They stayed together not for love but for not wanting to argue ownership of their tancho koi fish. They couldn't remember who purchased it but the damned thing was worth thousands and though that amount varied from expert to expert it was enough to cause a headache if they ever set their minds to divorce. And so they stayed, side by side in the back garden glaring at the fish as if it was the cause of their problems and not years of gradual resent that the lively presence of children could no longer cover.
They both tried to kill it several times before, viewing it as an extension of their problems and the sole barrier between them and their happiness. The damned thing continued to eat poison after poison after poison and thrive. Neither of them would ever admit it but it was starting to scare them.
When the orange circle on its head began to darken they quietly rejoyced, both praying that the end was in sight. When they found similar red circles on their hip and chest respectively their joy came to an abrupt halt and the stream of doctors visits began.
They were the only ones who could see the marks, neither telling the other of course as communications between them rarely went further than asking about dinner. Every day though, their respective marks would grow and darken until both them and their fish bore the same blood red circles.
Things stagnated after that. Five years passed and the marks and the fish remained as permanent as ever. Ten years later and his red mark faded the day before he had a heart attack. Ten days later her red mark faded the hour before she fell and broke her hip, passing away before she could call an ambulance.
The fish went missing before greedy relatives could swoop down and sell it though there are now rumours of a large dark shape that likes to circle small fishing boats down on the river. These may be as unconnected as the deceased couple were to each other or the fish developed a taste for revenge alongside its poison.
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