Waters Edge

Chapter Four: Pinpointing crazy

The next morning, I wake up to the sounds of seabirds and boat motors. I sit up in bed and gaze out the window to see multiple fishing boats trolling around the bay. I groan and stretch out my muscles, stiff from sleeping in an odd position. I get out of bed and grab a quick breakfast before pulling on my shoes and making my way to the docks. The morning sky is gloomy and it looks like it might rain later, the humidity hanging heavy in the air making it feel like I am walking through a wet sauna. That must be why the boats are out so early this morning. The closer to the docks I get the more I am tempted to leave the traps for another day because this storm seems like it could pick up any minute. But I know that I have left them out there long enough being unattended for so long could cause the traps to become damaged from the crabs trying to break free or cause the crabs to die.

So, I swing into my boat and untie from the dock and troll out of the bay. At least my traps are not that far out from the shore. About a half hour to get around to all of them if I go fast. I quickly motor my way down the coast to where my traps lay, as soon as I reach the first one I quickly haul it up. When it comes into view the trap lays empty, I curse quietly before rebaiting it and throwing it back into the water. I move quickly to the next and it too lays empty, as does the next. By the time I make it to the last trap I only have three crabs in my boat. I look at the last bobber on the last trap and a tremble of panic runs down my spine.

What if this one too lays empty? I shut off the motor and take a deep breath, the boat begins to bob frantically in the waves which are getting stronger by the minute. I look up into the sky and dark grey clouds are rolling in from the distance. No time for self-pity. I quickly start to pull the last trap up from the water. Just as it breaches the surface the merman appears and goes to grab it. I panic thinking I might hit him with it and quickly pull it up into the boat. The trap is filled with crabs, I stare at it a moment in shock trying to calculate in my head the amount of time it will take to bring all my traps to this spot. I snap out of my daze when I hear an exasperated sigh. I look over the side of the boat and there is the merman with a sour look on his face.

"Give." He huffs and my eyes widen with shock.

"I thought you said that you didn't know any English?" I ask and the merman levels me with an angry glare.

He points into the boat and then to himself "Give." He states firmly.

"Why?" I ask and he stares at me his eyes narrowing. He points toward the trap again and opens his mouth. "No, I get that you want it, but why do you want it?" I emphasize the 'why' and he gestures to the water and to the crabs, seemingly getting more frustrated by the second. I lean over the side of the boat and he backs up a little his tail flickering bright blue in the gloomy waters, I get mesmerized by the shiny scales and I reach out to him. I just want to touch him, to see if he is real. Just at this moment, I need to make sure that I am not crazy that there really is a fish man trying to get me to throw my best catch of the season back into the water. Just please let me touch him my mind pleads.

Please just let him be real. At that moment a big fat raindrop lands right on the back of my hand. I quickly pull myself back into the boat and the sound of thunder rumbles from behind me. My eyes trail over toward the noise and a huge storm cloud is swiftly approaching bolts of lightning crackling within it and striking the water my eyes widen as I look back at the merman. He looks worryingly at the clouds as well his eyes meet mine and then gaze fore longingly at the crab trap before he sighs and submerges into the water, disappearing from sight.

I look at the crab trap and quickly take the crabs out throwing them into the bucket and rebaiting the trap before nearly hurdling it back into the water. I quickly go back to start up the boat and the engine revs before sputtering out and dying. Oh, please god no. I try it again and it revs trying to turn over before sputtering out once again. Crap.