Ficlets

Elana stood in front of the fish, watching them swim around. She was seven years old, and all she wanted was a fish. “Can I get a fish?” she asked her mother. “No dear, they’re too expensive,” her mother replied. “But if you get three rings around these poles you win a fish,” Elana said. “Well alright,” her mother relented, “if you do that I guess you can get a fish.” “Yay!” shrieked Elana. She turned to the man behing the fish booth. “Mr. Fish Man, I wanna get a fish!” she yelled. “Well, you get five chances to get rings around these poles. If you get three rings on, you get a fish.” Elana threw the rings, but didn’t get three on. “Oh! I wanted a fish!” she shrieked. She pouted for a while, but then she found another game where you could win thirty dollars if you won the game. This was exactly how much the fish cost if you didn’t win one. Elana played, and won the thirty dollars. She bought a fish, and was happy for the next week…until her fish died, as they always do soon after you get them from a fair…