A few weeks to go. I am at the stage where everything is tainted by the fact my time is running out. Feeding the spherefish is 594 is no fun when you know this might be the last time they float to the surface to take oats from your hand.
I think of the difficult times over the year. When Link got stressed, or when someone panicked during a Butter Mouse vision. Nothing matters now. All those moments are gone.
What melodrama. This is a poor way to burn away the time before my flight. Instead I must think about the good times which are still coming. The new arrivals. That the police will catch their target at some point.
Like today. We were somewhere past lunchtime when the new arrivals glided through the Switch like a line of ships. Chubby pink blobs with claws on their feet, and three green eyes in a triangle. Similar creatures appeared a few months ago with their skin a shade of peach.
Deni and I rolled round tank 867, which is not much longer than a scooter. A useful decanting tool. But although our the group enjoyed sculling around the holding pool, each refused to make the few centimeters crossing to their new home. Deni said we should poke them we with a stick, but I managed to change the subject.
I had to lift them in the end. The tiny slivers of nail on their toes dug into my arm with a fraction of sharp pressure, and their skin was warm and rubbery. One opened a doll sized mouth, and showed a collection of white rounded teeth that may have chewed something a million miles away.
Deni stood behind me, and put their hand on my shoulder. The softest scent of mint hung around their mouth.
‘We will have to find…a very good…replacement to…replace you.’
And whatever happens I knew this was worth a year of my time.
Clip: The sound is so quiet in the clip today. It makes me consider every second. How that beautiful creature glides through the water. That glowing circle. All here to enjoy forever.