It was worth a detour, he decided. The uneasy feeling building inside of him was too strong. He wasn't exactly looking forward to confronting his uncle anyway.
Of all of the businesses, he'd neglected the aquarium the most. They sometimes had charity events that he was required to attend. Cutting ribbons and smiling for cameras. Good publicity and a way to keep a good public face. But otherwise he never went there.
When he was a child his uncle would sometimes take him. Never his father, always his uncle. The business always came first for him, and he was rarely at home.
He'd hold his hand, leading him from exhibit to exhibit. Though he hadn't inherited his father's charm, his uncle still had a way of making everything seem more interesting. He talked about all the fish as if they had their own personalities.
His uncle's storytelling and love had buoyed him up. Despite the loneliness of not having a mother and the constant absence of his father, he was happy. Life seemed so wonderful, so full of promise.
But since the day he found the ghastly birthday present, he couldn't stand the place. It reminded him of how innocent and naive he'd been. Relying on the support of others to get through life was a quick path to destruction.
The sign that welcomed visitors had a giant grinning shark and a dolphin winking merrily. The two seemed to be completely friendly with each other and with visitors. Eric would sometimes imagine the grinning shark turning toward the surprised dolphin and with a quick flash of teeth, ripping it's throat out. That was how nature really worked. But that sort of thing just wasn't acceptable for an attraction that played largely to children.
The limousine avoided the long line of cars waiting to gain entrance and snaked around to the back of the building. They turned into a long thin lot populated only by a few trucks scattered randomly, doors flung open to expose water pumps and other equipment. Some men were busy moving larger items from the trucks up ramps and into the large storage area of the aquarium.
As soon as the limousine stopped, Eric was moving. The supervisor who was overseeing the unloading looked up from his clipboard, and upon seeing Eric suddenly hurried over.
"Sir! This is such a surprise..."
"I imagine that it is. Where is Mr. Oliver right now?"
Of all of the businesses, he'd neglected the aquarium the most. They sometimes had charity events that he was required to attend. Cutting ribbons and smiling for cameras. Good publicity and a way to keep a good public face. But otherwise he never went there.
When he was a child his uncle would sometimes take him. Never his father, always his uncle. The business always came first for him, and he was rarely at home.
He'd hold his hand, leading him from exhibit to exhibit. Though he hadn't inherited his father's charm, his uncle still had a way of making everything seem more interesting. He talked about all the fish as if they had their own personalities.
His uncle's storytelling and love had buoyed him up. Despite the loneliness of not having a mother and the constant absence of his father, he was happy. Life seemed so wonderful, so full of promise.
But since the day he found the ghastly birthday present, he couldn't stand the place. It reminded him of how innocent and naive he'd been. Relying on the support of others to get through life was a quick path to destruction.
The sign that welcomed visitors had a giant grinning shark and a dolphin winking merrily. The two seemed to be completely friendly with each other and with visitors. Eric would sometimes imagine the grinning shark turning toward the surprised dolphin and with a quick flash of teeth, ripping it's throat out. That was how nature really worked. But that sort of thing just wasn't acceptable for an attraction that played largely to children.
The limousine avoided the long line of cars waiting to gain entrance and snaked around to the back of the building. They turned into a long thin lot populated only by a few trucks scattered randomly, doors flung open to expose water pumps and other equipment. Some men were busy moving larger items from the trucks up ramps and into the large storage area of the aquarium.
As soon as the limousine stopped, Eric was moving. The supervisor who was overseeing the unloading looked up from his clipboard, and upon seeing Eric suddenly hurried over.
"Sir! This is such a surprise..."
"I imagine that it is. Where is Mr. Oliver right now?"
