Short Tyrants - Short Stories about Tyranny and Authority

Aquarium

In a small dental office of a big city once stood a large aquarium, filled with fish sized big and small. They were fish of any kind: clownfish, goldfish and even small sharks. All the fish lived in harmony and, left to themselves, they never seemed to stumble upon problems whatsoever. This went on peacefully, up until a moment in time, when things got out of hand. The following story resumes.

Every day around noon, doctor Master, the owner of the dental practice, would come and feed the fish. He opens the roof of the aquarium and loads three large scoops of fish food into the water. This was enough for the fish: the bigger fish were faster and ate the most, but were often quickly satisfied. The smaller fish would come after and this way, every fish ate according to its ability and need.

One day, while doctor Master was in a meeting, he forgot to feed his fish. Around noon he asked one of his assistants: "Barbara, could you feed the fish for me, please?" Barbara nodded and resumed her way to the aquarium. Instead of three scoops, however, she scooped only two large scoops of fish food into the water. The two biggest fish in the aquarium, Wockle and Tockle, were fast asleep, expecting not to be fed until later that day. All the other fish noticed the feeding and sped up towards the fish food. Three of these fish were Pucky, Mucky and Gucky.

Pucky and Mucky were ahead of Gucky. "Come on, Gucky, or we'll be too late!" Gucky was smaller than the other two fish--smaller than all the other fish, for that matter. "I'm coming!" she yelled back at them. When Pucky and Mucky finally arrive at the fish food, they hear a scream coming from behind: it's Gucky. She suddenly stopped. Pucky and Mucky swim back: "What's wrong, Gucky?" asks Pucky. Gucky shows her flipper to the two others. "I think I twisted my flipper. I can't swim anymore!" Mucky immediately grabs Gucky and, while stumbling to understand the situation, Pucky follows him along and together they help Gucky towards the fish food. When they arrive, they notice that Wockle and Tockle have also just arrived for the leftover food. The triad disregards them and starts to eat their portion, but as soon as Gucky starts to eat, the two small sharks stop her.

"What do you think you're doing?" Wockle said. "Yeah," said Tockle, "this is our part!" Gucky looks at them confused and says: "What do you mean it's your part? I'm the one who's eating it." Gucky resumes eating, going against the wishes of the two sharks. "But we demand your part! It's unfair how you got it. If it weren't for Mucky and Pucky, we would have had your bit a long time ago already!" "Why does it bother you that Gucky eats? She only eats a small amount. It wouldn't have made a difference for your stomachs." Tockle puffs: "Next time you take our food away, we'll show you what happens to thieves!" "If there ever will be a next time," adds Wockle. He bends over to Tockle and whispers. Together they laugh and swim off--back to their homes--to go sleep again. "So far goes their productivity," says Pucky. "I wonder what they meant by that, though," said Mucky. "Don't worry!" responds Gucky, "as long as I'm with you guys, I don't think they'll do any harm. Besides, doctor Master would never allow them to!" Pucky and Mucky agree and after they each filled their stomachs, they go back to work: swimming around in circles.

That evening, when all the fish are asleep and doctor Master is still doing paperwork in his office, there were no more clients scheduled for the day. Doctor Master finished the paperwork and walked out of his office. Before he opens the door to go outside, his attention is drawn by a voice from the aquarium. "Hello? Sir?" says the voice. Doctor Master walks to the aquarium and wonders who might have been looking for him. "Hello?" he responds to the unknown voice. "It's a tragedy, sir! A tragedy!" Doctor Master feverishly asks: "What tragedy? What happened?" The voice sniffs. "The little fish, Gucky! While heading her way to the fish food, she twisted her flipper! She couldn't make it on her own anymore!" Doctor Master is shocked. "Is she alright?" "She's fine now, but we need to do something! Something has to be done and you have to help!" Doctor Master wonders. "How can I help?" "I have a plan," says the voice. "Take a seat, doctor Master. This will take a while." The two talked all night long, without notice.