.

Todd's breath catches in his throat. The mermaid sits at the bottom of the tank, huddled against a corner with her back to the entrance. Her dark hair floats around her, fanning out like a celestial halo. Her skin looks almost translucent, and her red scales have lost their luster. One of the workers sits in the chair at the top of the tank with a long, metal pipe. When he sees Todd looking into the tank, he drops the end of the pole down into the water and prods Claudia with it until she turns around to show herself.

When Claudia sees Todd, she uses her tail to push herself into the glass closest to him. Her palms press up against the glass and, as he approaches, he sees her face has become thin and sallow, and her eyes have sunken into their sockets.

"Claudia," he breathes, pressing his hand into the cool glass where one of her hands is, "I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean t'ever do this to ya."

She opens her mouth, water bubbling from her lips as she tries to speak, before she retreats away from him.

"No, please don't go," he calls for her, pounding a fist against the glass.

"Hey, you! Don't do that!" The man on top of the tank reprimands him.

Todd doesn't even glance at the man, and draws back his fist again. Then Godfroy materializes next to him, and chortles, "Come to see the woman you sold?"

The young fisherman drops his fist and turns to look at him. "I didn't sell 'er," he says stiffly.

"Oh? Last time I checked, a man giving something to another man for a profit means that he sold it," Godfroy grins at him.

"She looks terrible!" Todd points back at the tank, "If she's yer star attraction, why does she look like crap?"

Godfroy shrugs. "She will not eat. And we use the pipe because we can't have her hiding away when customers come to look at her. That defeats the purpose of them coming to gawk." He turns to the glass and raps on it with a knuckle, "Isn't it grand? The girl blessed by the curse of the Aquarius. Sends shivers down my spine every time I say that."

Todd clenches his hands into fists at his sides as Godfroy laughs to himself. "So 'ow long d'ya plan on keepin' 'er 'ere for?" He asks, his jaw clenched.

"Oh, a week or two at most," Godfroy says, flicking dirt on his sleeves, "Then we'll continue to travel. I'm still working out how we're going to fit her onto a cart without spilling all water. Or maybe we'll just tie her up and put her in water every few hours. I wonder how long it'll take her to wither up."

"She's a person!" Todd suddenly shouts at him, "These are all people! 'ow can ya do this to them!?"

"My boy, these are not people," Godfroy spits, "These are nothing but hideous, disgusting creatures who deserve life no more than an ugly insect. Do not mistake these monsters for people. They deceive you that way. Look at her-- how can you say that she is human? She tricks you into thinking that she is, but she is a freak. That is all anyone in this place is: Freaks!"

"You're right," Todd growls, "Everyone 'ere is a freak." He turns around and quickly exits the tent, Master Godfroy's laughter echoing after him.