Breakin’ In or Breakin’ Out – A Fish Tail (Part 3)

There was the sound that a clown makes when creating balloon animals. The big head was unraveling the rubber band that held the plastic bag closed. The bag crinkled and crunched as it was opened. Harley and Sushi looked up to see the big head peering into the bag. The big head then grasped the bottom of the bag and began to tip the opening down into the water. Bubbles was overjoyed and swimming in circles. Sushi kept glancing at Bubbles as if concerned and Harley looked at Sushi with devilish eyes.

“Get Ready, Sushi,” Harley said. “Don’t look back.”

Sushi played the part, “Yeah. I got it, Harley.”

The top of the bag came down into the water, Harley and Sushi darted at full speed to the back of the tank. Harley couldn’t think of anything except freedom, how he would be able to swim wherever he wanted, how he would be able to eat whatever he wanted. The thought of being free filled him with such drive. Harley and Sushi approached the back of the tank and Wham! Wham! Both Harley and Sushi slammed into the glass and bounced back.

“What the…” Harley shouted. He began to franticly look around for a way out. Sushi panicked and followed. Harley kept poking at the glass. “What’s going on!?” He shouted again. “There must be a way out.”

Harley and Sushi searched the entire tank looking for a break in the glass and found none. They quickly found that the glass wall was impenetrable. Bubbles wandered and bounced around the tank singing another song. “Under the sea. Everything is wetter down there it is better.” A big head approached the tank and opened up a small little flap in the hood. Bright colored flakes came pouring in. Harley and Sushi stopped their insistent search for a way out just for a few minutes in order to get some dinner. Bubbles continued swimming in circles singing, “We got no troubles, life is the bubbles. Under the sea.” Once the boys went up to the top she realized what was happening. “Since life is sweet… Oh, food!” Bubbles swam to the top to eat her feast of flakes.

The next few hours were pretty uneventful, Harley and Sushi continued scouring the tank for a way out, Bubbles continued singing her song, “The seaweed is greener in someone else’s lake. Down here all the fish is happy.” Soon it was time for the lights to go out. Sushi, Harley and Bubbles would rest for awhile.

Morning quickly came and the light in the hood was turned on. They could see that the water was already becoming cloudy. The water now had left over food particles and fish poop mixing in.

“Harley, my eyes are burning,” Sushi said.

“Mine too, Sushi,” Harley said.

They watched as Bubbles swam around in a daze through the haze. The big head opened the flap in the food. “Sushi,” Harley said abruptly. Sushi turned quickly and saw that Harley was looking up at the opening in the hood.

“What is it, Harley?” Sushi said wondering.

Harley responded, “I think I have an idea.” The big head began sprinkling multi-colored flakes into the tank. “Come on, Sushi.” Harley darted to the top of the tank and Sushi followed. First, they would chomp on some grub. Bubbles didn’t realize there was food so Sushi had to call out to her.

“Hey, Bubbles. Food!” Sushi shouted.

“Ohhh, food.” Bubbles opened her mouth and took a big bite of something floating in front of her. She quickly spit it out. “Oops, that was poop.”

Harley looked at Sushi and rolled his eyes. He mumbled, “Moron,” and went back to eating. Bubbles swam to the top for some real food. After a quick bite, Harley revealed his plan to Sushi.

“Alright Sushi, here is the plan. See that flap up there in the hood.”

Sushi responded, “Yep.”

Harley continued, “Tomorrow morning we’re going to wait down there in corner of the fish tank. When the big head opens up the flap we’re going swim as fast as we can and jump out the top of the tank.”

“Really,” Sushi said. “You think it will work.”

Harley responded, “Of course it’s going to work.”

“What do we do when we get out of the tank?” Sushi wondered.

“We swim free, Sushi!” Harley exclaimed.

“Wait a minute, Harley. There’s water out there?”

“Yes, you dope! It’s all water out there.”

“Really?” If Sushi could have scratched his head with his fin he would have. “You mean the big heads are in water?”

“Yeeesss!” Harley said as if it was obvious.

Sushi was still confused. “Why aren’t they swimming?”

“Oh my god, Sushi. Don’t you know anything? They’re too fat to swim.”

Sushi was starting to believe him but it all still didn’t quite make sense. “Alright Harley, I’m in.”

“Alright then Sushi,” Harley said. “Tomorrow morning, we’re breakin’ out of here!”

…TO BE CONTINUED