He wakes up when he realizes he's getting picked up with a transferring mat, seeing humans dressed in wetsuits almost like an orca.
He huffs, sending a mist of water from his blowhole.
All the humans reacted
with cheers and applause as he's placed in the artificial water.
Definitely not water he swam in at home.
It was a lot smaller than his home.
He swam around his tank, observing the artificial and boring habitat surrounding him.
He was so uncomfortable he tried screeching out for his mother, hoping she'd respond.
No response.
Again.
Still no response.
The humans in orca suits just looked at him like they were happy that he was "genuinely showing his excitement for his new home" and started cooing at him through a clear barrier.
They Named the baby orca Jupiter.
Within 4 months they've been weaning him in with the other orcas.
They were a bit older than him and they bonded pretty well besides the fact it took a couple of months of Jupiter having rake marks and scratches after a few encounters with the others.
A couple years later at the age of 4,
Jupiter was able to perform in shows.
He would do training sessions with the people with wetsuits, doing what he was told and getting rewarded with frozen, dead fish.
He always heard the trainers talking about him, saying how he was such a gentle and obedient orca.
He appreciated their praises and always performed at his best.
He had become the orca who performed the best and always knew how to cheer up the crowd...
YOU ARE READING
Unfettered
Short StoryAnother step into trying to spread awareness about captive marine mammals. I do want to put a Trigger warning as there is slight animal abuse, self harm, death, refrenced bullying, severe health conditions, mentions of injuries and implied saddening...
