Of Different Waters

It took Ronan about half the drive to realize he would be able to talk to the fish in the aquarium. And then he really couldn’t wait to get there. As soon as the car was parked, Ronan bolted toward the front entrance of the building, not even bothering to wait for his parents. They’d catch up... or not. At that moment it didn’t really matter to him. There were so many fish to talk to and so little time.

He bought his ticket and headed into the aquarium stopping in front of the directory. Hmm, where should I go first? He felt just like a kid in a candy store, and had to stop himself from giggling uncontrollably. Oh great, I really am acting like a kid in a candy store. Next I’ll start drooling. He silently contemplated on how people would react to a twenty-something year old man drooling and giggling while talking to fish.

As soon as the rather disturbing mental image formed, Ronan tried to shove it in the back closet of his mind. And hopefully he’d never see it again. Ever...

After looking at the directory for way longer than what was considered kosher Ronan decided to head to the piranhas first. Those guys cracked him up when he couldn’t understand them.

He arrived at the tank. It was a fairly decent size and had maybe ten of the flesh eating fish. “Hey guys,” Ronan greeted jovially, smiling from ear to ear.

The result was instantaneous. The fish who had been swimming peacefully all froze and became still as rocks. Slowly they turned to stare at Ronan. “Yeah, I’m talking to you,” he grinned at how perplexed they looked.

In the blink of an eye they were practically glued to the glass, all trying to talk to him at the same time.

Wow, you talk!

Say something else!

You can understand us.

“Yes,” Ronan said trying his hardest not to laugh.

They all got very still again, staring at him with their silver, unblinking fishy eyes.

That is so... wait for it...Cool! They all started jumping around in a very non-piranha-like way.

You’re awesome!

Ronan laughed out loud at that and touched the glass with his hand. He jumped back when he emitted one of his shocks.

Ooh... The piranhas said in unison. They began to talk excitedly to themselves.

Hey guys, a particularly old piranha said quietly. No one heard him. He gave Ronan an annoyed look and Ronan shrugged.

The old piranha sighed and hollered Idiots! So loud it made Ronan wince. All the other fish grew quiet. I just wanted to remind you that we’re piranhas. And we’ve just been fed.

They all darted away quickly, fighting over their meal. All but the old fish. Sorry, Rasha, they get a little too excited sometimes, the old fish apologized.

“That’s okay... Wait, how did you know that name? My fish calls me that.” Ronan asked perplexed.

That’s what we all call your family. The fish explained.

That didn’t really help much. “Who, me, Rebecca and John?” Ronan asked, beyond confused.

No, not the people who raised you. Your birth family.

Ronan couldn’t figure out how the fish knew how he was adopted. He asked and the old piranha explained. They, the humans, smell like land. You, Rasha, smell like us.

Okay... The fish was obviously loopy. Ronan knew when people got older they sometimes said some strange things. Old fish were apparently the same.

Ronan decided it was time for a change of subject. “So what’s your name?”

Hannibal, the fish answered.

“Oh, that’s an interesting name,” Ronan said attempting to make small talk. His mind immediately taking him to the only Hannibal he knew of: Hannibal Lector.

You think? The fish asked skeptically. I think is just goes to show how uncreative the two-leggeds are.

“Oh really, and why’s that?” Ronan challenged.

Well you see, the piranha explained, smiling a toothy grin, there used to be twelve of us. And with that Hannibal swam away to join the others.

“Oh, well... that’s just wrong,” Ronan thought before learning the piranhas to their meal.

Next it was time for close encounters with monsters of the deep. Which was just a fancy way of saying, “You can pet stingrays at our aquarium.” Ronan maneuvered through the aquarium in the direction he thought the rays were. Sure enough, he found them. And with so many little kids hovering around the petting area, it wasn’t that difficult to find.

The exhibit was fairly large. It was a two foot high cement entrapment filled with a little over a foot and a half of water. On one end of the exhibit there was an escape for the rays that lead to a deep tank-like section where the rays could swim out of the reach of grabby little hands.

There was no empty space anywhere around the exhibit, so Ronan waited patiently for an available space. “Ew,” a kid squealed, after touching one of the rays. Ronan rolled his eyes. “Ew,” wasn’t exactly a great word to use to describe a ray.

The ray had some objections too. Marty, did you hear what that two-legged said about me? The offended ray bellowed. Then he yelled to the whole tank of rays. Don’t let her pet you. She’s... She’s... he seemed to not know what exactly to say about her. She’s just plain mean! He huffed.

Ronan saw the ray glide down into the deep tank section, no doubt to sulk away from the grubby hands of the children.

