Hooks

Chapter 7: Beware Of Hooks

"Daddy! Daddy! Wake up! It's time for school!
Get up!" screamed Pixie my youngest girl.
She startled me awake and was very eager to go to school. Since she was the youngest, school was still fun for her and she enjoyed it a lot. Morgan, my son, on the other fin, hates school. He can't stand it and would rather sleep in.
I slowly rose up out of my bed as my eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight beaming in through the window.
"I'm up sweetie, I'm up," I said to her reassuringly.
The smile on her face glimmered and eyes were glowing with joy. I swam over to Morgan's room and not surprisingly, he was still asleep.
"Morgan! Get up, you're going to be late!" I yelled.
"I'm up dad!" he said yawning.
After my kids got ready I swam with them to school. As I went outside I noticed that Coral City had changed dramatically overnight. There were signs and banners posted everywhere around town. One said, "BEWARE OF HOOKS." Another said "Hooks, your worst enemy."
These signs seemed to be flooding the city and they were everywhere in sight. The fish in the city all seemed more panicked than usual and everyone was being very cautious as they rushed up and down the pebble streets going to school and work. When we reached the school there were even more signs. I swam up and down the hallways and they seemed to be never-ending. I dropped my kids off and started swimming back towards the house when suddenly I saw something metallic and shiny quickly move across the water. It seemed too big to be a hook. I started swimming quickly towards the direction it moved. I looked up and down the waters as I looked for the object I had seen but I could no longer find it and it had disappeared completely. I decided to head home and see if Carol had seen anything similar.

"Hey honey, I'm home," I said greeting her as I swam in.

"Hey sweetheart, everything okay?" she asked me as she gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Well no...not really. Have you been outside today yet?" I asked.

"No, not yet. Why?" she said with a confused daze.

I then took her outside and showed her all the things I had seen and noticed. She didn't know what to think about the horrible sight. She was devastated to see the city littered with signs the way it was. Coral City just wasn't feeling the same anymore. It was then that I realized I needed to go to the mayor. Only the mayor would know what to do.

"Honey, I've got to go somewhere. I'll be back later, okay?" I said swimming towards the door.

"Okay...where are you going Mark?" she asked me. Her eyes showed worry in her face.

"I'm going to go figure out what's wrong." I said putting my fin on the door. I turned the knob and headed out.

I reached the mayor's house once again and headed in through the gate. I swam up to the front door and knocked loudly. This time the door opened.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" he said chuckling.

"Mayor, I need to talk to you," I said urgently.

"Well come on in!" he said as he motioned his fins toward the inside of the house.

His house was very big. It made mine look like a grain of sand.  The walls stretched and blended in with the vast ceiling.  They were painted a crimson blue color. To my right, I saw a spiral staircase and in front of me was the door that I had almost went in the previous night. I followed him into his living room and sat down.

"So, what troubles you Mark?" asked the mayor smiling.

"Mayor, have you been outside yet? Everyone is worried sick.  Fish are swimming back and forth wondering what to do...and have you seen the signs yet?" I asked him.

"Oh, you like them?" he said as he turned towards me.

"It took me all night to make them but I got the job done."

"You made them?" I asked springing out of my seat.

"Well of course I did Mark!  Don't you see? Coral City is in great danger! We need those signs. We must warn our fish," he explained.

"You seem to be scaring them more sir..." I said hesitantly afraid to tell the mayor my true thoughts.

"Are you telling me how to do my job Mark?  Last I remember, you were fired," he said frowning.

"No sir.  I was just suggesting something else, that's all," I muttered softly.

"Something else? Like what?  You act like I'm hurting everyone.  I'm not hurting anyone, I am helping," said the mayor.

"Yes sir," I said.

"Now Mark, I suggest you leave.  I've told you this once and I am not going to tell you again. Stay out of my business.  Coral City is in good fins. I have everything under control," he said boldly.

"Okay, thank you mayor," I said as I started to get up.

I swam back home and told Carol about what had happened.  Morgan and Pixie spent their school day learning about hooks, what they are, and how to avoid them.  Carol spent the day worrying about my job and the city.  I went to bed relatively early due to the fact that I hadn't got any sleep for the past two nights.  I quickly fell asleep.