45. Marlin

Melody and Swifty were upset. Ariel's big incident had caused a terrible mess, and King Triton had big news. Here, he announced, is Marlin, the clownfish, who arrived to help while Ariel is being mended. Please, your Majesty, Melody asked, will he leave when Ariel is fixed? Well,'' said the mighty king. ''But, however long he will stay, I want you to make him feel at home. Yes, your Majesty.'' said Melody and Swifty. ''Good. Now swim along, and show him his bed. He would want to sleep after his adventure.'' Marlin is very hard to please. He gasped at the bed. ''This is very nasty! I am highly-strung, and anything nasty is bad for me!'' Then, they tried the other bed. Much better. said Marlin, but what is that trash? The trash was actually Ariel's stuff, and Swifty's stuff. They were ashamed. We shall not stay to be called names! they said. Melody and Swifty had to remove them, and they had to make themselves feel better. They woke up, feeling very tired. Marlin however, was very happy. ''Woo! Woo!'' he said, as he swam away. Just look at me! he said to the people. ''I'm the best clownfish ever! Classy and sassy, and at your service! You won't need Ariel's stuff now!'' Everybody waited for Marlin to start, but he refused to. He saw that a cart was going to be attached to him, and he started to complain. Do you want me to take that? Yes. said his worker. You can take it. No! shouted Marlin. ''Let Melody do it! She likes to play around with carts!'' He started to shake and quake. Oh, trash! the worker said. ''C'mon! You can do it!'' Marlin reversed. He was so angry, he blew gas. I told you! he complained. Everybody talked to him, but it didn't work. It's my mender's orders! explained Marlin. What? ''My mender is very nice. He arrives every week, and looks at me. Marlin, he tells me, ''don't ever pull. You are highly-strung, and pulling is wrong for you. That's why I don't do it.'' Marlin told them. Nonsense! said the master. I don't believe it. the shunter said. Why did King Triton send such a silly... ''Silly? Silly?'' Marlin asked. Let me... Stop complaining! cried the people. We are already late! So they separated the cart from Marlin, and he swam away, feeling very happy indeed. He could now have some fun. What a great story! he thought. I'll do whatever I want, and nothing else. But he told himself that. by Julian Ayele Cumberbatch