Meandering Gelatine

As she stood there, nose pressed against the glass tank in front of her, she wasn't sure why so many people were scared of them. To her, they looked so harmless. Actually, they looked pretty stupid. And ugly. Just floating around aimlessly. From what she could tell, they didn't even have any eyes. How could they decide where they wanted to go? Could they tell up from down? What if something attacked them? How could they eat? They had no mouths! Honestly, how could they do anything?

She just didn't get it. They seemed so useless. Squishy, brainless globs of jelly that just floated around. What she really wanted was to be able to crawl inside the tank. Not her whole body of course, but maybe just her arm, just enough so that she'd be able to reach down and feel one of them. People said they hurt. That they were able to sting. She remembered in "Finding Nemo" how they zapped whatever touched them. But she saw no thorns or spikes and if they were electric, how could they be underwater? It didn't make any sense to her. If anything, they seemed soft and squishy, something she'd want to play with.

Backing up from the glass, she giggled a little bit at the smear that she left. To her it seemed obvious, but to everyone else, it would be indistinguishable from the wall of handprints that had come from the children before her.

It didn't take her long to notice the door that was to the right of the exhibit, clearly stating it was for employees only. She was determined. All she had to do was walk through the door and turn left. The tank would be right there, waiting for her to dip her arm into. With each step towards the door, she became less confident. What if something actually went wrong? What if it actually did hurt? Maybe she hadn't looked hard enough - missed the stinger, tucked away in one of the trailing tendrils. The risk was worth it though. She'd be the coolest girl in school. The one who had gone into the back of the aquarium and played with the jelly fish.

It was too late now. She had to do it. The door was only a couple feet away. Reaching out for the handle, her heart was racing - ready to jump out of her chest.

"Sarah? The class is going this way towards the otters. Time to go."

Turning, her teacher was standing there, arm stretched out, hand open, waiting patiently for hers. As she walked by the tank towards her teacher, she peered in again. Curious. Not ready to leave.

Oh, she'd be back. The jellies weren't going to get away that easily.

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