The Nightshift

Echoing footsteps as she walked through the now deserted aquarium. "I studied Marine Biology for years only now to end up as a nightshift worker who feeds the fish. Great." It was a job she got by chance as the manager of this aquarium was close friends with her uncle and this was his first ever aquarium investment.

The corridors that by daylight would be crowded with people, now felt like a blue tinted dreamland. She walked past each window. Peering in to see the creatures inside. 'I'm sorry you have to live trapped like this' she would think. But having to push that thought aside to check their well-beings.

This was never part of the job description but she felt as if it were her duty to make sure they were at least healthy. Though she could always tell what they felt. She knew when they were happy, and miserable. She empathised with them. Hours of her shift would pass with her simply checking in with each of them. Greeting them with a smile and a little conversation. Though the conversations usually swung around to her talking about her life. Her main duty though was to provide for the night feeders.

As she reached into her pocket she pulled out a key with her name, photo and a barcode on it. Scanning at one of the doors, a loud metallic thud sounded, echoing once again through the halls. The door opened and she pushed through. Collecting the clipboard with the feeding charts on it, she made her way up the silver, metal stairway onto the overhead platforms. There was a room at the back in which the food had been prepped at the end of the day shift, leaving her with the easy task of simply carrying and tossing the contents of each bucket into the respective tank.

As she was now at this stage, she usually hurried up. She simply wished to whisk ahead to the tank in which she loved the most, the one she felt the most at ease with, as if she could speak to its residents and they listened back. The shark tank.

Pouring each bucket of its sloppy, putrid smelling contents, she would routinely make her way between the tanks and the feeding room. The bucket count got less and less until she reached the final bucket. A large, white bucket with a black marker-written word of "Sharks" printed on it. Removing the lid, she checked the contents and closed it up again. A soothed smile as she struggled to carry the bucket, but alas it didn't matter. She heaved and hoed the bucket until she stood over the platform atop the sharks tank. Below, all she could see was life. Sharks swimming around, Small ones, large ones, thin ones, thick ones, but they were not alone. They were accompanied by other creatures. Small ones that would swim along side the large beasts. It was a blue paradise that, if only for the fact she would lose her only job, she would love to dive in and be one with them. She sat on the platform. Gazing down, hypnotised by the beauty of this display. It wasn't right by any means. They were trapped away from home however she still found herself lost every night in their beauty.

But there was one. One magnificent beast of them all she felt most captivated by. That was their beautiful Tiger Shark, that she simply called by Hikaru. The name was that of someone she knew from childhood, who moved away without a trace. But this one, Shark Hikaru, was special.

She simply called out "Hikaru! I'm here!" With an echoing though the upper platform area, but only silence seemingly responded. She sat in wonder. Maybe he didn't hear her? Or maybe he was in a foul mood? She could usually tell from his eyes. A soft pouting of her lips as she seemingly sparked no response, then suddenly, the sound of a splash in the water surface and her lips grew wide with a grin.

A dorsal fin with a slightly stubbed tip emerged and began to circle her below. "Hikaru, there you are!" A sense of joy overcame her as she propped up and began to converse.

"How have you been? We're you good for last nights feeder? Of course you were! But you better not be favouring him over me! Unless you swing that way then in that case I guess I am out of luck even with the sharks!" She began to laugh characteristically as the shark splashed some water, it barely reaching her but still sprinkling her slightly. Some might think he was being impatient, waiting for his food, but she somehow knew there was more to it than that.

She would continue, her expression more solemn now, "I would love to tell you of the wonderful stories of my successful third date with my new prince, however it doesn't seem it was meant to be." A sigh of supposed exhaustion escaped her lips as she dragged over the bucket and opened it. Reaching to the railing she made her way to her feet.

"Hikaru. When am I going to find the right prince. I've always been told, 'a princess like yourself deserves to be swept off her feet' but I'm beginning to grow bitter of those words." Pulling the lid off the bucket, she was greeted once again with the waft of the putrid smell of fish guts and blood. She slipped on a pair rubber gloves and picked up the bucket. Beginning to tip it into the waters.

Dead fish, guts, and other unmentionable disgusting pieces poured into the tank, the red blood from them dying the usually blue water, to pure red. And from around the tank, sharks began to circle. Each digging into their own piece and then the next. Some fighting over the larger chunks. Hikaru got his fair share too which was a relief to Aoi, she wouldn't feel right if he got nothing. After a few minutes, the feeding frenzy came to an end.

The sharks continued to circle in hopes for a second helping. But Hikaru remained at the top, his dorsal fin continuing to circle, emerged above the water to almost signify he was still there. She felt the reassurance of his presence. She set the bucket down and replaced its lid. She continued on her vent.

"Guys are just dumb, self centred, inconsiderate beasts!" She yelled out in frustration. Slamming her foot on the metal grate below her, though, something slipped.

She had not made contact with the floor but rather some guts that had not made it into the water. Her leg slipped forward, followed by the other. Her arms instinctively reached to grab the handle, she continued to slip, the slippery contents of the bucket had gotten on her gloves as she could not hold her grip. Her head hitting the edge of the walkway, creating a gash as she submerged into the middle of the circling of the not yet satisfied sharks.