Hooks

Chapter 24: Departure

The sea car came to a halt and everyone was freaking out. I could feel the metal box we were in vibrating and I was unsure whether or not it was because of the sea car or the fish that wouldn't stop swimming around like maniacs.

"It's going to be okay everyone! Remember, just stay calm!" I said.

Light filled the box as it was opened and we seemed to be all getting transported somewhere. I heard hundreds of people from outside the box and they all seemed to be joyful. Suddenly, the box was lifted up in the air. It started to tip on it's side and fish that were at the bottom all came flying towards me at full speed. Everyone was momentarily cramped and stuck in the bottom until I watched as fish started pouring out of the box and dropping down into something. But what was it? What was going on? More and more fish began tipping out of the box and eventually I knew it was my turn. I hung on tight and remembered what I had said. I had been through a lot worse. I slid down the box and hoped for the best. I then fell for what seemed like an hour but was probably only a few seconds. As I was falling, I looked around and saw all the other fish from Coral City falling with me. Some were scared and didn't know what to do, some were screaming, and some were just enjoying it and having fun.

To my surprise, I landed in more water. I was still alive. But how? I thought humans hated fish...

"Mark!!!" said a voice.

I turned around and saw Carol as well as the rest of my family waiting for me.

"Honey, you're okay!" I said relieved.

"Where are we daddy?" asked Pixie.

I looked around me and what I saw was beautiful. It looked like Coral City but it was bigger, more colorful, and better in general. There were dozens of houses to live in, there was clean, fresh sand covering the ground, and there was hundreds of plants throughout the area making it all truly feel like home. The heaven-like place we were in seemed to be endless and go on for miles. I missed Coral City but I liked this a lot better.

"This can't be real...it has to be a dream," I said wiping my eyes expecting to wake up. It didn't seem to be working and everything I saw before me was clear as day and as real as life would ever be.

"Dad! Look over there!" said Morgan as he shook me awake from the dream state that I was in before.

I looked away from the city and behind me I saw humans staring at me. I went to swim up and try and touch them but my face ran straight into an invisible force that I can not identify. I watched as humans stared at me smiling. I looked past the humans and saw a large sign that read "MARINE WORLD."

"Welcome to Marine World, where fish and human are friends," said a robotic sounding voice from outside the tank. The voice echoed through the building.

Outside the tank, people walked up and down the building. Children ran and played, adults smiled and took pictures, and fish were treated the way I have always wanted them to be treated...as equals.

Things at this point almost seemed perfect. There were no more hooks, the mayor was gone, I was somewhere where people actually liked me and most importantly, I was back with my family again. But something was missing...

I realized it was my friends. I missed Gummy and Kambara. Even after they left, they came back to help me. Kambara risked his life several times for me. I kept thinking about all of the good times we had together. I thought back and remembered every memory made as my mind flashed back numerous thoughts at once. Suddenly my wife interrupted my thoughts.

"What's wrong honey?" she asked anxiously.

"Nothing...I'm just thinking," I said letting out a deep sigh.

"You miss them don't you?" she asked.

"More than you know," I said as I wondered how she always knew what was wrong.

Kambara's last words continuously echoed through my head.

"Never forget me!" I heard him say in my mind.

I pictured Kambara being taken away by humans because of his attacks. I imagined Gummy watching from the water as he cried his eyes out. As I thought of all of this, I started to cry. I missed them so much.