Lost

Chapter 45

×~ A Strange Fish ~×

I watched as a man walked along the edge of the river I called home and took in what he looked like for the second time. His short, brown, wavy hair and dark brown eyes were stunning. He came here yesterday and he still looked as beautiful now as he did then. He sat down and pulled the guitar off his back.

I couldn't help but swim closer as he began to gently strum its cords. I wish I could leave the water and properly hear what he was playing. I'm sure it's just as stunning as him. But I can't, I don't want to startle him and I especially don't want to go through the heartbreak of seeing the fear and disgust on his face when he finds out what I am. So until times change, I'm content to just listen to his music, even if it's distorted from the waves of the water I'm confined to.

Lost in Wilbur's beauty, Sally slowly approached unaware of her growing closeness she continued to happily stare. The brunette eventually took notice of the lingering salmon but didn't give it too much mind. Only stopping his strums for a moment to glance at her.

But as Sally grew closer Wilbur began to grow suspicious and slowly he started focusing less on his guitar and more on the curious fish in front of him. At one point he stopped playing altogether and brought all of his attention to Sally. She soon noticed this and quickly swam away, disappearing into the partially frozen river.

I walked along the river, heading to the spot I usually sit at. We had been here at the village for a week now and I had started coming here a couple of days after we first arrived. It's relaxing and I'll probably miss it when we have to leave again. Thankfully that won't happen until spring so I get to enjoy this place for a bit longer.

Once I came across the familiar place I sat down and pulled the guitar off my back. I began to pluck the cords as best as I could, but I know I can do better. Which is why I'm out here. I always find it harder to practice and focus on improvement when other people are around. Plus, the sound of the gentle, crystal clear water flowing past me was much easier to listen to than Tommy's screeching.

As my gaze shifted between the water and my guitar I noticed something swimming closer to me. It was that fish again. I have no clue why it's getting so close, but I don't mind its company. It's kind of interesting, I just hope I don't scare it off again like I did a few days ago.

As the days passed the two grew accustomed to each other's company. Sally grew more comfortable being seen by Wilbur and Wilbur began to expect Sally to join him every day. But one day, a day just like any other, Sally was as close to the land as she could manage and Wilbur was closer to the water than usual. He had started staring at her and in a moment of impulsivity, curiosity, and boredom, the man grabbed the salmon like one would grad the throat of a goose.

She flapped around in his clutch trying her best to escape back into the water. She knew she shouldn't have gotten that close. But she was foolish, naive enough to trust a human. She didn't want to hurt him, but she also didn't want to get hurt by him. Just as she was about to properly retaliate, defend herself, she was gently placed back into the water.

"You're a weird fish," Wilbur commented as he rinsed off his hand in the river water before drying it off on his pants. Sally turned to face him. She was so sure he was going to try to hurt her but here she was, back in the river, completely fine.

"You're not swimming away, I thought you would have," The brunette observed. Then and there Sally decided that she would take the risk and tell him the truth. Just not now, she needed time to get ready first.

As the next day rolled around Sally nervously got ready. No longer in the form of a salmon, she put on jewellery made of various glass beads and shells. She tied off a section of her short red hair with a metal hair clip and gave herself one last look in the mirror before swimming out of her home and making her way over to where Wilbur usually sat.