Hooks

Chapter 2: Paul and Joe

Alright, alright, enough of the talk about those filthy, messed up, disgusting humans...They eat with their mouths open, pick their noses, and bask in oils as they try to keep the sun from burning their skin that shouldn't even be exposed to it in the first place. Humans are not meant to be near the ocean. They should not fish. Humans should be kept in a confined tank of some sort. We could feed them once a day and clean out their tank once a week. They'd be fine. Anyway...why don't we see things from my point of view now? Which of course, would be deep into the ocean. After all, I am a fish right?

Deep into the ocean, below the humans, were two hungry fish. These two fish are the fish that started my journey. One fish was an orange-reddish color similar to what the humans call planet Mars, or at least I think that's right. the other one was a mix of a sky blue and a milky white color. This particular day they happened to be looking for food. Normally, there would be quite a bit of coral and seaweed supply for those who are hungry. However, this day was different. This day, there wasn't as much grub so they grew curious and went further up the ocean towards the surface. Even when they got there, there wasn't much food, however, they did find it very dirty. They saw a can that was a red and white color. The words on the can were where they could not read them anymore but they were able to make out the letter C. They also saw a red and white ball stuck in between a branch. The color had been faded and drained from it. As they were looking around something stopped them and drew their attention. It was a noise of some sort. A plunk. Startled, they looked around trying to figure out what it was. Then, as they turned around, their eyes grew big, their mouths dropped, and their tongues hung out as they saw the most glorious, beautiful thing they had ever seen. It was a nice, juicy, tender worm. It was just floating there and dangling around in the water. It was practically asking to be eaten. My mouth is already watering just talking about it. Wanting to get a closer look, they swam towards it.
"Dude! Look dude! It's food dude!", said Joe with excitement. Joe gobbled it whole and it was delicious. However, that quickly changed. He rose up to the surface of the water faster than a rushed seahorse late for work.
"Dude! Oh my gosh dude! That worm made you fly dude! Dude...that worm must have magical powers...that's so rad dude!", yelled Paul excitedly.
Another plunk was heard from another area of the surface. Paul saw the worm. First of all, that worm in front of him looked very good, second of all, he was very hungry, and third of all, Paul wanted to fly too. Now that Joe had decided to fly away, Paul had it all to himself. He lunged for the worm and snatched it, eating it all as fast as he could. He then waited hoping to fly. But, he wasn't flying. Disappointed, he started to head back home, except for whatever reason he wasn't going near as fast as he wanted to. In a matter of fact, he wasn't moving at all. His lip suddenly hurt really bad and come to think of it, his whole mouth was now numb. Paul could feel himself being lifted backwards higher and higher.
"Am I flying now?", he thought to himself.
It was getting lighter and lighter, brighter and brighter. Suddenly, a cold breeze hit Paul. it grew very bright very quickly and he could no longer feel water around him. He then heard yelling and excitement and felt himself get shaken around. Next, he was thrown around and then thrown into what seemed to be a box.

Darkness. Complete darkness. That's all he saw. He heard moaning and sorrows. It was awful. He opened his mouth to say something but no sound came out. He was freezing, he couldn't feel his mouth, and his lip and jaw hurt like crazy. Forgetting the pain, he started to think and remember about his home. He remembered his family, and he remembered....Joe.
"Where is Joe?", he thought.
He hadn't seen Joe since he had disappeared from the water. Paul grew worried. he hoped it was all a dream, yes, a dream. that would be nice to just wake up in his nice, warm, cozy bed. However, sadly, Paul knew he wasn't lucky enough for it to just be a dream. If anything it was a nightmare. Paul was tired and he hurt. He then very slowly started to shut his eyes...and he slept.

He awoke to the sound of voices and his lip and jaw were now hurting worse than ever. He decided to listen to the voices, however, most of them he couldn't hear or make out. They were too quiet.
A little later he heard a creak and the darkness went away. The black walls around him turned white. He looked around and then Paul saw him. he may have been in pain but right now it was all that mattered.
"Joe...dude...I love you man...", Paul said faintly, breathing heavily and gasping for air.
"I...love...you...too...bro...", said Joe very quietly.
Joe was then carried away. Paul heard a loud noise.
"Hun, have you gotten the batter ready yet?", said the voice.
"Of course hun. I've just got to put them on the frying pan now.", said another voice.
"Batter!? Frying pan!? What in the sea are they talking about!?", thought Paul. Paul then felt sticky and hot and he was placed onto a board. Next to him he saw cut pieces of meat. That's when it hit him.
"Joe!!??", he screamed.
Paul flopped his tail as hard as he could and ended up throwing himself right on to the counter. He looked both directions. To his left, was a tall man with a clean shaved face, business suit, and nice maintained hair. To his right, he saw a light. He began to flop his tail as hard as he could as he slowly inched towards this light.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going!?" screamed a deep, booming voice.
Frantically, Paul flopped towards the light but he wasn't fast enough. A large meaty figure swooped him up into the air. Paul did the only thing a poor defenseless fish can do. He stiffened up his fins. The fins dug into the man and he began screaming as he hopped around the room like a lunatic.
"Ow! Ow! My hand! You stupid fish!" he yelled.
Paul continued to flop towards this growing light. He was so close he could feel it. As the light grew clearer and warmer he began to make out moving figures and then he saw it. The ocean. His beautiful home. It was right there waiting for him. Paul went through

The memorial was the following day. I was there and the whole community all stared at the two empty graves. I started to tear up. It is very sad when fish's lives are lost in our city. We were all crying and in tears. This, is just the beginning of the most craziest, action-packed, fishiest tale you may ever hear.