Day 204

You found the cup lying in a tide pool.
It looked so old, it had clearly been lying there for some time.
Barnacles had grown inside and around it.
The handle seemed to resemble some kind of sea-creature.

Maybe it was new and this was all design?
Either way you grabbed a bowl and put the cup inside, figuring
you could use it for your fish tank at least.

And so you did.
Your fish seemed to love it and circled it endlessly.
Over the next few days, however, you noticed your fish change.
Its scales becoming dull and tooth-like in shape, its eyes becoming
darker and darker and wider til they were practically on either side
of its small head.

The vet you took it to said it was the next stage in this fishes' life span
and that you should probably get a bigger tank.
This seemed to placate the sudden changes your small pet was experiencing.
At least until the barnacles on the cup began to spread.

It took you too long to notice
Your poor fish was encrusted with the small organisms, it couldn't move.
It just lay there, mouth opening and closing helplessly.
You put it out of its misery and disposed of its small body in the bin.

The tank is still full of water, it only contains the cup and barnacles now.
Well it did until last week.
The cup just vanished and you haven't been able to find it since.
You haven't been able to rid yourself of the smell of seaweed either.

It seems everything you drink tastes like seawater.
As you look down you see that you are holding the barnacle-encrusted cup.
You have been drinking from it.
The small sea-creatures have coated the lower half of your face.

You can feel them opening and closing against your flesh.

How could you have not noticed?
You find it too hard to breathe where you are, your room too dry.
You have to head down to the sea again.
You need to.