Hooks

Chapter 10: A Rude Awakening

My eyes slowly opened.  My vision was extremely blurry and I could only see shapes and outlines of things.  Detail was very absent everywhere I looked.  My fin was aching and I felt the pain shooting up my entire body.

"There, there...everything is going to be okay Mark.  I've taken great care of you.  Really, you should be thanking me right now. After all, I saved your life.  Technically, you owe me now.  Don't you?" said a faint voice.

"Who are you?" I asked questioningly.

"Why, you don't recognize me?  You would think after so many years you would know the voice of your wonderful town mayor," he said.

"Mayor? Where am I? Is my fin okay? Does Carol know what happened?" I asked looking around trying to place everything.

"Oh, Mark...dear Mark," he said chuckling softly.

"You just have so many questions.  Your fin is fine. I bandaged it up. It is going to take a while to heal but as long as you don't mess with it too much it should be okay. I've talked to Carol. She was very worried but everything is fine and sorted out now," he said reassuringly.

"How long was I unconscious?" I asked rubbing the top of my head with my good fin.

"Mark...I answered your questions.  Don't you think it's my turn now? After all, I have so many questions for you," he said smiling. He started swimming around me slowly.

"Yes, of course sir. Sorry. What is it you want to know?" I asked him.

"I think you know Mark. You know, you would think that a town meeting specifically warning everyone about hooks would be enough. You would think that posting signs everywhere in sight would be enough. I've done everything possible to keep this city safe...and what do you do? You go nosing around in things you shouldn't be. Mark, I told you not to worry. Why did you leave Coral City? You have everything you could possibly dream of here. Friends, family, great food. Why would you ever want to leave?" he asked.

I floated there in the water idly as I pondered on his words. He was right. I had broken the one rule of Coral City. I was hooked. Coral City was a great city and my curiosity had caused me to leave and get hurt.

"Mayor, I'm sorry...I just saw a shiny figure swimming through the water and I was worried and didn't know what it was-" I started.

"Hold it right there..." he interrupted. The mayor's eyes squinted and he scanned me up and down as he tried to process what I had just said.

"A shiny figure? Had you seen anything like this before Mark?" he questioned me.

"Well, actually yes. Once. It was too big to be something the humans would use to catch fish. Or at least, that's the way it seemed," I said.

"How big?" he asked me.

"It was about the size of me sir.  It may have been a little larger," I answered.

"I think I have heard enough Mark. I want you to get up now," he said.

"You want me to what?" I asked questioningly.

"Get up!" he demanded.

I quickly got up as my vision continued to restore. Colors were beginning to return to normal and though it was still a little blurry I could see fairly well for the most part now.

"Follow me," said the mayor sternly.

I did as I was told and began to follow the mayor. I realized that I had been in his living room again. I swam quickly and eagerly as I was wondering what he was leading me to. He brought me to the door that I had almost opened a couple of nights ago.

"What you are about to see is something you must never share with anyone Mark. Do you understand?" he asked me.

I didn't say a word. I was scared and didn't know how to feel about any of this. I remained quiet behind the mayor and couldn't bring myself to say anything.

"Do you understand!?" he yelled at me.

"Yes sir," I replied panting.

He began turning the knob on the door and opened as he took my good fin and led me down into the room as we swam down the stairs. It was very dark in the room and I couldn't see anything. The mayor swam in front of me and I heard him fumbling around trying to do something. Then, suddenly, the room glowed. What I saw was absolutely beautiful. I stared into what seemed to be a tank as I looked at all the night creatures of the sea. There was electric eels, jellyfish, squid, lantern fish, and many more creatures of which I can't even name.

"Do you like it?" he asked me.

"Yes, it's beautiful," I answered with gleaming eyes.

"In here, lives every sea creature of the night. Without them, there'd be darkness. There'd be absence of light," he told me.

"Now Mark, you've only seen half of it. Yes, the creatures are stunning. But, turn around," he said.

I turned around and what I saw next was unbelievable.