It Started with Slime - Part 1

Interlude X - Haemish, Homecoming

"You won't believe what I saw!" Karlin McCray was sitting at the table in their farmhouse. The rest of the group sat around it face him, illuminated by the light of a single candle.

"Well dad, what? Don't keep us in suspense so long! It isn't as fun as you think it is." Marteen said exasperated, Enron his younger and thinner brother guffawed and quickly silenced it. They were both used to their father's antics from when he told the grandchildren tales of his past "that built character". Builds character indeed, no child needs to hear of that much gore at that age. Good job Aurora grabbed them and covered their ears besides, Air magic can be useful sometimes I suppose...better make sure I don't tell her that. Marteen allowed a small smile to play over his lips mirrored on Enron's.

"Very well, very well!" Karlin smiled back at his sons. "I was taking my usual morning wash a few weeks ago and then something came and bit me on the foot!"

Marteen stared at him with a bored expression. Nothing unusual about that, it would be more surprising if he hadn't been bit by anything.

"Yes, yes! Patience son, I'm getting to it! What was unusual came next! You won't believe it!" Karlin was building up a head of steam now, Marteen looked to his mother and sighed. He's at it again. His father might not lie or even embellish but he did like to tell a story in a way that made it sound fantastical and like a tale from the stories. He had mastered the anticipatory pause and the build-up. Sometimes it was worth the wait, but usually, because he refused to exaggerate, it felt dismally short. Marteen had found that the fastest way to get him to tell the story was to let him tell it his way otherwise he might never get to the point. Unfortunately, like now, he couldn't always help himself.

"So as I was saying, the next thing I know this creature that is camouflaged as the rocks and stones of the river bed, you know the ones?" Karlin paused for a collaborative nod. "Burst up out of the water as I tried to kick it off my foot where it had bitten me." Karlin paused again making sure he had everyone's attention.

He did now, none of them knew of a fish that could camouflage as stones. Stone coloured perhaps or stone textured maybe but actually changing to stone and sand as a camouflage? That seemed too sophisticated for anything in this river.

"It grew wings, and used them to slowly glide back into the water and entered again without a splash, just a ripple. If I wasn't watching I would have missed the re-entry! You understand what I am saying?"

"So what you're saying is that: A fish that can camouflage as stones and sand flew away when you kicked it? I have to say, Mr Karlin, this is a hard story to believe or follow. That a fish can fly... never thought I would hear something like this." Haemish came in at the end of the story, a little incredulous.

"No, what I am saying is that a creature that had was camouflaged as the river bed. Created wings....then glided back into the water like it was born for both sky and river...I have been trying to hunt it down ever since. I have never seen anything like it. Does that fulfil your request for 'anything unusual?" Karlin had a smug grin on his face.

"I want to believe what you are saying, Karlin..." Haemish started. Hmm, no more Mr I guess... he had known Karlin and even Marteen from the decades before when he came to the village from time to time while conducting research. Time moved strangely when you had lived past your first few centuries.

"Master Haemish, I know that it sounds unbelievable and I too find it a difficult thing to wrap my head around. But there is one thing that you much know about my father..." At this is glanced at his father and mother before fully focusing all this attention on Haemish, willing him to understand. "If he is saying he saw this and he is telling the story, then it actually happened, not only that but it actually happened exactly the way he is saying it did. He does not exaggerate or embellish and many times to his own detriment, he does not lie either." Karlin rolled his eyes at the last.