Day 1,299 of My Captivity

Summary

• The chapter is written in first person by a character named Marcellus, who is a giant Pacific octopus.
• Marcellus was taken from the sea and is now kept in a tank at an aquarium.
• He waits for the evening when the overhead lights of the aquarium go off, making it almost as dark as his original deep-sea habitat.
• His captivity experience has been taking place for 1,299 days, implying that he's aware of the time he has been held.
• He is able to read from his tank's plaque that includes information about his species characteristics.
• Some facts include his size, diet, his cleverness, and his ability to camouflage in sand.
• Terry, the person who runs the aquarium, occasionally shares with the visitors that Marcellus is the octopus' name, which was chosen by Terry's small daughter.
• He dislikes his full name, Marcellus McSquiddles, because it causes people to mistake him for a squid, an offense to him.
• Marcellus is aware that his life expectancy is four years, which means he has up to 160 days left to live in captivity.