https://8ch.net/monster/res/343889.html#357421
finally escape the rat race
end up in the far north
late spring, ice finally gone mid May
got a little jon boat for fishing
best part of the week, get to ease the cabin fever
find a little lake on an even smaller river
this boat business is pretty great
first time out, already got two rainbows
reeling in third when a pair of hands grabs the side and a mermaid hoists her head above the rail
not the cute cuckfish normally associated with mermaids
she looks pissed
"You asshooooooole!" she yells "Who the fuck do you think you are!"
that's it, she's like a mershark
might just be the teeth though
this is apparently her lake, her fish, and I can go die
she's worked up into a frenzy, her golden sclera and black iris' glazed as she gnaws on the side
"Give it baaack!"
reach into the cooler and grab a cheese filled smokey as a peace offering
"You think you can bribe me with shitty hotdogs??" she's trying to lunge for the rainbows in the pail
she's gonna flip the boat if she keeps this up
stuff the hotdog into her mouth and she reflexively bites down before sliding back down into the water
she's eyeing me up over the side as she chews
she's got some sharp teeth, my blood is dripping from a nick to the finger
"You deserve that!" she yells through a mouthful of smokey "Gimme back my fish!"
ask her if she wants the rest of the smokey along with the rainbow
she snatches it away along with the fish and disappears back into the black
at the local diner next day
ask the local old guys if they know anything about her
turns out she's a troublemaker and the local mermaids ran her out of the area
she's a little different than the rest, being a Pike mermaid, so she never really fit in either
there were some fights with the mermaids and she got kicked out of both school and work
one of the guys felt some sympathy for her and tried to help her out but she was already gone
back on the lake, tempting fate
honestly, the fishing here is worth it
as soon as the hook hits the water she appears
"Get the fuck off my lake!!"
came prepared this time
pull out a whole package of cheesy smokies
"No damnit! I don't want your hotdogs, I want you to leave!"
offer her a deal: if she allows me to fish, she'll get half of what I catch
we'll share the smokies
she submerges up to her eyes and stares at me for the longest time
finally get a mumbled "fine"
eventually catch two and head into shore for lunch
sitting next to the fire when a clump of black hair appears in the grass beside the boat
she's staring again
invite her up for lunch
she reaches into the boat and pulls out the biggest of the two fish
most mermaids have difficulty moving up onto land but she's having fewer problems, at least for her
water's flying, soaking everything around her including me as she flops her way up the bank
she's rather fetching for a fish, long black hair, green mottled scales, and those golden eyes
a long green wrap around her lower half and another wrap around her flat unmonster-like chest
even if she's dressed modestly for a mermaid, it's hard to conceal her ribs sticking out
she angrily turns down the offer of help as she crawls up to the fire
she stabs the fish with the proffered willow stick and sets about roasting
impaling a couple of smokies and tossing a couple sticks on the fire sets a more civilized lunch
her fish is only getting warm when the wieners are done
a hungry glance at them gets my attention across the fire
the second one remains speared over the fire while making a great show of eating the first
complain bitterly about being full and wasting food
she's looking longingly at the wiener
after puttering through the cooler for a beer, the stick is empty
her face is pure ecstasy as she tries to act nonchalant
the drink must have settled lunch, better roast another couple
like last time, the first hotdog is "too filling", while the second mysteriously disappears
she seems more relaxed as she rolls her fish over
trying to not smile at the giggle and slight tail slap beside you as she peels handfuls of flesh off her prize
a muted sigh and "so good" drifts over the crackle of the fire
tell her that it's time to head back across the lake
while repacking the boat, a beer and the second fish accidentally get left behind
might have accidentally left the fire burning too
being part time has the benefit of getting to go fishing a lot
don't really fish much anymore, just catch one and then share it and a fire with the hatefish
as the summer wears on, she talks a little more and the occasional smile leaks through
at first it seemed like pride and anger were her downfalls but it became clear one day that it wasn't the whole story
with mid-summer the heat finally caught up
too hot to cook we lay in the grass on our usual bank, drinking beer and staring at the sky
far too many beers coursed through us and she was drunk enough to talk about her past
she had a crush on a boy, but when she had confessed to him, he called her ugly
laughing, I told her that he was an idiot for telling the prettiest mermaid that
she flushed pink at that "But I'm NOT pretty, you 'tard"
no amount of protest is gonna stop a drunk guy on a roll
proceeded to lecture her at length about how mermaids couldn't even compare and how she surpassed even mersharks
"Bullshit, now I know your lying" she's beet red now
"It's true! Wanna know why I know?"
"Why, you drunken idiot?"
pointing a thumb at myself "Because I fucking said so!"
