Kochi's Magic: "Look Me In The Eye!" - Part #3

"If you look me in the eye and promise me you'll not eat me,” Kochi said. "I'll save you. But you must look me in the eye first. I will not save you so I can be your next meal, Mr. Hammerhead."

"I promise you, I'll not eat you. Now help me."

"Look me in the eye first."

"Why?"

"It will help me assess your trustworthiness. For all I know, this is a trick."

“You think I cut my OWN fin to eat you?" Mr. Hammerhead asked, his eyeballs rolling heavenwards. "You must be joking."

“Hey! Sharks are not known to be affectionate, amiable, snuggly creatures, you know!" Kochi pointed to his own eyes. “I've seen a lot of sleazy, slimy types. I admit I've trust issues but I'll not save your life so you can end mine."

"Very well," Mr. Hammerhead said, as he lifted his head with a great deal of effort. "I'll meet your eyes, but I can only meet one of them, one at a time. First my left and then my right. I can't meet both your eyes at the same time. Hammerhead sharks have wide heads, as you can see."

"You ARE odd.” Kochi peered. "Your eyes look like one has fought with the other, as if they are in a hissy fit and sulking on opposite sides of your head. Can you move your eyeballs towards your mouth, like this…?” Kochi stared squinty-eyed at Mr. Hammerhead.

"Are you an idiot?" Mr. Hammerhead asked. "No, really, tell me. I'm minutes away from death and you want me to squint at you?"

"LOOK ME IN THE EYE!" Kochi said, fiercely. "Else I'm not calling Mr. Human who, I KNOW, can save you."

“NO! YOU LOOK AT ME!" Mr. Hammerhead said, exasperated. "My eyes are set FAR APART! I'm a hammerhead. My head is like a ... Oh, never mind. Oh, Lord. What have I done to deserve this? Take away this creature, please. Kill me after that, I won’t complain."

"You can talk to the Lord as much as you want, but a shark is a shark is a shark."

“And you are a moron, a moron, and a moron!" Mr. Hammerhead said. “A profound dullard! I'm dying, can you see? If I can't swim, I can't breathe. But if I do heal, I will bite you because you're so annoying. In fact, I'll do it now. Come here, please."

“HAAAAA! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! YOU DO WANT TO EAT ME!"

"NO! UGH!"

"UGH?" Kochi said, shocked. "Did you say 'UGH'?"

"Why would I ever want to eat YOU? You look like plastic! Pink. Plastic. With. Stupid. Feathery. Gills. EW."

"EW?" Kochi said, furious. “DID YOU JUST SAY 'EW'? For your information, I look good and taste even better! But that does not matter anymore. No one insults me like that ... I REFUSE to talk to you or even LOOK at you... I'M DONE. I'M LEAVING... EEEEK!"

And Kochi saw Mr. Hammerhead close his wide-set eyes, let out a long, deep breath, and quietly pass out.

Kochi clapped his hands to his mouth, horrified. Then ran to the shark. He picked up the shark's head in his hands, terrified, ignoring his fear and his safety. "Mr. HAMMERHEAD! Mr. HAMMERHEAD! Oh, dear! Oh, dear! He passed out. He was right. He is dying! Mr. HUMAN! MR. HUMAN! YOU TOLD ME TO CALL YOU IF I EVER NEEDED HELP! I NEED YOUR HELP SO BADLY NOW! SOMEONE CUT OFF HIS FIN! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY! E-M-E-R-G-E-N-C-Y! CALLING ALL Z11 CRAFTS NEARBY! Z11! Z11! Z11! HELP!"

TO BE CONTINUED.