🔵 By Xavier Nixon. Photo by lauragrafie.
“Wake up! Wake up everyone! Chow time!” shouted Neo, as Mr. Morris poured fish food into the tank.
“Ugh… what time is it? I’m so tired, I don’t want to get up.” said Fred, as the other eight fish groaned and complained simultaneously.
“Come on guys, I know it sucks in here, but we have to keep going. We must eat to stay well-nourished and alive, because one day we will get out of here. Don’t give up!” Neo said encouragingly.
“Why do you still believe that?” replied Ruben. “We’re never getting out of here! We’ll never see our families again! We’re stuck in here… so we might as well just starve to death and get this over with.”
“Don’t lose hope Ruben, we will get out of here one day… I promise! One day we will be set free… We will have our old lives back, out of this tank, and away from this mere existence.” replied Neo. “Just keep moving and don’t give up. Our families and friends are waiting for us… we will be reunited with them again. We’ll make it, just keep fighting with me!”
One by one, each of the other fish got up and began to eat.
Every day is the same old monotonous routine. Every day feels so hopeless. Every day waking up in this prison aquarium is difficult for all of the ten fish, including Neo. But, Neo was different. Neo had a vision of hope for the future. Although he felt hopeless at times himself… New knew that he had to be strong for his peers. He had to be a light for them in this dark place.
Neo always watched the world of Mr. Morris outside of the fish tank. Reminiscing of the times he had before being captured by fishermen from the lake that he once resided in, with his family and friends. After being captured, he was sold to an owner of a Pets Mart, and then bought by a customer to live out the rest of his days. The customer, an elderly man that lived in the middle of nowhere, placed him in an aquarium, in his living room, with nine other neon tetra fish who were also captured.
They all came from different backgrounds, but shared similar experiences. Some came from the same lake, but others came from streams and ponds. At night time, before they all fall asleep, they tell stories of their past lives. The hopes and dreams that they all had… to start a family of their own, and pursue their various paths in life. Here they are tough, together, trapped in this prison of an aquarium. In the middle of nowhere, with an elderly man that lived by himself.
Neo wondered about the man, wondered why he didn’t have a family of his own. No visitors, and no friends ever came. Maybe that’s why he had the fish there… to keep him company. He was a lonely man, and Neo felt sorry for him as he watched him day in and day out, coming and going. He would feed them three times a day, and talk to them. Although they couldn’t talk back to him, somehow Neo could understand what Mr. Morris said.
Mr. Morris was a kind an with a tattoo of a woman’s name on his forearm. The name on his forearm read “Martha”. There was a wedding picture of him and a beautiful woman on the wall of his living room. Neo also noticed a wedding ring on Mr. Morris every time he opened the top of the fish tank to feed them. The woman must have been his former wife.
There were other photos on the living room wall of Mr. Morris younger days. One of them was distinct… It was a photo of Mr. Morris in uniform. He was a veteran, who served in the military. What happened to Mr. Morris? What happened to his wife Martha? Poor Mr. Morris, he seemed to be in a very lonely place where he awaited the end of his time. Maybe he just longed for the reuniting of him and the woman he loved. There was no sign of any children that he may have had… which leaves one to wonder about the life of this lonely man.
Sometimes Mr. Morris would look into the fish tank, and Neo felt like Mr. Morris was staring directly into his big fish eyes. Mr. Morris would say, “One day, before my time is up… I will set you free again… all of you.” Neo understood Mr. Morris but his companions could not. Neo would tell his friends what Mr. Morris said, but they all had trouble believing him. In spite of their unbelief, however, they held on to Neo’s words, and reluctantly kept on pushing forward. Neo was always the last to bed, and the first one up. Every morning he would wake up for chow. Neo spoke words of life over them all throughout the day. Then, every night, he would say a prayer for all of them and give thanks for the life they still had, and the friendship they shared.
The last words that Neo would utter to himself every night, while the others were fast asleep were, “I know it’s hard Neo, but just hold on… be strong. One day we will be set free… One day we will be going home… one day.”