When I was little I wanted a sister; so my parents bought me a fish.

I still remember how excited five year old me was! I remember walking down the aisle of the store and getting on my tip toes so that I could pick out my Sister-Fish. I picked out a lovely blue beta and named her (I didn't then realize that the pretty betas they sell at the stores are in fact male) Angel. She was my best friend!!! We did everything together; I took her to kindergarden with me once and also designed castles that (in my mind) I would insert into her tank, so she could live in high style. She could do tricks, and would play with me all the time! She was the strongest, coolest fish ever.

Once, while I was downstairs watching Star Wars, she decided she wanted to come watch it with us too. So she jumped out of her bowl... When I came upstairs after the movie I was horrified to see her lying lifelessly on a sheet of paper.

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD! DYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING! DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!! DYIIIIIIIIIIING!!!!!"

Screaming unintelligibly was probably not the best idea, but it was the best I could at five (and probably the best I could do now). My parents ran into my room to see what the hell was going

on. I pointed to Angel lying helplessly on the paper seeming to weakly be saying "pleeeease, save me."

"SAVE HER DAD! SAVE HER DAD!!!!!" Since he obviously couldn't understand Angel's pleas I thought I would translate them to him in a loud voice while jumping up and down. As my dad began the delicate procedure of putting Angel back into her bowl, my mom escorted me out of the room. Apparently screaming five year olds are not conducive to high-risk procedures.

That night I didn't sleep in my room. I was too scared. I still did not know what Angel's fate would be; to live or to die? I anxiously waited the next morning while my mom went into my room to see how Angel did over the night, my dad told me not to get my hopes up... The hall never seemed so long as that day when I watched my mom walking back towards me to deliver the news... Thank goodness it was good!

"SHE'S ALIVE!!!!" I ran into my room as excited as could be to see mysismybuddymypalmybff! She was alive, and looking better than ever, minus a few scales which had remained stuck to the paper.

I still remember the tension and the terror of the day my sister almost died...

The day she actually died is a different story (actually much worse and extremely traumatizing).