Amongst The Water-Fresh Waters

Chapter 4: Family Ties! Part 2

Originally Published: 2013-2014. Updated July 2017; November 2019; July 3, 2020; September 25, 2021; August 7, 2023; August 26, 2023. 

      Just a few hours later, Finn Chrisholm is fishing near Moanie Island on his boat. He casts his fishing rod out into the ocean hoping to catch more than he did the last time he visited. He also hopes he doesn't experience the same thing he did during the last hiking exploration. 

      The drastic change in temperature within a few minutes and sudden gusts of wind weren't typical for the island. High-pitch screams and voices swirling around freaked Finn out so much the last time, he had to cut his hiking trip short. Not allowing him to collect rocks and minerals for his Moanie Island collection. The collection he started years after his parents both passed away and he got his own place after his aunt mysteriously left him shortly after he turned 16. 

      Since he was still a minor at the time, the Australian Child Protection Services demanded to put him into a foster home or put him with another family member. Unfortunately, he didn't have any family members he knew of that could take him in. He also wasn't fond of being under someone's care again, so he applied for emancipation after he got a job at a local service station.

      As he watches his fishing pole bob up and down from the waves, he prays silently that he gets the job he applied for days ago. He doesn't understand how he lost his job at the service station. His boss just told him he was sorry about it and he would give him a good recommendation. Finn's face turns red with anger. It was probably his nemesis Lenny. Lenny never liked Finn. He always made up stories about Finn and told their boss that Finn did things wrong and took credit for the good deeds Finn did. There was only one instance which Finn actually made a mistake, but he admitted it to his boss. But Bob didn't believe him. He took Lenny's word on it. So why would this situation be any different? Lenny likely made up a bogus story to get Finn fired.

      Finn yanks his fishing pole back with a strong force as something tries to pull it under. He shakes his body, getting rid of his anger. He can't let the past creep upon him. He vowed to himself and to God to be slow to anger. Anger was one thing that messed up so much of his childhood. He won't let it continue anymore. 

      He reels his pole in revealing nothing on the line. He's been out on the waters for 2 hours and he has caught nothing. Usually, by now he catches at least a few. He considers going somewhere else. But the waters surrounding Moanie Island are the best for fishing.

      As long as you don't go to the far left of him, which goes far away into the unknown. It's part of Moanie, but no one knows what's on that side because the waters are too rough. And if you go near the red 'Danger' sign, you may have to fend off Sharks as it's a shark breeding ground. No one knows why that specific area is, but for the past 10 or so years that's where sharks like to go to mate.

       He surveys the area to see if there is any particular reason why the fish aren't biting. His eyes lock on the island. A part of the island begins to cast a bright blue light off of it. He blinks a few times clearing his vision. Hours out in the heat and sun may be messing with his vision. But he focuses on the island again. It's still glowing blue. He grabs his binoculars and slowly stands up hoping to get a closer look at it. He is certain he isn't seeing things. As he stares at the glowing part of the island a memory comes back to him.

      Finn vaguely remembers as a child, when his dad would put him to bed, he'd tell him stories. Some were real bedtime stories and others were stories he made up.

     One night after a long and exhausting day at school; Finn's father told him a story about a man who was out on his boat fishing one day and saw the island he was many feet away from glow a bright blue. The bored fisherman gave up on fishing after hours of trying to catch a fish and arrived on the island. The man searched for the glowing light. When he found it, he came across a beautiful mermaid lying on a rock singing an enchanting song and he was mesmerized by her beauty and voice. The mermaid asked him if he'd like to swim with her, the man was so tranced by her beauty he said yes. And the man and mermaid swam into her world and he lived with her in her world and came back to his world when he needed to get a break from the underworld full of adventures. But he rarely needed that because she'd always sing to him. 

      When Finn first heard the story he asked how the human breathed underwater. His dad always had answers. He told his son it was because the man was in love with the mermaid and that was his oxygen. Finn still didn't understand, but he let it go.

      Finn stares at the light confused. There has to be an explanation for the light. As for the story, his dad told him as a child, it all has to be a made-up fairytale. A story his dad made up to get Finn to sleep. That's why Finn's dad made up most of the stories. They hardly ever had any truth to them. And this story has to be the same way. No truth behind it. It has to be pure fiction.

      Finn sits down, places his binoculars back in his case, and stares at the island. His instincts are telling him to stay away, but his curiosity is telling him to go and check it out. His dad told him a story about a mermaid as a kid and his aunt claiming to be a mermaid seems all too weird. His dad was killed at sea and Finn himself is obsessed with anything sea-related. His family is too connected to the sea. Whatever he is feeling, he knows it's going to change his life forever.