BKA Weekly Issue #48

Swincess 11/01/20

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Welcome to Another Issue of BKA Weekly!

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:sparkles: BKA NEWSPAPER ISSUE #48 :sparkles:

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BKA Weekly Issue <a href='/c/betta-keepers/tag/48/'>#48</a>-[C]════════════════════
[CB]Welcome to Another Issue of BKA Weekly!
[C]• • •
[CB] :sparkles: BKA NEWSPAPER ISSU

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Contents

Comics

News

Short Story

Funnies

Featured Photos

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≫ Comics by Ms. Toshinori

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*BREAKING NEWS!*

:jack_o_lantern: Happy Halloween, BKA! :jack_o_lantern:

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Have you seen the winner of our last BOTW yet? Go check it out and leave some kind words for this beautiful betta!

#39 Winner...

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The Newspaper Crew is in need of new ! Check out our available sections, choose your favorite and audition today!

Newspaper Crew Auditions

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The Challenge Team is also searching for new ! If you’d like to help make creative challenges for the Amino, visit this post and audition!

Challenge Team Auditions

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Did you know BKA has another Amino? If you didn’t, then make sure to go check out this link below!

Pets Are Us Amino

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Did you know that BKA has it’s own Instagram? Make sure you go follow the official BKA Instagram and help spread the word about BKA. Click the link below to check out our page!

BKA Instagram

≫ News by Swincess

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Talia came skipping home from the pet store, a plastic bag filled with water and several crustaceans clutched firmly in her hands. She excitedly burst into the house and bolted to the fish tank in the parlor.

She ired her ivory colored halfmoon betta before breaking open the bag and adding three bewildered ghost shrimp into the tank.

"You guys will live happily ever after here! Be nice to Casper!" Talia watched the ghost shrimp begin to maneuver to the bottom of the tank just as a voice rang out from across the house.

"Talia, wash up! It's dinner time!"

Talia solemnly promised her aquatic friends she would return before springing to the kitchen to dine with her family.

***

Beard showing, Casper glided towards the tresers. His fins unfurled into a threatening frenzy of blinding whiteness as he began chasing the spindly creatures.

The ghost shrimp scurried frantically across the gravel in attempt of finding a place to seek cover from their tormentor, only to be met with their unfortunate demise as Casper mercilessly picked them off one by one. He didn't fancy how they tasted, so he left their stiff carcasses littered around the tank and waited patiently for the girl to return with his dinner.

***

Later that evening Talia did return, only to be met with the dreadful scene of a murder. Casper swam proudly up to the glass, certain she would be happy that he had defended their territory so diligently.

Tears streamed down Talia's face and she began to tremble. Before long her father heard her sobs and rushed into the room.

The tall man peered into the aquarium to assess what had happened before placing a heavy hand on his daughter's shoulder. "It's the circle of life. I can dispose of them for you, hun."

"No, please!" Talia's plead was shrill and dripping with desperation.

The words spoken by her recently deceased neighbour came rushing back. Edward had shown her the ways of their ancestors, and it was time to follow the wisdom he had so graciously ed on unto her.

"Each buries her own," she whispered after standing in a brief moment of silence.

Unbothered, her father kissed the top of her head. "I'll be here if you need any help."

Talia acknowledged his offer and waited for him to leave the room before placing the shrimp in a bag. She stored them away in the cool garage so she could complete the burial at a later time when there wouldn't be any interruptions.

***

When the blackness swallowed up Talia's house and the world outside was nothing but eerie shapes shrouded in shadows, she made certain her parents were deep in slumber before retrieving the bag of fallen shrimp.

She headed straight for the wooded trail leading to the burial ground of many previous pets. Her memory of Edward sharing the place of their ancestors with her was so sharp, that she was practically reliving the night she followed his every move.

After a seemingly endless trek through the ungroomed path, she stepped through a knot of brambles and finally slowed to a stop as a clearing materialized before her. From above, intricate designs made of slender bones could be seen, intertwining to form a large circle.

She slowly walked forwards and dropped to her knees to dig a shallow spot for her shrimp at the center of the ring.

Talia bowed her head solemnly when the deed was done. "You all deserve a second chance."

She covered the fresh grave with a light layer of dirt mixed with a few pebbles and stumbled home.

It wasn't until she was tightly tucked back into bed before three small shapes began to struggle beneath the earth and emerge into the world for a second time.

***

Casper startled awake as he sensed the surface of his water tremble. Several small objects sunk to the rocky bottom. He could hardly make out the nearly transparent silhouettes, so cautiously swam near to investigate. Just as he made out the shapes to be that of his intruders unmistakably risen from the dead, a wretched smell wafted towards him. Dread washed over him and his gills closed up, feeling as though he was suffocating from fear. He shot to the top of the tank to take a breath before plunging back into the shadowy depths of the water. The foul smell had only worsened, and Casper lay at the bottom of the tank gasping for air.

A low hiss rose from the reanimated corpses. "Revenge... We shall take our revenge."

At once, the cursed shrimp propelled themselves towards Casper and began circling the weakened fish. They latched onto his delicate finnage and shook the betta back and forth with a strength unlike any shrimp had possessed before.

Casper struggled in a feeble attempt to free himself from his attackers, but they had him severely outnumbered. He soon plunged into a place even darker than that unforgiving night.

***

Talia felt her stomach sink as she awoke the next morning to find her beloved Casper's body laying tattered and motionless on the gravel. As their human approached the tank, all three shrimp swiveled their heads to lock beady eyes with their human.

Despite the chilling scene that had unfolded before her, a wave of utter calmness overcame Talia. Her eyes glazed over as she understood that she must return to the burial ground of her ancestors. It was the only way to make things right. She flicked the lights off as though she had not witnessed the horrific sight within the aquarium. She stood in the shadows for a long moment as an innocent grin crept onto her features, and slowly wandered back to her family before they noticed that something was amiss.

Although she returned to her regular daily activities without displaying any hint of exhaustion from her nightly stroll, Talia couldn't conceal the darkness that clouded her eyes. They held a secret so complex that no other human being could possibly begin to comprehend the mysterious ritual that would continue to take place at the burial grounds.

*Disclaimer: The plot of this story was inspired by Pet Sematary. Full credit for the story line goes to Stephen King*

≫ Short Story by Shady Shark

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