"The Shadow on the Doorstep"

by James P. Blaylock 

originally published Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, May, 1986

Our unnamed narrator is reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in front of a fire one night when he hears something shuffle around on his doorstep. He reminisces about tropical fish and tropical fish stores he has known.  And he imagines some gloopy, Deep One-y thing is on his doorstep.

Did I miss something here?  His writing is terrific, and I think it actually does convey the idea of an imaginative horror fan or author letting his imagination get carried away over an odd sound in the night.  I mean, every time I hear a cat or raccoon digging in the garbage outside my bedroom, I wonder to myself what I'd do if I pulled back the curtain and found, say, an alien standing there!

But what did the aquariums and tropical fish have to do with it.  Maybe I need to read it again.  Maybe I will.  Maybe.

Gets points for good writing though.