Piranha Party

"We need to get rid of it." my co worker Arbi said in protest.

A couple of weeks ago, the aquarium, side of the wide petshop got an incorrect shipment of some fish. "Incorrect" wasn't enough to describe the shipment itself.

"Piranhas!" Arbi said. "How the hell did we get piranhas?"

"According to the letter of notice, they were supposed to be at the Aqua Exotics festival in Jakarta."

"I know that!" Arbi replied angrily. "I just wonder how did the driver make such a stupid mistake. How can you confused a pet shop and an Exotic festival? Jeez. Whatever. I'll call whoever's managing that festival. In the meantime, you lock them up in the backroom. Check in on them once in a while, the last thing we need is finding out they have super sharp teeth after something wrong happens."

So I did ask Arbi asked, and put the piranhas in an empty aquarium filled with fresh water, and in the backroom of the pet shop.

I found myself spending more time watching the piranhas in their new aquarium, seeing how strange yet unique they were. I mean these fish were normally found in parts of the Amazon or waters people wouldn't dare touch, but to be quite frank with you, dear reader, Arbi can be a bit of a...what's the best word to describe him, I can't swear here and all, ah yes, "stingy". Arbi can be quite stingy.

Every. Single. Time.

He never stops complaining, he just doesn't. Even if it's for good reason he just makes the atmosphere bad for me and a couple of other people working here. There was a time where a dog bit his finger, then the time where an iguana nearly hit his eye with its tongue.

And don't get me started on when he tried to groom the cats with a brush.

"Damn felines!" He once screamed and even threw a cat out of the door, went as far as kicked it.

With the piranhas, I found myself often entertained by them, eventhough I can't really talk to them. Sometimes they would fight, other times they would just wander around like this one big wholesome community, or a school of piranhas if there ever is such a term. I've heard about piranhas before, but I didn't see any hostility here, not unless you try and poke your finger into the tank they're currently in.

The more i look at the piranhas in the tank the more I pity them. They're dangerous yes but it's not like they asked to be here in this country. They don't even live around these waters. They're from South America.

"If I had the resources then I would have sent all of you back to where you came from." I said to the tank quietly.

"Hey." Arbi's voice said. "The guys managing the Exotic festival is on his way. Few hours from now. In the meantime, let's get lunch. Everyone else' gone outside now." He stopped. "Seriously, what are you doing?"

"I think they need to be returned to South America." I point at the tank.

Arbi gave a laugh, but it wasn't a funny kind of laugh. "You serious? You care for these killing machines? Do you know what piranhas do to you?"

"They only do that if they're disturbed." I counter.

"They're animals just like the others here. They don't care about how you think about them."

"Like you're better Mr. I complain about everything." I exclaimed.

Arbi gave a punch toward my gut. My stomach became a victim of this and I was on my knees. "Watch your mouth."

I gave a slight grin. "Nah tough guy. If there's any animal here it's you. All I said that you complain and you respond with a punch."

Arbi grabbed me by the collar but he stopped as he heard some bumping. We both looked to our left and noticed one of the piranhas trying to break the glass. One bursted out and I fell backwards. The piranha flew towards Arbi's direction and bit his nose off, revealing some of his flesh. It then proceeded to bite him on the arm. The hole of the glass was then an entrance for a dozen more piranhas, flying towards Arbi and then munching on him. The speed of the devouring was insane. I felt like I was watching a gory cartoon as blood spewed around like a fountain, to eventually nothing left of Arbi himself.

The piranhas who ate him jumped back into the tank, even carrying the water on their sides with them. THe last piranha used its mouth to close the hole and fill the tank up with water again. I slowly stood up onto my feet, and looked at the piranhas straight in their eyes.

"We've taken care of your problem." The first piranha, the one standing in front among the others, didn't open its mouth but seem to speak to me through my mind. "We hope you can return the favor by returning us to our habitat."

Looking at the Arbi's blood painting the floor of the backroom, I knew it was gonna take a while to clean up, and come up with some excuse on where he went, but I doubt anybody's gonna miss him considering his attitude that annoyed us all before.

"Of course." I say to the group of piranhas. "South America it is then."