An explanation

The rows of plastic teeth penetrated the screen in a repetitive mechanical motion. The black eyes were smudges of pixels on a screen. In a short breath's time, the animation restarted. The teeth receded into slits that disappeared behind the light of the screen. The dark smudges of pixels faded into aquatic blue ones. The tranquil virtual fish returned to their homes, following pre programmed paths that occasionally drifted into each other's path. Then, a blanket of discomfort settled on the newbie.

- It's ok Scott. That animatronic got me my first time too.

He stood frozen in embarrassment. A machine meant to scare families at an aquarium had gotten under his skin.

- Scotty, Don't they teach you how to tell fake sharks from real ones in college?

-They don't teach real life skills.

The men around him took more pleasure in his retort than his reaction to the animatronic. They shared a prolonged laugh at his expense. He took this time to look closer at the machine. Sure enough, the fish began swimming away in the opposite direction again, while the sound of rushing water swayed from the speakers below the screen. The sound echoed down the empty halls of the aquarium, over taking the sounds of actual sea animals. Peculiarly, this time a man fell into the tank on screen. The tiny virtual man flailed in the water as he sank toward the sandy bottom. Then, the silhouette of the shark reappeared on the screen. As it began making circles around the man, Darryl noticed the screen.

-I've never seen it do that before.

-Do what?

The men began to encircle the glowing peculiarity. In the darkness of the aquarium, the screen was the primary light that they stood in. Unbeknownst to them, they were about to be treated to a spectacle. After a couple of circles, the shark went in for a test bite. As the man's foot was torn from its body, a puff of red smoke issued from the wound.

- I don't know if they should be showing this in an aquarium?

The question didn't register with the group. Instead, their attention focused on the rapid semi-circles that the virtual man's limbs made from pain, or from trying to swim away. Invigorated by the sample bite, the shark returned for another taste. This time, the shark tore off the man's arm, but it didn't perform its ritualistic circle. It had entered a trance. After its second bite, the shark returned almost immediately, latching onto his other arm. With his arm in its mouth, the shark dragged the man towards the screen where the men stood. Two trails of red smoke followed behind the man's lacerated body while the dark eyes lead the trail. When the shark finally made its way to the screen, it hovered there while the blood slowly engulfed the screen in blood. In its mouth, the majority of the man's arm was punctured by the rows of white teeth. His hand protruded from the side of its mouth. Then, it vanished below the screen. The men waited for the animatronic to make its repetitive mechanical motions. Instead, a bloodied hand reached for them from one of the speakers.