Yes indeedy; the red bettas that I’ve introduced as a reinforcing metaphor at the end of a story have decided they like being there and have led the story onward into no-man’s land.
Now it’s a case of cutting them out entirely or learning how to trim their fins. It would’ve been nice to have them settle things up nicely, leaving me with a resolution that provided an ahah! without going overboard, but these little beauties are otherwise known as Siamese Fighting Fish and by God, they’re viciously holding on to their territory now that they’ve claimed it.
Looks like another long night ahead.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology