There's this fish.

Two conditions are presently available to the fish - in water, or out of water.

When it is in water, the fish knows what to do. It can move its fins in water and thereby move from place to place. It knows how to catch prey in water. It's heart pumps blood at a constant and consistent rate. It can excrete, it can reproduce, it can feel, it can do whatever it so desires. In water, the fish is happy.

There's another condition available to the fish though - that is, being out of water. When it is initially removed from its aqueous surroundings, it attempts to continue moving its fins, hoping that the mechanisms for locomotion out of water is the same as in water. However, soon after, not only does it discover that its movement is significantly restricted as a result of being out of water, it also comes to the realization that it is unable to perform all other functions that it needs to continue to do the little thing other fish call living.

Unfortunately, the fish cannot control which of the conditions it is in. It wakes up each morning, and finds out which condition has been assigned to it for the day. The fish cannot fly - there is no way it can get itself into water if it has been placed outside for the day.

Unfortunately, a fish staying out of water for too long can be rather detrimental to it's health and well-being.

There are two conditions. There's no in between.

The fish wishes there is at least an in between.