Comatose

Chapter 5: Blank Bowl

Hani's POV

As I step into the hole in the tree, I notice that the hole is closing rapidly, so without a second thought, I leap through the opening.

I'm in mid air for a split second, balled in the floor the next.
My legs, are pulled to my chest, as if I am trying to become a cowardly armadillo.
My ears still, ring with the music that plays in the background, making me feel as if I'm in a movie.
I wonder how I'm hearing this music anyways.

I slowly unravel myself from my protective balling form, glancing up.

What the hell is that?!

A group of humungous, piercing, round eyes stare at me as I'm sprawled against the floor.

It's a...fish?...a giant gold fish?
What is with these places and giant animals?

Pulling my head back, I look above me.

I'm in a giant, round, transparent fish bowl. Varieties of fish, zoom back-and-forth, many being of shiny, gold scaled fish, but some being different.

I wonder if they speak as well.

"H-hello?" I shout to a cherry-red beta fish. It's a very gorgeous fish, with cherry-red, shimmering scales and fins like an elegant dress, fit for a celebrity.

Many fish are ogling me, but none of them spoke a single phrase.

"I guess you don't speak...?" My embarrassment strangles me, my cheeks begin to heat.

I'm talking to fish...
What is wrong with me? Of course they won't respond, they are fish!

"Aish."I hiss under my breath as I continue to mentally scold myself.

I pluck myself off the pure white ground, literally their is nothing beneath my toes but white.

Dusting off my dress, I stroll to the edge of the glass wall, the other side being completely blank. I think of it as a blank page to a book.

Staring up once again, I'm just now realizing something. There is no water in this bowl.

How are these fish just floating like nothing?

If they wanted to, they can escape, so why don't they?

Curiousities plague my mind, along with possible scenerios of why they won't just leave.

Maybe there is something on the other side that keeps them here...?

They could just like it here as well.

Or, what if they disappear if they get out of the bowl?!

But if there is something that keeps them here...what is it?

I closely observe the every move of the fish that swim overhead, each of them just circling around in no certain formation. There are only three that stick out from the crowd of gold fish, the red beta, a fish that seemed to be my size; it was completely clear, I'm able to see the insides of it's body, the dark outlines of it's spin, it's medium sized brain, even the veins that connects it's dark, wide eyes to it's brain. It gave me chills.
The last fish being the most unique of all: being cyan blue, with crimson steaks and overly-large fins.

I turn my attention back to the white background, pressing my hand to the glass, still pondering on what could be on the other side.

Surely, there had to be something beyond this bowl.

With my rushing thoughts, I lay myself on to the floor, once again where I started. Watching the fish from below, beckoning at least one of them to attempt to leave from the wide, circular opening.