Scales Finds Help

• Maria Rezzi, Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2015

Once upon a time, there lived a small, young fish named Scales. Scales was a shy and kind fish. He helped his parents to find food and he loved playing in the tickly anemone. However, Scales had a secret! He disliked recess and lunch at school. He was a good and clever fish at school. But every time Scales was swimming happily, the older fish would tease him about how big they were and how small he was. “Ha! Ha! I need a magnifying glass to see you Scales! You’re as big as your name!!” Peter Piranha taunted, throwing a painful lash on the poor Scales. “Leave me alone!” Scales whimpered, desperately trying to swim away from the bullies. “Give us your lunch money!!” the bullies would yell.
Scales was small and quicker than the other fish. He hid among the sea weed and waited until the fish gave up. At last Scales managed to escape and he went home. The next day was Saturday, so Scales was pleased that he would be able to have some privacy. He had a nap in his seashell bed and wriggled in his coral blanket. On Sunday night Scales was trembling in his bed. The start of the school week was tomorrow and the bullying would start again.
Monday morning, Scales was hiding in the coral, waiting for the big fish to go in the school gate. Miss Atlanta, the mermaid headmistress spotted Scales and sat to have a chat with him. Scales was scared to tell Miss Atlanta the truth but she explained to him that bullies want little fish to stay quiet and scared of them. She taught Scales how to speak up and defend himself. Scales started to believe in himself and when Peter Piranha tried to upset him, Scales kept his fins straight and swam to class. The more Scales did this, the less the bullies hassled him. Scales was a small fish with a big heart.

The end.
Moral: Ask for help when you need it.