Catfished

 

I’ll tell you that I am a countrywoman, born and raised in the middle of nowhere. However, it isn’t ‘nowhere’ to me.  I grew up here with the rocks, the trees, the sun.  You know, pretty much all you need to have a happy life.  People from the city are often depressed.  Everyone’s honking, running, while the time clicks and tocks away.  Some people aren’t even alive anymore, turned to zombies for life.

My mother told me there isn’t any use in living in the city.  People murder each other, the lights never go out, so you can’t see the magnificent stars above, the ones in the milky way especially.  City life is akin to existing in another dimension of touch, taste, sight, space, and smell.  

But there is danger, hidden danger.  I’ll tell you the truth about last summer.  

Rob was a talented boy able to catch many fish, and this made his father proud.  His mother stayed on the shore, letting the men bond, even though Rob was only eleven.  Still, she felt he ought to do activities with his father to grow up right.

Rob’s mother always said, “I’ll do as right as I can.”  And she did near a damn good job.

“So, how many fish is that son?”

“Five, but none of were keepers.  Dad, I don’t get it. Usually, I have a lucky strike here close to the dam.” Rob’s face flashed with disappointment.

“Well, son, you’ll learn in life that much disappoints a man from siblings, to family, to friends.  You’ve got to learn how to take the punches and blows.  That’s what makes a man,” Rob’s dad said.  

Rob’s dad or Ronald felt sad that day anyhow.  They didn’t have much money in the bank and their trailer would be taken from them.  Then they’d have to move, go somewhere more expensive so that he could work thankless jobs.  He enjoyed the outdoors, being close to nature, finding jobs where he could, at the dock, at the stables, washing cars, but none of this amassed to being able to afford the medical bills his wife suffered.  Already, the tumor grew inside of her head, eating pushing aside the healthy tissue for its own agenda.

“How about we go swimming instead, dad?” Rob asked.

“That sounds nice.  It’s deep here, so you’re going to have to wear a life-jacket. You know how easy it is to get choked and stuck in the lake’s belly forever.  Haven’t you heard about all the children who have gone missing around here lately?  They didn’t wear their life-jackets.”

“But dad…”

“I don’t care about your butt,” his dad said. 

The two of them donned life-jackets and began to swim.  

“I’m not a child, you know, dad?”

“You won’t be so for long.  You were out of diapers just yesterday.”

“Dad, can I please take this life-jacket off?  The other kids must have been super skinny.  I work out with you, after all,” Rob said.  

“I guess, but don’t you end up like the other kids,” his father said.  

“I won’t.”  His dad felt a sense of pride about his fit body.  What could happen?  Dad would protect him.

They talked about this and that, avoiding the topic of Rob’s mother.  The pain crushed Ronald the most. He’d loved her since eighth grade.  Even when they were kids, they were married.  

All of a sudden Ron felt a pull on his foot, he snapped back and swam away.  

“Son, what’s wrong with you?” his father asked.

“Some fish grabbed at my foot. It’s nothing.”  Rob was about thirty feet away from his father.  He started to make his way back, wanting a pop from the cooler. 

The pull grabbed his legs, and he went under for a minute.  

“DAD! HELP!” He screamed.  His dad swam as quickly as he could.  His son breached the water over and over, but his arms weren’t strong enough, and he went under one final time.  Ronald could hear his wife screaming from the shore.

He opened his eyes wide and went under the surface. What he saw bothers him until this day.  

A catfish. 

Not just a catfish.  

An eight-foot-long catfish.  His son's white abdomen was all he saw.  The catfish took his son deep into the water where he wouldn’t be seen again. 

His father came to the surface, his eyes filled with tears hidden in lake water. 

A catfish, slimy, mean creature.

The community called him, “Bubba.”  Bubba took many more that summer. 

The strangest thing occurred.  

"Bubba! Come out wherever you are,” Ronald screamed, as he turned in his sleep. 

Eventually, Smokey appeared in his vision. Ronald swam to him before another catfish caught his leg.  

“Why, why, did you eat my son, you slimy, worthless creature?”

“I say that to you.  You prey upon us, so why can’t we prey upon you?”  

“My son…”  

‘Our progeny…”  All of the children’s heads popped up to the surface and sang out to Ronaldo, “What a day when we play.  And you, you, must pay!”

Ronald heard a familiar voice, “Rob!”

“Bubba is my daddy now.”

Ronald woke up and snapped his fishing line in two, threw out his bait, got rid of all hooks and bobs, and then jumped into the lake.