Horror Flash Fiction | The Substitute

Shen Jing was at the night market, fishing for goldfish, and caught one that was completely black. The vendor's expression changed, and he quickly reached out to take the fish back. "This one isn't for sale." Shen Jing found it strange and asked a few questions, but the vendor refused to explain. The more he looked, the more bizarre the fish seemed. In the end, he paid for it and insisted on taking the fish with him. After returning home, he put the black fish into a fish tank. Strangely, the fish didn't swim. It just hovered in the middle of the water, completely still. Its two pitch-black eyes stared fixedly at Shen Jing. That night, Shen Jing had a dream. He was standing at the bottom of a dark body of water, so quiet he couldn't hear anything. Suddenly, the black fish swam towards him from afar. It stopped in front of Shen Jing and opened its mouth. "You brought me home, so you have to stay here for me." Shen Jing jolted awake. He found himself lying on the floor next to the fish tank, completely drenched. Breathing heavily, he turned to look at the fish tank. It was empty. The black fish was gone. Shen Jing let out a sigh of relief, pushed himself up from the floor, and prepared to take a shower. As he passed the mirror, he suddenly stopped. In the mirror—he wasn't there. Shen Jing blankly raised his hand. On his arm, fine black scales had appeared at some point. One by one. Cold and smooth, they were slowly spreading across his skin. He opened his mouth in terror, wanting to shout, but no sound came from his throat. Only a stream of bubbles slowly floated out of his mouth. Shen Jing looked down at his body. At some point, he was already submerged in water.