The rays must have listened to their offended brother because a few minutes later the kid began to whine. No rays had come to her since she insulted that one. “Daddy,” she whined, “this is boring. None of them are coming near me. Let’s go somewhere else.” She grabbed her father’s hand and proceeded to drag him away.

Yes, an opening. Ronan smiled as he walked up to the cement and kneeled by the edge, waiting for a ray to stop and talk.

He had a good spot around the enclosure too. His was right before the shallow water expanded and became the deep tank. The exhibit had rays and some smaller species of sharks but only the rays ever came up to get stroked. The sharks preferred the deeper water.

Hey, Quame, the little tart’s gone, a smaller stingray yelled to the sulking fish.

Really, Marty? He sounded hopeful.

Yup, she’s gone. And there’s something interesting in her spot. Why don’t you come back up here?

Okay.

Ronan watched as the large ray came up from the depths of the tank. He reached down to touch the ray, figuring the little exposure to salt water couldn’t aggravate him too much.

Ooh, he is interesting, Quame agreed, as he swam over to Ronan.

Ronan touched the large ray. It was amazing. So soft and smooth. “You’re amazing,” he told it quietly.

Much better than ‘ew’, eh? Marty joked with his friend. Ronan leaned over the cement more to get a better angle for petting.

Wham!

Something hit him hard in the back. And next thing he knew, he was in the water.

Shit! This was definitely not good. He tried to stand up and get out of the tank but as he was foundering to his feet a ray barreled into him at an alarming speed, sending him slipping into the deep section.

This situation normally wouldn’t be a problem, Ronan was a great swimmer, but there was a strong downward current from the constant swimming of the rays and sharks and it pulled him down.

“Ronan!” he heard his mom scream.

”Calo!" He yelped before he was completely pulled under.

Down.

Ronan let out a gasp. Shit... he was completely submerged in salt water. This was definitely not good. But something deep inside of him also told him he should be more upset about this. He felt calm, at ease.

He opened his eyes and everything was blurry.

And burned!

He hissed and blinked. When he opened his eyes again he could see clearly and his eyes no longer burned. Strange...

Ronan realized that even though he didn’t feel like he was in any sort of danger, it might be good to get out of the exhibit. He tried to swim, but the current was too oppressive. He had to figure out how to get the fish to stop swimming in their mindless whirlpool pattern.

”Kita, murata!" he yelled at the fish letting off little annoyed sparks.

And just like that, they all stopped and swam towards him in a restrained frenzy.

Rasha, Rasha! They cried.

Are you okay? The large ray, Quame, cried.

“Yeah, I’m... fine,” Ronan told Quame like it was no big deal.

And he realized he really was fine.

Completely fine. Nothing was wrong with him. Okay, so maybe there was actually something wrong with him. His lungs weren’t ready to burst. It was weird. He thought he was in the tank for quite a while but it couldn’t have been that long or he’d feel his lungs crying for oxygen.

And if he was being completely honest with himself, he felt more alive sitting in the bottom of the tank surrounded by fish and water than he ever had anywhere else in his life. The wonderful salty water felt so much better than any pool water. It felt like home. He wanted to stay submerged in it forever.

Rasha, the strange two-leggeds came for you, Quame said fidgeting at how close the humans were getting to him. Message delivered, he swam away from the scary intruders fast.

Ronan saw the two people in wetsuits barreling toward him at an alarmingly fast pace.

Geez, what’s their hurry? It’s not like I’m drowning or anything. He also had the sinking suspicion that he would have been able to swim out himself, now that the rays stopped swimming with the whirlpool they created. He had to admit, he was a little worried by the lack of burning in his lungs. The lack of needing air. He wasn’t breathing through his nose, in any case.

The men in wetsuits seemed shocked to see Ronan moving and conscious, but grabbed him and quickly hauled him to the surface.

When he got to the surface the first thing he focused on was his parents. His mom was standing there sobbing, while John was holding her, trying to stay strong for his wife.

The two suited men got him onto the cement outside the tank. Ronan felt weak. Finally felt like he was running short of breath. He inhaled deeply.

And choked.

He gasped for breath.

The air felt wrong. It hurt.

Why couldn’t he breathe?

He was like a... well, frankly, like a fish out of water.

He fell, gasping, to the ground. The sides of his neck were burning.

“Ronan, what’s wrong?” his mom cried.

He continued to gasp. God, it hurt.

Was this what drowning felt like?

The pain on the side of his neck disappeared and then he was coughing up a whole bunch of water as air forced its way into his lungs, scorching his insides alive.

He trembled and passed out.